Air Fryer New Orleans Beignets

Beignets. Sweet, fluffy pillows of dough, deep-fried and topped with sugar. Something that so many people adore but that few can get right at home. I am so excited to introduce you to air fryer beignets! Air fryers are becoming the Holy Grail for fast and easy meals with minimal cleanup required.

Now by using an air fryer, making delicious homemade beignets is easier than ever before – letting you have all the joy of eating a classic treat without any of the time and mess associated with making them from scratch! Stay tuned as I show you how to make delectable beignets in your own kitchen using just an air fryer.

I love New Orleans, and they have the best food culture, including Cafe Du Monde, a popular French Market. Coffee Stand and one of their signature products is a classic beignet, fried until deep golden brown and then served with powdered sugar.

What If I told you that you could make this sweet treat in your air fryer basket? And better yet, in minutes! These might be the best beignets you have ever tasted, and they can rival any deep-frying version you have tried! Better than the fried version!

What Are Beignets?

Have you ever been to New Orleans and had a beignet? If not, then prepare yourself. Beignets are delicious little fried pastries with a crunchy outside, and light interior served hot and dusted liberally with powdered sugar. Eating a beignet is an experience so delightful that it should rightly appear on anyone’s travel checklist for their trip to Crescent City!

My kids describe these as little pillows of goodness, as I usually make a homemade batch for Mardi Gras.

Can you Make Beignets In Air Fryer?

Ah, the classic New Orleans beignet — these sweet and fluffy deep-fried pastries are one of life’s simple pleasures. But can you make them in an air fryer? We know what you’re thinking: “How could crunchy fried beignets possibly come out of a non-fryer?” Believe it or not, making delicious beignets in your air fryer is doable! In this post, we’ll explain how to create savory restaurant quality beignets with just your air fryer machine – plus some helpful tips on achieving the perfect result every time. Read on to learn how to elevate breakfast treats with this unexpected cooking method.

Of course, you may want to double your batch of beignet dough because there will be leftover beignets, but don’t worry; this is such an easy beignet recipe, and you will be able to get the taste of New Orleans right in your kitchen! The best part is that you don’t use any of the hot oil that you do with deep frying, but you will get the same delicious taste!

Ingredients Needed For Beignets

Beignets are French-style doughnuts, typically enjoyed for breakfast or as a special treat. Believe it or not, the ingredients you´ll need to make beignets won´t break the bank! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make these, and your family will love you, and best yet, using the air fryer reduces your cooking time to mere minutes! You will be amazed the first time you bite into one!

Remember all the details and a list of full ingredients below in the printable recipe card, as well as the nutritional information.

• Milk: You can also use warm water, sour cream, or Greek Yogurt
• Sugar: Use white granulated sugar or even brown sugar
• Yeast: Use active dry yeast
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour or self-rising flour
• Salt: Use kosher salt for some added flavor
• Egg: Use a large, room temperature egg
• Butter: For best results, use unsalted butter that has been melted
• Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract for added flavor
• Serving: Confectioners’ Sugar and Chocolate Sauce

How To Make Homemade Air Fryer Beignets

This is a really easy recipe for air-fried beignets; for an easier recipe, use a dough hook attachment, paddle attachment, or a bowl of a stand mixer.

Step One: Prepare The Yeast Dough

Make The Yeast Mixture: Add warm milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and yeast to a large bowl and mix with a whisk. Let sit for 3-4 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. After 5 minutes, whisk this mixture again. Add the salt, egg, vanilla, melted butter, and sugar to the mixture and mix thoroughly. In a larger bowl, add half of the flour to the wet mixture and combine. Combine flour and the second half, and whisk flour until a slightly sticky dough forms.

Step Two: Let The Dough Rest

On a floured surface, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes. Place this back into the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, saran wrap, or a damp towel. Let sit at room temperature to rise for 2 hours. Remove the risen dough and place it again on a floured surface. Take a rolling pin and flour it before rolling out a rectangle of this dough, on a flat surface, to about ¼ inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut out 1×2 inch pieces of dough or cut them into square shapes or square pieces.

Step Three: Prepare The Air Fryer

Spray the air fryer with cooking spray, or place parchment paper in the air fryer basket. Place the dough into the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving plenty of space around the dough. Brush the tops of the beignets with melted butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray. You can also brush with egg yolk; this will help you get the crispy exterior or a traditional fried beignet.

Air Fry the beignets; set air fryer to 350 degrees f, and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway during the cooking process.

Step Four: Serving

Place the beignets on a serving platter, brush with melted butter, and then dust with powdered sugar or drizzle chocolate sauce over the beignet. If you are cooking in batches, leave the cooked beignets in a warm area or in a 200-degree f, oven placing the cooked beignets on a cookie sheet.

Pro Tips For The Best Beignet Recipes

Beignets are a classic French pastry made with fried choux pastry. They can be filled with anything from jam to cream or chocolate and are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. For the best beignet recipes, here are some pro tips:

• Use high-quality ingredients. Be sure to use only the best butter, sugar, and flour for a light and fluffy beignet.
• Flour: For this recipe, you can use bread flour, barley flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Knead the dough gently. Overworking the dough can make it tough instead of light and crispy, which is not ideal for beignets.
• Air Fry your beignets in batches. Air frying too many at once can cause them to stick together and not turn out as nice. You want the hot air to circulate around the beignets, to crip them up. You want to place the dough into an even layer in the basket of the air fryer.
• Mixing: Using a hand mixer, use either low speed or medium speed so the dough does not get too sticky from overmixing.
• Oil: Brush the basket with canola oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil, so the dough does not stick.
• Dust your beignets with powdered sugar for a special touch. Be sure to do this while they are still hot so the sugar melts into the beignet.
• Serve beignets fresh and warm. If you can, serve them right out of the fryer for maximum flavor and texture.

What To Serve With Air-Fried Beignets

Beignets are a delicious treat that can be enjoyed with various accompaniments. They pair well with coffee, orange juice, and other breakfast beverages when served as part of breakfast. If serving them as snacks or dessert, they make an excellent accompaniment to ice cream, chocolate sauce, and other sweet treats. To give your beignets an authentic New Orleans flair, serve them with a cup of coffee and a cup of au lait. Au lait is a French-style combination of half coffee and half steamed milk. Enjoying beignets in this way brings out the flavor of the fried dough and gives it an extra special touch. These classic accompaniments will bring out the best in your air-fried beignets.

How To Store Leftover Dough

Once the dough has been shaped and placed on a baking sheet, it is important to store it to keep it fresh properly. The best way to store leftover dough is by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and placing it in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator. Ensure all of the air is pushed out of the container before closing it so the dough will not dry out. Leftover dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

If you’re planning on using the leftover dough later, it can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze the leftover dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a zip-top bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible before sealing it. Place the bag in the freezer and store it for up to 3 months. When ready to use the dough, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using it.

More Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
• Air Fryer Croissant Dough Recipe
• Easy Air Fryer French Toast
• Air Fryer Fried Oreos
• Air Fryer Puff Pastry Donuts

This is a great recipe for making a homemade café du monde snack, and your family will love this recipe; it’s amazing! Remember to leave a comment and a star rating after you make this recipe! Enjoy!