Having been born and raised in New Orleans, I regularly have a craving for the famous Cafe du Monde delicious beignets. The classic beignet is such a staple to be enjoyed while in the Big Easy, not just for Mardi Gras but also in the French Quarter with a hot cup of Cafe au Lait. Since receiving my Air Fryer, I have not stopped air frying all the foods because who needs the calories of deep frying when one can make homemade air fryer beignets at home with this easy recipe? Check out this easy and delicious Air Fryer Beignets recipe to make at home.
If you enjoyed this Air Fryer Beignets Recipe, check out these other air fryer recipe: Air Fryer Churros Recipe, Air Fryer French Toast Sticks Recipe, Air Fryer Smores Poptart Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Perogi Recipe, easy Air Fryer Donuts.
Air Fryer Beignets Recipe
Being a native of New Orleans, it is only natural that I would try my hand at a New Orleans classic recipe and a sweet treat enjoyed by many using my air fryer. Not only did I want to bring this French Quarter treat to my readers, but I also wanted to give everyone a skinnier, more waist-line-friendly recipe because deep fryer beignets are fatty with a capital F. I mean, they are delicious, so they are totally worth it, but skipping the step of frying the beignets in oil is a total fat saver.
Ingredients
3 cups self-rising flour
1½ tsp salt
1 package instant yeast or active dry yeast
1 cup milk
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, to taste
Directions
Whisk flour, salt, and instant yeast mixture together in a small bowl. Heat the milk in microwave until boiling hot. Combine milk with the melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and pour the steaming milk over the top. Stir so that the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool to a lukewarm temp. Add the egg and vanilla to the milk mixture and mix thoroughly. Combine flour mixture with the wet ingredients and mix until a dough is formed. Knead dough for 3-5 minutes. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl (I used vegetable oil). Cover and allow it to rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and cut into a square shapes creating the beignet square pieces. Let the dough rest setting dough pieces aside on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes or until the risen dough have almost doubled in size.
Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough squares into the basket of the air fryer, making sure it remains a single layer in the basket. Depending on the type and size of your air fryer, times and temperatures will vary. I set my air fryer at 390 degrees F and set the timer to 10 minutes, flipping the beignet halfway through at about 3-4 minutes. Cook until the air-fried beignets are golden brown, remove, and place beignets parchment paper until cool enough to eat.
Top with powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, white sugar, or just a buttered side and enjoy with that hot cup of coffee!
Air Fryer Beignet Recipe
Famous New Orleans beignet recipe which is a little lighter on the waistline since it is cooked in an air fryer!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 9 people
Calories 180 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 TBSP butter
- 2 TBSP brown sugar
- 1 pack active dry yeast
- 1 medium egg
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 sprinkle powdered sugar to taste
Instructions
Whisk flour, salt, and instant yeast mixture together in a small bowl. Heat the milk in microwave until boiling hot. Combine milk with the melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and pour the steaming milk over the top. Stir so that the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool to a lukewarm temp. Add the egg and vanilla to the milk mixture and mix thoroughly. Combine flour mixture with the wet ingredients and mix until a dough is formed. Knead dough for 3-5 minutes. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl (I used vegetable oil). Cover and allow it to rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and cut into a square shapes creating the beignet square pieces. Let the dough rest setting dough pieces aside on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes or until they have almost doubled in size.
Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough squares into the basket of the air fryer, making sure it remains a single layer in the basket. Depending on the type and size of your air fryer, times and temperatures will vary. I set my air fryer at 390 degrees F and set the timer to 10 minutes, flipping the beignet halfway through at about 3-4 minutes. Cook until the air-fried beignets are golden brown, remove, and place beignets parchment paper until cool enough to eat.
Keyword air fryer recipe, beignet
FAQs
Do not add too many pieces to the oil or else the oil temperature will drop and your beignets will be fry up flat. They will not puff up. The only other reason the dough does not puff up would be if you rolled the beignet dough too flat. Try rolling the dough a little thicker.
