Easy Air Fryer Puff Pastry Beignets

These Easy Air Fryer Puff Pastry Beignets deliver the classic warm, puffy, and pillow-soft texture of traditional New Orleans beignets without the deep-frying mess. Simply cut store-bought puff pastry, air fry until golden, and dust heavily with powdered sugar for a quick, irresistible dessert or breakfast treat.

Craving the pillowy softness and sweet cloud-like texture of a traditional New Orleans beignet but don’t want the hassle or mess of deep-frying?

This Easy Air Fryer Puff Pastry Beignets recipe is your quick solution, transforming store-bought puff pastry into golden, airy delights in minutes. Simply cut the pastry, puff it up in the air fryer until perfectly golden brown, and finish with a generous blanket of powdered sugar for an irresistible dessert or breakfast treat that is incredibly simple to make.

If you have never baked in the Air Fryer, this is the perfect recipe to start with, it’s simple, and they’re delicious!

If you are looking for even more Air Fryer Dessert Recipes, some of my favorite recipes are AIR FRYER SUGAR COOKIES, AIR FRYER APPLE PLUM TARTS, AIR FRYER CARAMEL APPLE HAND PIES, and AIR FRYER APPLE PIE BAKED APPLES.

Why You Will Love This Recipe!

• Skip the messy deep fryer for easy, guilt-free preparation.
• Puff pastry makes preparation incredibly quick and straightforward.
• Achieve golden, puffy perfection in just minutes using the air fryer.
• Minimal ingredients needed for a surprisingly elegant dessert.
• Pillow-soft texture rivals traditional beignets without the effort.

Ingredients Needed

• Puff Pastry Dough, Thawed: Provides the quick, flaky base for the airy beignets.
• Butter: Used to brush the pastry, ensuring a beautiful golden crispness.
• Powdered Sugar: Essential finishing touch for the classic, sweet, snow-dusted look.

How To Make Easy Air Fryer Puff Pastry Beignets

Step One: Start with room temperature puff pastry and layout on a flat surface. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut the piece 3 x 4 pieces.

Step Two: Preheat your air fryer temperature to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes, and then add the puff pastry (leave space between them) and set the cook time for 4 minutes, air fryer setting.

Step Three: Carefully brush the hot puff pastry with melted butter, and then toss or sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

Air Fryer Puff Pastry Beignets Recipe Tips

• Thaw Properly: Ensure your puff pastry is completely thawed but still cold enough to handle easily. If it gets too warm, the butter will melt out, and the pastry won’t puff up properly in the air fryer.
• Don’t Overcrowd: Cook the beignets in batches. Overcrowding the air fryer basket prevents the hot air from circulating effectively, leading to uneven cooking and less puff.
• Preheat the Air Fryer: While not always required, preheating your air fryer for a few minutes ensures a sudden burst of heat, which helps the pastry puff up immediately and achieve maximum flakiness.
• Brush with Butter (The Key to Color): The butter brushed on the surface is essential for achieving that beautiful, deep golden-brown color and a slightly crispy exterior. Don’t skip this step!
• Dust While Warm: Dust the beignets with powdered sugar immediately after removing them from the air fryer. The heat helps the sugar adhere and creates that classic, slightly melted, snow-dusted look.
• Serve Immediately: Like all beignets, these are best served warm, right out of the air fryer, when they are at their puffiest and most tender.

Storing Instructions

• For Uncooked Puff Pastry: You can cut the puff pastry squares, place them on a parchment-lined tray, and cover them tightly. Store the cut pieces in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Air fry them fresh when you are ready to serve.
• For Cooked Beignets (Leftovers): Allow the cooked beignets to cool fully to room temperature. Store the cooled beignets in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. (Note: If they have already been heavily dusted with sugar, they may become slightly damp).
• Reheating: After reheating, dust them generously with fresh powdered sugar before serving. Reheating is best done in the air fryer! Place them back in the basket and air fry at 350°F (175°C) for about 2–3 minutes until warmed through and slightly crispy again.

Air Fryer Puff Pastry Beignets Recipe Faqs

Why didn’t my pastry puff up? There are two main reasons: 1) The pastry was handled too much and became warm, melting the butter layers; or 2) The air fryer basket was overcrowded, preventing proper hot air circulation. Cook in single layers.

Can I use parchment paper in the air fryer? Yes, you can use parchment paper designed for the air fryer, but ensure it doesn’t block air circulation. You can also lightly spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray instead.

What can I use besides powdered sugar? You can serve them with other toppings like cinnamon sugar, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, fruit compote, or honey for dipping.

Can I make these gluten-free? This recipe relies entirely on standard puff pastry. You would need to find a specialized, high-quality gluten-free puff pastry dough for this recipe to work successfully.

Can I bake these in the oven instead? Yes, absolutely. Bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for approximately 12–15 minutes, or until fully golden and puffy.

More Air Fryer Dessert Recipes

• AIR FRYER SUGAR COOKIES
• AIR FRYER APPLE PLUM TARTS
• EASY AIR FRYER CARAMEL APPLE HAND PIES
• AIR FRYER NUTELLA DONUTS
• AIR FRYER CARAMEL APPLE DANISH
• EASY AIR FRYER APPLE FRITTERS
• AIR FRYER ZUCCHINI BROWNIES

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