French Beignets: Easy No-Rise French Donuts

Imagine biting into a warm, pillowy pastry dusted with powdered sugar, its crispy exterior collapsing to reveal a fluffy, doughy center. Beignets are a beloved treat in most French speaking areas.

Learn to make these delicious treats at home for a special dessert to celebrate Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday, or anytime of you want some lovely fried goodness.

This particularly recipe is a no rise version handed down to me by my great grandmother, Helene Lalanne.

I remember sitting at a family gathering in my teens listening to my great grandmother and her sister talking about how hard it was stirring all of the eggs into the batter to make Beignets.

It took a few decades, but I finally made them.

I love Gram and Aunt Olga but, really? It wasn't that hard. I think they just didn't want to be talked into making them.

Stirring in the first egg is a bit tough, but it gets easier with each addition.

Kinds of Beignets

Beignet is the French word for fritter or donut. There are at least three different kinds of Beignets, those with yeast that need to rise overnight (like those served at the infamous Café du Monde in New Orleans), those that use baking powder as a leavener, and more fritter-like ones without any leaveners.

This Lalanne family recipe is the kind without leaveners. It is basically fried choux pastry (pâte à choux). The water releases steam that get trapped in the layers to rise when the dough is heated.

More French Recipes

French food, like most world cuisines can be anything from fancy gourmet dishes (haute cuisine) to simpler peasant dishes (cuisine paysanne). Both are fabulous in their own way. Here are some French recipes for you to try at home:

French Gastronomy Day

• Crème Caramel à l'Orange Fraîche from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Escargots from Art of Natural Living
• French Fondant Potatoes from Jen Around the World
• Mushroom Lentil Bourguignon from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

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Recipe

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Ingredients

 

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 large eggs
• oil for frying

Instructions

 

• Heat oil in a large deep sided pan or deep fryer to 375℉
• While oil is heating, in a sauce pan, boil water, sugar, salt, and butter together. Add flour all at once.
• Cook until dough leaves the sides of pan. Remove from heat; cool for a few minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time and mix until absorbed. Keep going--it’s hard work.
• Drop by the tablespoonful in hot fat. They will turn over by themselves.
• Cook until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve hot or warm.

More Donut Recipes

Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey