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Create your own delicious Cafe du Monde beignets at home just like they do at the Cafe in New Orleans. So delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
If a trip to Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans is on your bucket list, like it is on mine, I may have just saved you a trip!! This copycat Cafe Du Monde beignet recipe is pretty darn good. Now, granted, I’ve never tasted one of their famous beignets but these are amazing.
Cafe du Monde
Originally established as a coffee stand in 1862, Cafe du Monde is located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It is famous for its cafe au lait and it’s french beignets
What is a Beignet?
“Beignet” is French for bump and a beignet is basically a piece of fried dough tossed in powdered sugar. A beignet is a french doughnuts. They are best eaten warm and fresh. One tip, when eating a beignet, don’t wear black. With all that powdered sugar they are a bit messy to eat but so worth it.
Eating a beignet at Cafe du Monde is definitely on my food bucket list but until then I will just make them at home!
Ingredients Needed
- Active dry yeast
- Sugar. You will need granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
- Salt
- Eggs
- Evaporated Milk
- Flour. I use unbleached all purpose flour
- Vegetable Shortening. I use Crisco. I have not tried using butter.
- Oil for frying. I use corn, vegetable or canola oil.
How to Make Cafe Du Monde Beignets
- Proof the yeast and 2 tsp of sugar into lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining sugar, salt, eggs, and evaporated milk into yeast mixture.
- Stir in 4 cups of the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and thoroughly blended. I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the dough hook.
- Beat in the shortening, then add the remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating it in with a spoon until it becomes too stiff to stir, then working in the rest with your hands.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight in a greased bowl. (I didn’t refrigerate)
- Roll the dough out onto a floured board or marble pastry surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch, then cut it into a 3-inch squares with a sharp knife.
- Heat oil to 360 degrees F. Fry a square piece of dough in hot oil. Be sure and regulate your oil temperature with a thermometer. One clue that you are doing things right is that the dough will float right up to the surface after you put it into the oil and begin to puff up like a pillow or a bump (thus the name!)
- Give the beignet an oil bath. Take your spoon and gently spoon oil onto the top side of the dough so that it is actually cooking too. You want them nice and golden brown and puffed up.
- Remove them from the oil and put them immediately into a brown paper bag full of powdered sugar.
- Shake the bag to coat and then be ready to eat and enjoy! Remember, you must eat these fresh and warm!!
Homemade Beignet Recipes
And I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be able to eat just one. When you bite into this yummy, sugary goodness the inside will be nice and airy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it?
I have made the dough and refrigerated it over night and I have also cooked the dough up right away, both ways worked great.
Can I halve the recipe?
Yes, you can. It halves or doubles beautifully.
How long will the dough keep in the refrigerator
It will keep up to 2 days.
So hopefully one day I will get to Cafe Du Monde where I can partake of the real thing but until then the next time a Cafe Du Monde beignet craving I can take care of it right here at home! The recipe makes a lot of beignets – probably about 50 or so but the dough can be refrigerated for several days so you can enjoy them all week!
Some other delicious treats we love include:
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Cafe Du Monde Beignets
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 100 to 115 degrees F
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- Oil for deep frying
- Powdered Sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Put the warm water into a large bowl, then sprinkle in the yeast and a couple teaspoons of the sugar and stir until thoroughly dissolved.
- Let proof for 10 minutes.
- Add the rest of the sugar, salt, eggs, and evaporated milk.
- Gradually stir in 4 cups of the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and thoroughly blended. I used my Kitchen Aid
- Beat in the shortening, then add the remaining flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating it in with a spoon until it becomes too stiff to stir, then working in the rest with your hands.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight in a greased bowl. (I didn’t refrigerate)
- Roll the dough out onto a floured board or marble pastry surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch, then cut it into rectangles 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches with a sharp knife.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 360 degrees F.
- Fry the beignets about 3 or 4 at a time until they are puffed out and golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
- Turn them over in the oil with tongs once or twice to get them evenly brown, since they rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff out.
- After removing from oil put into a brown paper bag full of powdered sugar and shake to coat.
- Eat warm and fresh.
- Dough can be refrigerated for several days.
Leigh Anne says
My name is Leigh Anne too, woot! And I’m from Louisiana, about 45 minutes from New Orleans and Cafe du Monde is awesome! I don’t know if you know, but you can purchase some of their products through their website or through Amazon. We moved from Louisiana to West Virginia about 10 years ago and the food is by far what I miss the most!
Leigh Anne says
Love that you even spell it the right way! Thanks for the tip about Amazon. Will check it out.
Amber says
So you may want to add Grand Lux Cafe to your Bucket List. There’s one in CO and Las Vegas. They have the BEST beignets and they serve them with 3 different succulent dipping sauces (chocolate, raspberry and I think a vanilla cream). Until I get back to one of those places though, I’ll have to give this recipe a try. And speaking of yummy pastry goodness, my girlfriends and I tried a new doughnut place downtown PDX. It’s called Blue Star and they serve different flavors each day and sell out quickly. Once they sell out of a doughnut, they pull the sign and the plate and they don’t make any more that day. They are also little spendy. My two friends and I spent about $90 between the 3 of us,
(approx $2.75/each or around $26-$30/dz) and there’s usually a line but it’s a FUN place to visit so you have to give it a try. Among my favorites are the Meyer Lemon and Lime doughnut, the Passion Fruit with Cocoa Nib and the Maple Bacon – YUMMMMMY!!!
Leigh Anne says
Will definitely add Grand Lux Cafe to the list. I have had Blue Star on my to visit list for a bit now! Now I definitely need to get there! Thanks much!!
Lydianne says
Those look delicious. I lived in Atlanta for about 22 yrs. and during that time there was a Cafe Du Monde in underground. I don’t even know if underground is still there. They are soooooooooo good! I was going to mention using peanut oil as well. I never cook with anything else. Makes fried foods taste delicious.
My husband and I spent our honeymoon in New Orleans many,many years ago. We must get back there soon!
Katie B. of HousewifeHowTos.com says
My husband proposed to me in New Orleans, and we went there on our honeymoon, too. You cannot imagine how much weight I gained from eating these beignets every morning, and washing them down with a huge cup of cafe au lait… the chicory kind they make there. Oh, yum. Thank you for sharing this recipe with everyone!
Oh, and I wanted to invite you to join my How To Tuesday link party, if you haven’t already. It’s open until next Monday, and the entries are randomized, so everyone’s entry can make it to the top. It would be great to have you!
http://housewifehowtos.com/linkage/link-party-2/how-to-tuesday-16/
Leigh Anne says
katie – can’t even imagine how much weight I would put on!! I think I could eat them at every meal. How fun that New Orleans is where your husband proposed! Thanks for the invite to the party too.
Karielyn@TheHealthyFamilyandHome says
Hi Leigh Anne! Great item to have on your bucket list! I live in New Orleans so if you ever make it down here, make sure you let me know, I’d love to meet up with you ; )
Leigh Anne says
I’d love to karielyn! hopefully I’ll make it there soon!!
Totally checking out your blog – my gluten free, dairy free daughter is home this week and I’m looking for some fun new recipes to try for her.