Vanilla French Beignets (Printable)
Light, pillowy vanilla beignets fried until golden and finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 1/4 cup warm water
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ For Frying
10 - 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
→ Finishing
11 - 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting
# Directions:
01 - Combine warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - Add the yeast mixture, lukewarm milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Mix with a dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms.
04 - Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
05 - Punch down the dough and turn onto a floured surface. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch squares using a sharp knife or pastry cutter.
06 - Place squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover lightly, and let rise for another 30 minutes until puffy.
07 - In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat vegetable oil to 350°F. Maintain temperature throughout frying.
08 - Fry beignets in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and puffed. Do not overcrowd the pot to maintain oil temperature.
09 - Remove beignets with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels for 1-2 minutes.
10 - While still warm, generously dust beignets with powdered sugar. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These beignets have an irresistible vanilla undertone that makes them feel like something straight from a French patisserie
- The recipe is surprisingly forgiving and yields restaurant quality results that will impress everyone
- They come together with basic pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand
02 -
- Do not skip the powdered sugar step while the beignets are still warm, or it will not stick properly
- Keep your oil temperature steady, otherwise the beignets will either be raw inside or burned outside
- The dough should feel slightly sticky after mixing, so resist adding too much extra flour
03 -
- Let the dough come to room temperature for 10 minutes after rolling if it has tightened up, making it easier to cut clean squares
- Work in small batches when frying, as adding too many beignets at once drops the oil temperature dramatically