New Orleans Beignets

If you don't have self-rising flour on hand, place 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup. Since you need 4-1/2 cups of self-rising flour for this beignets recipe, do this 3-1/2 more times to get the necessary amount of homemade self-rising flour. Check out our guide to how to make self-rising flour for more tips.

Do you have to make the beignet dough ahead of time?

This beignets recipe calls for the dough to be refrigerated overnight. This slows the rise of the dough, so it’s ready to shape and fry the beignets in time for breakfast—making everything ultra-convenient. However, you can make the dough the same day. Let the dough rise at room temperature until it’s doubled in size. An hour or more is to be expected, since enriched doughs take longer to rise than regular yeast doughs. Here's how long it takes for bread dough to rise and more of your dough-related questions answered.

How else can you put the confectioners' sugar on beignets?

Rolling the beignets in confectioners' sugar can get messy. For a cleaner approach, place the beignets in a bag (paper or zip-top) with about 1/4 cup powdered sugar, then close up the bag and shake lightly to coat. Working with a few beignets at a time—adding more powdered sugar if and when needed—is most efficient. Alternatively, you can sprinkle the sugar over top using a sifter or a sieve; this works well if you prefer a light dusting of sugar rather than a coating.