This Air Fryer Beignets Recipe Produces Sugary, Fluffy and Crispy Treats With Much Less Oil

For Mardi Gras, it’s only right to treat your taste buds to the most indulgent foods (the holiday means “Fat Tuesday” in French after all). One way to do this is by whipping up a batch of beignets. These fluffy square pastries are famous for their rich and sugary taste—thanks to a generous amount of powdered sugar coated on the outside. While beignets are traditional deep-fried, you can make them in the air fryer for a crispy yet less greasy pastry. Here’s more on preparing these treats to have your own Mardi Gras celebration at home!

What’s the difference between a doughnut and a beignet?

Standard doughnuts and beignets (pronounced “ben-yay”) both rely on a yeast dough that’s deep-fried until it’s puffed and golden brown. However, beignets are square and dusted with powdered sugar while doughnuts are usually round and glazed. Beignets are a staple in New Orleans cuisine as they were crowned the official state donut of Louisiana in 1986. Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter is one of the most renowned restaurants for authentic New Orleans beignets. Though, if a trip there isn’t in your Mardi Gras plans this year, prepare a homemade batch hassle-free in the air fryer.

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The perks of using your air fryer to cook beignets

An air fryer never fails to produce crispy treats and beignets are no different! This appliance’s circulating heat function pushes hot air around the dough squares, which helps them crisp up and brown. A light spritz of cooking spray beforehand also helps the browning process without making the beignets greasy. It’s best to air fry the pastries in batches for even cooking. Luckily, they take about six minutes to cook in this appliance.

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How to make New Orleans-Style beignets in the air fryer

This air fryer beignets recipe comes from the PowerXL YouTube Channel and doesn’t require flipping them midway through. The directions are tailored to their air fryer model, but using any air fryer with a basket and preheating it as you normally would works just fine. Enjoy the beignets while they’re warm.

Air Fryer Beignets

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Ingredients:

• 1 (¼ oz.) package active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water (110°F to 115°F)
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup canola or other neutral oil
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 4½ cups self-rising flour, plus more for dusting
• Cooking spray
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

• Yield: 48 beignets

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, oil, sugar, egg and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (the dough will be sticky). Do not knead.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; roll into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut into 2-inch squares.
4. Place grill plate in the inner pot. Turn the dial to air fry and adjust temperature to 375°F. Press timer and adjust to 6 minutes. In batches, add beignets to the grill plate; lightly spray with cooking spray.
5. Close the air frying lid and press start. Cook until puffed and golden brown. Roll warm beignets in powdered sugar. Serve.