In under 30 minutes, you can whip up a delicious batch of No Yeast French Donuts (Beignets) that'll have you savoring their sweet, sugar-covered goodness in no time!
A beignet is a light and fluffy French donut, typically sliced into squares, deep-fried to puff up, and finally dusted/ coated with powdered sugar. It's the ideal, pillowy-soft and fluffy breakfast indulgence to start your day!
No Yeast French Donuts (Beignets)
Beignets are beloved treat of New Orleans, traditionally made with yeast. but I've skipped the yeast in this recipe for a quicker version. That means no need for kneading or waiting for the dough to rise. Just mix, shape, cut, and fry.
These bite-sized nuggets have perfectly crisp exteriors and tender interiors, fried until they turn a beautiful golden brown and then dusted generously with powdered sugar.
They are amazing when they're served fresh and warm, creating a heavenly blend of textures and flavors that define Louisiana's culinary heritage.
Plus, this recipe makes approximately 50 little nuggets of deliciousness, so you'll have plenty to snack on while you're frying them 😋.
Visual Instructions
Here are step by step pictures so you can see what the dough at each stage should look like.
The full printable recipe with amounts and instructions are at the end of this post.
The ingredients can either be combined by hand or by using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment set to a low or medium-low speed. For this recipe I used a stand mixer.
- Whisk together 2 ⅓ cup all purpose flour, ½ cup white granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add 2 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 eggs.
- Attach the dough hook mixing on a medium speed for about 2 minutes. Once the dough comes together add the butter.
- Continue to mix or knead the dough until it comes away from the bowl. The dough will be sticky at this stage. (If you're mixing the dough by hand and it feels too sticky, feel free to add up to ¼ cup of flour to make it less sticky.
- Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a well floured work surface.
- Sprinkle a bit of flour onto your hands and gently combine the dough until it forms a smooth texture.
- You can either roll or gently press the dough until it reaches a thickness of ¼ inch. If you find that the dough is too soft to manage, simply place it in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes before rolling. Chilling the dough really makes it easy to handle and roll or press out.
I pressed out the dough into into a ¼ inch (5mm) thick oblong shape, approximately 9 inches (23cm) wide and 10 inches (25 cm) long.
- Use a pizza or pastry cutter to cut the dough into squares, depending on the desired size.
- I cut the dough out into mini bite size squares - approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares. This made about 50 mini French Donuts (Beignets)
Beignets will puff up when fried, so the initial size you cut them will increase as they cook.
- When the oil temperature reaches 360°F (180°C), fry the beignets in separate batches until the underside becomes puffy and turns a lovely golden color.
- Flip them over, and once the other side has the same golden color, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove them from the oil.
- This typically takes approximately 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side.
- Keep in mind that the cooking time may vary with the size of your beignets.
- The suggested cooking time in the recipe is based on 1-inch (2.5 cm) square portions.
- If you choose the larger, traditional New Orleans-style beignets at about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) square, the cooking time will increase to about 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side.
- Drain them on paper towels after frying to remove excess oil. Then dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Tips
Dough Storage: If you're not ready to use the dough right away, you can pop it in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Frying Tip: When frying your beignets, make sure not to crowd the pan. Frying them in batches works best because too many at once can cool down the oil too much.
Freshness Matters: Beignets are at their absolute best when they're served hot or warm right after frying. They don't taste nearly as good if you save them for the next day. So, enjoy while they're fresh
Recipe
No Yeast French Donuts (Beignets)
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cup flour (same as plain flour -UK OR cake flour)
- ½ cup castor or white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (level)
- ½ teaspoon salt (add ¾ teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
- 2 Tablespoons milk (lukewarm or at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup salted butter (softened to room temperature)
- Vegetable oil for deep frying (See note 1)
- ½ cup powdered sugar for coating after frying
Instructions
- The ingredients can either be combined by hand or by using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment set to a low or medium-low speed. For this recipe I used a stand mixer.
Make the dough
- Whisk together all purpose flour, castor or white granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add milk, vanilla extract and eggs.
- Attach the dough hook and mix on a medium speed for about 2 minutes. Once the dough comes together add the butter.
- Continue to mix the dough until it comes away from the side of the bowl (about 1 minute). The dough will be sticky at this stage. (If you're mixing the dough by hand and it feels too sticky, feel free to add up to ¼ cup of flour)
Shape the dough
- Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a well floured work surface.
- Sprinkle a bit of flour onto your hands and gently combine the dough until it forms a smooth texture.
- You can either roll or gently press the dough until it reaches a thickness of ¼ inch (5mm).
- If you find that the dough is too soft to manage, simply place it in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes before rolling. Chilling the dough really makes it easy to handle and roll or press out.
- I pressed the dough into a ¼ inch (5mm) thick oblong shape, approximately 9 inches (23cm) wide and 10 inches (25 cm) long.
Cut the dough and heat the oil
- Use a pizza or pastry cutter to cut the dough into squares, depending on the desired size.
- I cut the dough out into mini bite size squares - approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares. This made about 50 mini French Donuts (Beignets) (see note 2)
- When the oil temperature reaches 360°F (180°C), fry the beignets in separate batches until the underside becomes puffy and turns a golden color. (See note 3)
- Flip them over, and once the other side has the same golden color, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove them from the oil.
- Frying, typically takes approximately 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. (See note 4)
- Drain them on paper towels after frying to remove excess oil. Then dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
- Beignets are at their absolute best when they're served hot or warm right after frying. They don't taste nearly as good if you save them for the next day. So, enjoy while they're fresh
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