Of course! Get ready to bring a taste of New Orleans’ Café du Monde right into your kitchen. These Fluffy Buttermilk Beignets are impossibly light, tender, and perfectly puffy, coated in a generous blanket of powdered sugar.
This recipe breaks down the process into simple, manageable steps for foolproof results.
The Secret to Fluffy Beignets
The key is a dough that is soft, slightly sticky, and enriched with buttermilk. The buttermilk not only adds a subtle tang but also reacts with the baking soda to create an incredibly tender and airy crumb.
Recipe: Fluffy Buttermilk Beignets
Yields: About 2 dozen beignets
Prep time: 20 minutes + 1-2 hours rising
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Dough:
· ¾ cup (180ml) warm whole milk (about 110°F/43°C)
· 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
· ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
· 3 ½ – 4 cups (435-500g) all-purpose flour, divided
· 1 large egg, lightly beaten
· ½ cup (120ml) well-shaken buttermilk
· 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 teaspoon salt
· ½ teaspoon baking soda
· Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for frying
For Serving:
· 1-2 cups (120-240g) powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Whisk gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy. This proves your yeast is active. - Make the Dough:
- To the yeast mixture, add the beaten egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix with the paddle attachment on low until just combined.
- Switch to the dough hook. Add 3 ½ cups of flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough will be very soft and slightly sticky. If it’s sticking excessively to the sides of the bowl, add the remaining ¼ cup of flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides. Don’t add too much extra flour, as a soft dough is key to fluffy beignets.
- First Rise:
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray. Form the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and turn it over to coat lightly in oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Shape the Beignets:
- Punch down the risen dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about ½-inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2×3-inch rectangles (or 3-inch squares). Don’t worry about being perfect! A little imperfection is charming.
- Place the cut beignets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover lightly with a towel, and let them rest for 15-20 minutes while you heat the oil. They will puff up slightly.
- Fry to Perfection:
- NEXT
ADVERTISEMENT
