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 own 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.

Ingredients to Make King Cake Beignets Recipe

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 for carnival season. Typically beignets are coated with powdered sugar, but this king cake beignet recipe is a fun way to combine two classic NOLA desserts any time of the year. They feature the same great cinnamon flavor of king cake. Add these fun beignets to your Fat Tuesday menu and host a NOLA brunch & beignets. Ingredients to make simple King Cake Beignets: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Flour: Bread flour is higher in gluten and gives a crispy exterior to the beignets.
Yeast: One 1/4 ounce packet of rapid rise yeast gives rise to the dough.
Additional Leavening: Baking powder and salt. Using yeast and baking powder creates the air pocket.
Water: Warm water (105°F) for the yeast mixture.
Granulated Sugar: For a hint of sweetness.
Liquid: Buttermilk or evaporated milk for a creamy batter.
Vegetable Shortening: Solid vegetable shortening lends a slightly chewy texture.
Egg: One large egg adds richness to the dough.
Flavoring: One teaspoon vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the dough.
Cinnamon: A pinch of cinnamon adds a warmth the dough.
Powdered Sugar: For making the glaze. (Confectioner sugar)
Decorations: Yellow sugar, purple sugar and green sugar sprinkles or sanding sugar.
Oil: A neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil works best for frying.

How to Make the BEST King Cake Beignets

Bloom Yeast – Add ½ cup 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 with small bubbles formed on top.
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 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 attachment. Gradually add the 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 forms, knead with the dough hook on medium speed 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 large 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 to let covered dough rest.
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 pieces of dough.
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 baking sheet to drain. 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.
Glaze the Beignets – Drizzle the glaze evenly over the beignets then sprinkle with purple, green and gold sanding sugars. Serve immediately.

Tips for Making King Cake Beignets

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: A stand mixer or hand mixer with a dough hook, measuring cups and spoons, whisk, large bowl, medium bowl, large pot or Dutch oven, fry thermometer, slotted spoon or stainless steel spider and sheet pan. You can also use a deep fryer.
Chilling the Dough: Allowing the dough to slowly rise in the fridge overnight expands and deepens the flavor.
Glaze While Warm: These king cake beignets are glazed while warm. Don’t fret if the glaze melts a bit it’s part of the process.
Sprinkle with Sanding Sugar While the Glaze is Wet: Decorate with sugar sprinkles while the glaze is still wet so it will stick. To make your own Mardis Gras colored sugar simply purchase all three colors separately and combine.
Keep Warm in the Oven: 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.

Recipe Variations

Flour: You can use all purpose flour in place of bread flour.
Glaze: You can frost these beignets with a cream cheese glaze using an icing spatula instead of using a piping bag or drizzling the glaze as pictured.
Powdered Sugar: You can dust these with powdered sugar and then glaze, if serving immediately.
Pastry Cream: You can fill these beignets with pastry cream or chocolate.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers: Store glazed King Cake Beignets in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: 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.
Freezer: 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.

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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