Easy Classic French Beignets

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/6/23
Tested by
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Tested by Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Golden brown ball-shaped French beignets lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar on a serving plate

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 28 mins
Servings: 20 to 30 servings
Yield: 20 to 30 beignets
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
98 Calories
9g Fat
4g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20 to 30
Amount per serving
Calories 98
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 28mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 6mg 0%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 15mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This easy, yeast-free beignet recipe is a snap to throw together the morning after your Mardi Gras celebration.

As a classic and traditional French recipe, this one will not produce the French Quarter-style beignets that are so familiar in New Orleans. Instead, it is made with choux pastry dough, which is the dough used in cream puffs and éclairs. Made using only butter, water, flour, and eggs, the moisture in the dough allows it to rise without the need for yeast. This is what makes it the easiest version of beignets, and you can make them on the spur of the moment.

Absolutely delicious, these French beignets puff up wonderfully when deep-fried. The batter includes a high proportion of eggs, so the taste is reminiscent of French toast. It's a tasty change, a fun recipe to try, and they're wonderful when served alongside fresh fruit or preserves.

You can use a deep fryer or a pan that is deep enough for the oil to fry the beignets. A deep fryer should allow setting the temperature, but you will need to use a thermometer if using a pan.

"This recipe produces delicious beignets. It really is quick and easy to whip up. I appreciate that the ingredients are pantry staples, and clean-up is minimal. The batter requires some work to mix because it gets stiffer with each egg, but it comes together nicely. They’re best with lots of sifted powdered sugar." —Colleen Graham

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Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for classic French beignets recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Fill a deep pot with 2 inches of oil and heat to 375 F.

    Heavy pot with oil on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter in the water over medium-high heat.

    Slightly foaming melted butter and water in a saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Add salt and flour, and quickly stir until a sticky batter is formed. Remove from heat.

    Thick pasty dough being stirred with a wooden spoon in the saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Beat in the eggs, 1 egg at a time, until the batter is smooth.

    Creamy shiny dough being stirred with a wooden spoon in the saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Fry mounded teaspoons of dough, several at a time, for about 6 minutes or until light, golden brown on each side. Don't crowd the fryer; ensure each beignet has plenty of room to move around. They may flip over by themselves, or you can use a slotted spoon to flip them so they cook evenly on all sides.

    Golden brown ball-shaped beignets frying in oil in the pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Drain the beignets for a few minutes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

    Beignets on a plate lined with paper towel

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm and enjoy.

    Beignets lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar on a serving plate

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • When cooking in several batches, ensure the oil comes back up to temperature before starting the next batch. A splatter screen reduces splashes of oil and is a handy tool if you fry in a pan often.
  • The dough will get very stiff with each additional egg. While it will seem very liquidy at first, keep mixing until it's smooth.
  • A small (1-inch diameter) cookie dough scoop makes quick work of dropping the beignet dough into the hot oil and ensures uniform size. Grease it lightly with cooking spray for best results.
  • Lighten up the confectioners' sugar and remove any clumps by filtering it through a fine-mesh sieve as you dust the beignets. Alternatively, put the confectioners' sugar in a bag, add the beignets, and shake the bag gently to coat them.

What Is a Beignet?

Beignet (BEN-yay) is a French term that means bump and it originally meant fritters made with choux pastry, as in this version. So while you may wonder whether you should really be taking the time to make a yeast dough, this is an authentic version. This pastry was enshrined as the official state doughnut of Louisiana in 1986, even though it has no hole. Beignets have been a traditional food for Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday or the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday) in both France and New Orleans. They're often served for breakfast, dessert, or a coffee or teatime snack.