I watched Disney's Princess and the Frog on Disney+, and I really wanted to try the man-catching beignets! Not to catch any men... I just wanted delicious sugary fried squares of dough. I've only made them once in my high school foods elective (but I don't remember loving that recipe), so this was an exciting new step in my pastry career. Fluffy and chewy, yet slightly hollow and crisp on the outside, this recipe is (according to internet reviewers) very close to real New Orleans beignets.

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Ingredients

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• 1 cup warm water (105-110°F)

• 2 teaspoons active yeast

• 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

• 2/3 cup whole milk

• 1 large egg + 1 yolk

• 3 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• Neutral oil for frying (the most traditional oil for beignets is cottonseed, but you can use vegetable, canola, or peanut instead)

• A ton of powdered sugar (optional: can add 1 teaspoon matcha powder to your powdered sugar for "matcha beignets")

• Honey (Disney's Princess and the Frog - style)

 

Instructions

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1. Add the warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a standing mixer bowl and whisk until combined. Let sit for 7-10 minutes until it forms a raft on top.

2. Pour in the remaining sugar, milk, eggs, and melted butter and whisk until combined.

3. Attach the bowl the stand mixer with the hook attachment and add in the salt and flour and mix on medium speed until smooth and the dough has pulled away from the inside of the bowl, about 2-3 minutes.

   • You can also make the dough by hand in a large bowl, just be prepared to knead it with your hands until it is smooth. Do not add extra flour, as that will change the texture of the dough and cause it to be dry, tough/dense, and bland.

4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

5. Transfer the dough to a large clean surface lightly dusted with flour and roll out until it is 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick and cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch squares or rectangles.

6. Preheat 2 inches frying oil to 350°F. Add some of the beignets and cook for 1/2 to 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.

   • ​If you don't have a thermometer, add a piece of scrap dough to the oil and see if it bubbles and floats quickly. If it doesn't, heat the oil longer. If it does but it burns, lower the heat and add more beignets to the pot to drop the oil temperature.

7. Cook in batches until the beignets have all been fried and set on a sheet tray lined with paper towels or on wire racks and drain.

8. Coat heavily in powdered sugar. Add some honey (optional) and serve.