Easy Biscuit Beignets are simply made with just a few ingredients in minutes! Tender, sweet beignets with biscuits are fried, covered in powdered sugar & taste incredible!
Making fried beignets is one of the best ways to recreate this tasty, fluffy, “mini donut” experience but without all of the effort. With these homemade beignets you can expect a fluffy pillow of deliciousness, but nothing prepares you for that first amazing bite of warm dough and sweet coating.
Easy Beignet Recipe Using Biscuits
Beignets (pronounced BEEN-yays) are a staple treat often served in Louisiana, but they are becoming more popular and found in other states as well. While they are traditionally made from a homemade yeast dough, we cut down on a lot of time and effort by simply opening a can of layered biscuits instead. This easy homemade recipe allows you to create these delightful treats in a short amount of time, perfect for morning day or night snacking!
Why this simple beignet recipe works:
If you love this treat but want less effort to make them, here are some more reasons to give this recipe a try!
- They are really easy! You just need oil, biscuits, and sugar. Just be careful around the hot oil, and make sure to have some paper towels handy.
- You can customize them. Add a drizzle of honey over your powdered sugar biscuits, or swap out the powdered sugar for Mardi Gras colored sugar if you want to be festive. Even a cinnamon sugar coating will taste great too!
- You can use any canned biscuits. While we enjoy this Pillsbury beignet recipe, nothing is stopping you from grabbing a more convenient brand of biscuits or using the can of biscuits you already have in the fridge too.
Biscuit Beignet Ingredients
Canned biscuits- You will need 2 16-oz cans of Pillsbury Buttermilk Grands biscuits for the base of this recipe.
Oil– Use just enough oil to fill a large-sided pan about 2-3 inches deep.
Powdered sugar- Your warm beignets will be coated in powdered sugar after frying. This will make them feel a little more traditional & taste amazing.
How to Make Beignets from Biscuits
Prep
Pour the oil into a large saucepan, you will need 2-3 inches of oil to fry the beignets. I recommend using a 2-3 quart saucepan for this.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the the oil registers 375 degrees F. This will take several minutes, so prep the biscuits while you wait.
Then, open the cans of biscuits and separate them, gently press each one to flatten them a bit.
After that, use a sharp knife to cut each biscuit into thirds.
Fry biscuits
Once the oil is has reached 375 degrees F, fry each biscuit piece for 2-3 minutes, turning them over often so that they cook and brown evenly. I turn mine over every 30 seconds or so, doing each side twice.
When you remove the biscuits, use a slotted spoon to let excess oil drain from them and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet.
Coat beignets
To cover the beignets in powdered sugar, I find that it helps to pour powdered sugar into a paper bag, and then after allowing the biscuits to cool for 1 minute, you can toss them in the powdered sugar by adding a few pieces to the bag and closing it. Shake gently, and they will come out nicely coated.
Another option is just to sprinkle them with powdered sugar. After cooling slightly, do this by placing them onto a baking sheet and sprinkle each side with powder sugar.
Transfer the begins to a dish lined in paper towels and serve hot, enjoy!
What is the best cooking thermometer to use?
It’s important to have a reliable, durable cooking thermometer on hand! My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well! I use a cooking thermometer to test a variety of foods for doneness- meats, breads, and even oil for frying. They’re a staple in my kitchen!
EASY BISCUIT BEIGNETS
Ingredients
- 32 oz Pillsbury Buttermilk Grands biscuits two 16-oz cans
- oil for frying
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prep: Pour the oil into a large saucepan, you will need 2-3 inches of oil to fry the beignets. I recommend using a 2-3 quart saucepan for this. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the the oil registers 375 degrees F. This will take several minutes, so prep the biscuits while you wait.
- Open the cans of biscuits and separate them, gently press each one to flatten them a bit. After that, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut each biscuit into thirds.
- Fry biscuits: Once the oil is has reached 375° F, fry each biscuit piece for 2-3 minutes, turning them over often so that they cook and brown evenly. I turn mine over every 30 seconds or so, doing each side twice. When you remove the biscuits, use a slotted spoon to let excess oil drain from them and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet.
- Coat: To cover the beignets in powdered sugar, I find that it helps to pour powdered sugar into a paper bag, and then after allowing the biscuits to cool for 1 minute, you can toss them in the powdered sugar by adding a few pieces to the bag and closing it. Shake gently, and they will come out nicely coated.
- Another option is just to sprinkle them with powdered sugar. After cooling slightly, do this by placing them onto a baking sheet and sprinkle each side with powder sugar. Transfer the begins to a dish lined in paper towels and serve hot, enjoy!
Nutrition
How long are biscuit beignets good for?
Traditionally this is a treat served hot and warm. They are meant to be eaten fresh because that is when they taste best. That said, you can keep leftovers for about 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge, but you will want to reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave and possibly give them a second coating of powdered sugar before serving.
Can I freeze homemade beignets?
You sure can! These little treats can be frozen for 1-2 months. When you are ready to enjoy, just reheat the beignets in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes to serve them warm. The powder sugar coating might need a refresher too, after reheating add another sprinkle of the powdery sweetness to really bring these treats back to life.
What type of canned biscuit should I use?
You can use any canned biscuits that you have on hand or want to use, but I recommend using the buttermilk or southern-style flaky layer biscuits. These will give you a more flavorful and richer tasting result that is fluffy and fabulous. Smaller biscuits will work, too, but they won’t be as big or tall once fried.
Why are my biscuits dense and oily?
If you don’t allow your grease to preheat properly before adding the raw dough into the pot, then the biscuit will sit in the oil longer than necessary. This results in them absorbing more oil than they should, resulting in a more dense beignet.
Check out more fantastic recipes with biscuits:
- 15-MINUTE CHOCOLATE COVERED DONUTS
- EASY 15-MINUTE MAPLE BARS
- AIR FRYER APPLE FRITTERS
- EASY 15-MINUTE DONUTS, 3 RECIPES
- 15-MINUTE PUMPKIN SPICE DONUTS
- EASY CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUTS
- EASY VALENTINES DONUTS
- RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE CRESCENT RING
- STRAWBERRY CRESCENT ROLLS
- ASPARAGUS CRESCENT ROLLS
- ORANGE BREAKFAST CRESCENTS
Easy Biscuit Beignets are made with canned biscuits and ready to eat in just a few minutes. These beignets with biscuits are fried and covered in sweet powder sugar, they taste amazing.
jim says
Question…
Why are you all using the dark background at the top of each recipe? It uses up TOO DARN MUCH INK!
Think environment and resources, folks!
Jim
Nicole says
If you click the “print” tab on the recipe card it should pull up a new page that is a white background with black ink. The recipe card does not print with a dark top section. I’m not sure where you’re getting this issue?
Karen says
🗣Yes, JIM, Why aren’t u hitting the [PRINT link] in the ‘Recipe Box’ ??
Think about resources Pa-Lee🕵🏼💁🏻