King Cake Beignets
These homemade King Cake Beignets are a fusion of two NOLA classics. They’re a delicious treat and a fun way to kick off your Mardi Gras celebration. They’re drizzled with a vanilla cream cheese glaze and decorated with vibrant purple, green and gold sprinkles for the crowning touch.
Easy King Cake Beignets
Whether you’re in New Orleans for Mardi Gras or planning festive sweet treats to make at home, beignets are a must on the menu. Typically beignets are coated with powdered sugar but this recipe is a fun way to combine two classic NOLA desserts. How to make simple King Cake Beignets: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)
- Bloom Yeast – Add water, sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently stir until the yeast has dissolved. Allow it to sit and bloom for 8-10 minutes. The top should look foamy and creamy.
- Wet Ingredients – In a separate medium bowl whisk together the remaining sugar, evaporated milk, shortening, vanilla and egg until fully combined.
- Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl use a whisk to sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Add Wet Ingredients to the Yeast Mixture – After the yeast has bloomed add evaporated milk mixture to the stand mixer bowl. Mix with the paddle attachment just until combined.
- Combine – Switch to the dough hook. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the bowl with the mixer on low speed. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Knead the Dough – Once the dough begins to comes together, knead with the dough hook for about 5 minutes or until the dough isn’t sticky. You can also do this by hand on a non-stick lightly floured surface.
- Let Rise – Form the dough into a round and place into a bowl oiled with a small amount of vegetable or canola oil, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Heat Oil – Heat 4 inches of oil in a dutch oven or deep pot to 350-360°F.
- Roll Dough – Turn the dough out onto the counter and roll dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into 2 inch squares.
- Fry – Cook in batches, carefully lowering each beignet into the hot oil. Cook until puffed and golden around 2 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a large paper towel lined sheet pan. Keep warm.
- Make the Glaze: Whip together cream cheese, melted butter, vanilla and almond extract. Add 1 cup powdered sugar. Add additional milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time to thin to drizzle consistency. (Taste and adjust the sweetness to your taste.)
- Drizzle the glaze evenly over the beignets then decorate with purple, green and gold sanding sugars. Serve immediately.
How to Make the BEST King Cake Beignets
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade King Cake Beignets: Bread Flour, one 1/4 oz packet rapid rise yeast, lukewarm water (105°F), granulated sugar, buttermilk or evaporated milk room temperature, solid vegetable shortening, vanilla extract, large egg room temperature, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar and vegetable or canola oil for frying.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: A stand mixer or hand mixer with a dough hook, measuring cups and spoons, whisk, medium bowls, large pot or Dutch oven, fry thermometer, slotted spoon or stainless steel spider and sheet pan.
- The beignets are glazed while warm. Don’t fret if the glaze melts a bit it’s part of the process.
- When frying in batches, you can transfer the beignets to a sheet pan fitted with an oven safe rack and keep in a preheated 200°F oven until glazing and decorating.
- If you plan on saving some of the beignets you can reheat them either in the microwave or a 350°F air fryer. When doing so, wait to glaze and decorate until just before serving.
- You can also freeze the dough squares prior to frying. To do so, place onto a wax paper lined sheet pan in a single layer without touching. Freeze solid, then package into a freezer safe container with layers divided by wax paper. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator and fry a batch of fresh beignets whenever you like.
- Store glazed King Cake Beignets in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Doughnuts and Desserts Recipes to Make
- Easy King Cake Monkey Bread.
- Sugar coated Strawberry Jelly Filled Doughnuts.
- See how to make classic New Orleans Beignets.
- Fudgy baked Chocolate Doughnuts.
- Treat the family to a homemade King Cake with the little baby tucked inside.
- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Bread Pudding is a bonafide indulgence.
- Baked Buttermilk Glazed Blueberry Doughnuts.
- Bananas Foster Doughnuts from Food Network.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
King Cake Beignets
Servings: 30 servings
Ingredients
- Beignets:
- 1 (1/4 oz) packet of rapid rise yeast
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water (105°F)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tsp divided use
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 Tbsp solid vegetable shortening melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 4 cups bread flour (or all purpose flour) plus additional for rolling
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- vegetable or canola oil for frying
- Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 Tbsp salted or unsalted butter melted
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar (sift to remove lumps if needed) (begin with 1 cup add more to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- heavy cream or milk to thin, if needed
- yellow, purple and green sanding sugars
Instructions
- Add water, 1 tsp from 1/2 cup sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently stir until yeast has dissolved. Allow to sit and bloom for 8-10 minutes. The top should look foamy and creamy.
- In a separate medium bowl whisk together remaining sugar, evaporated milk, shortening, vanilla and egg until fully combined.
- In a third bowl, use a whisk to sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- After the yeast has bloomed add the evaporated milk mixture to the stand mixer bowl. Mix with the paddle attachment just until combined.
- Switch to the dough hook. To the bowl gradually add dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Once the dough begins to comes together, knead with the dough hook on medium high speed for about 5 minutes or until the dough isn't sticky. You can also do this by hand on a non-stick surface.
- Form dough into a round and place into a bowl oiled with a small amount of vegetable or canola oil. Turn dough to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To Fry: Heat 4 inches of oil in a large dutch oven or deep heavy bottomed pot to 350-360°F.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into thirty 2 inch squares.
- Cook in batches, carefully lowering each beignet into the hot oil. Cook until puffed and golden around 2 minutes on each side. Maintain temperature while cooking.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove to a large paper towel lined sheet pan. Keep warm. (When frying in batches, you can transfer to a sheet pan fitted with an oven safe rack and keep in a preheated 200°F oven until glazing and decorating.)
- Glaze: In a medium bowl use a hand mixer to whip together cream cheese, melted butter, vanilla and almond extract. Add 1 cup powdered sugar. Add additional milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time to thin to drizzle consistency. (Taste and adjust the sweetness to your taste.)
- Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm beignets then decorate with purple, green and gold sanding sugars. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can allow the dough to rise at room temperature covered with a damp cloth for 2 hours, if you want to fry them immediately.
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