What is the difference between French beignets and New Orleans beignets? ›
New Orleans beignets are different from the classic French beignet in that they are made with yeast to help the dough rise. French beignets, meanwhile, are a choux pastry, a pastry that relies on moisture content instead of yeast to facilitate rising. Today, beignets are considered the official donut of Louisiana.
What kind of oil do you use to fry beignets? ›
They have tried other oils but always return to cottonseed oil as it produces the best results. Cottonseed oil has a high smoke point of 420 degrees, which allows them to keep the oil extremely hot. Another tip for making superior beignets is that you don't want to overwork the dough or the beignet will become tough.
Why are my beignets raw on the inside? ›
Why are my beignets raw in the middle? Oil that's too hot will quickly brown the beignets before the centers have a chance to cook. Make sure to check your oil temperature, and reduce the heat if your beignets are browning too quickly.
Are beignets supposed to be doughy in the middle? ›
Texture: Golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside, ultra soft, fluffy, and pillowy on the inside. Ease: Surprisingly easy, just requires some patience and clean up. Don't let the dough or deep frying scare you away!
How sticky should beignet dough be? ›
If it's not too sticky to knead, knead it on a floured surface or with the dough hook; if it's still pretty sticky, add another 1/2 cup flour. Knead until it's smooth and elastic, yet still tacky. Put the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and let rise for 1 1/2-2 hours.
What is the most famous beignet shop in Louisiana? ›
Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter is the oldest and most iconic beignet shop, but several other cafes have become local favorites such as Cafe Beignet and Loretta's Authentic Pralines for their praline-filled beignets.
What is the name of the dough in beignets? ›
Beignet (/ˈbɛnjeɪ/ BEN-yay, also US: /beɪnˈjeɪ, bɛnˈjeɪ/ bayn-YAY, ben-YAY, French: [bɛɲɛ]; lit. 'bump') is a type of fritter, or deep-fried pastry, made from pâte à choux, but may also be made from other types of dough, including yeast dough. In France there are at least 20 different versions.
What texture should beignets be? ›
Beignets are different than doughnuts in a few ways. First, the dough is made with a single rise. This creates a chewy texture rather than a fluffy one. Because of this, the doughnuts taste best hot from the fryer.
Why do beignets come in threes? ›
At that time, beignets were generally called “French Market doughnuts,” something Fernandez rectified in 1958 when he rebranded them “beignets.” Asked why beignets are always served in threes, Roman had a very simple explanation: “My grandfather always sold them in threes, so that is what we still do today.”
Enriched wheat flour, enriched barley flour, milk, buttermilk, salt, sugar, leavening (baking powder, baking soda, and/or yeast), natural and artificial flavoring. Do you use eggs in your beignet mix? We do not use eggs in our mix.
Why are my beignets hollow? ›
Finally, the beignets made from dough that rested two hours and then was rolled, cut, and fried had more of a hollow center — light and airy and perfect for filling with Nutella etc, if you'd be so inclined.
Can you eat beignets the next day? ›
Beignets really are best served fresh, but if you have any leftover you can keep them in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days or even freeze them for 1-2 months. Reheat the beignets in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes to serve them warm.
What temperature do you fry beignets? ›
Heat oil in a large, deep saucepan or electric deep fryer to 360 F. Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch in thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch squares. Deep fry beignets for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on both sides.
Can you let beignet dough rise overnight? ›
If you want to prepare the dough ahead of time, you can do a slow rise in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can roll it out and cut the beignets. Since the dough will be cold, let the cut beignets come to room temp for about 30 minutes before frying.
Why are my beignets dense? ›
Looks dense. Next time - make sure that the dough is sufficiently proofed rather than just going by time. (That will help with using different yeast.)
How do you make beignets soft again? ›
Reheat the beignets in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes to serve them warm. You will just want to add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar before serving. They won't be quite as good as fresh, but still pretty darn good.
What makes dough puffy? ›
Puffiness in dough is largely due to the leavening agent used. Baking powder, baking soda, and yeast are all common leavening agents used in doughs. Baking powder and baking soda create carbon dioxide bubbles as they react with liquid, causing the dough to rise and puff up during baking.
