Tiana’s Beignets is based on the Disney World Princess and the Frog Beignets. These pillowy pastries will bring a hint of the Louisiana bayou right into your kitchen. Not only are Tiana's beignets incredibly delicious, but they're also surprisingly easy to make.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Bring a little Disney magic to your home with these Princess Tiana’s beignets - the beignets from The Princess and the Frog. Not only are these fluffy pastries fun and easy to make, but they can dress up any dessert table or brunch spread.
These freshly fried beignets covered in powdered sugar will have everyone clamoring for more! Read on to find out how simple it is to make these Disneyland beignets.
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Ingredients
You'll love these Princess Tiana beignets whether you cut them in squares, or use a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter. Be sure to dust them extra heavy with the powdered sugar, just like Tiana does at the Magic Kingdom!
- Milk - warm, 100 to 110 F.
- Sugar
- Dry Active Yeast - or Sourdough starter if you prefer.
- Salt
- Egg
- Butter - melted.
- Vanilla extract
- Flour - all purpose or gluten free baking flour.
- Powdered sugar - for dusting the beignets in.
- Vegetable oil - neutral tasting vegetable oil for deep frying in either a saucepan or an electric mini deep fryer.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Tiana’s Beignets
Whether you’re a fan of Disney or just looking for something new to cook, Princess Tiana’s Beignets are the perfect sweet treat! So, put on your princess gown, roll up your sleeves, and join Princess Tiana in making some magical fresh-from-the-fryer beignets from scratch!
Prove the Yeast
Dry yeast needs a warm liquid and some food to activate, or 'bloom' into life after being in a suspended animation state while dry. Most recipes call for sugar as the 'food', but in actuality, yeast can't access sugar as food.
Originally, just flour was used to activate yeast breads. Yeast was prepared and sold as moist yeast cakes before our modern dehydrated forms of yeast.
To ensure the yeast had not died, bakers would add a pinch of sugar to the warm milk and yeast to see if it was still alive, because the sugar is fast acting.
If bubbles showed up on the milk surface, than it "proved" the yeast was still alive. Hence the word 'proving' when activating yeast before adding it to flour.
With our modern yeast, you can also just mix the yeast, milk, flour, and all the other ingredients at the same time, just like the instructions in an electric bread maker.
Yeast breaks down the flour into sugar, so if you want your dough to be free from added sugar, simply use a teaspoon of flour to 'prove' your yeast.
- Sprinkle the dry active yeast on top of a small bowl with the warm milk and 1 teaspoon of flour or sugar. Stir and let sit 5 minutes.
- After bubbles appear on the top, you know your yeast is active. The warm milk and sugar 'proved' the yeast was active.
Make the Beignet Dough
This is an 'enriched' dough with sugar, egg, and vanilla. Enriched dough's require extra time to double in size during the bulk proof, and a little more time after shaping and rising during the second rise before baking.
Allow 2 hours for the first bulk proofing, and again about 30 minutes rise time after cutting and frying.
- Transfer the milk & yeast mixture to a large bowl. Add the remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and melted butter.
- Add in half the flour to the wet ingredients and combine well.
- Add the second half of the flour and mix until you have a sticky dough. Scrape the sides and mix well.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes, until it has a smooth textured surface.
Cut Into Squares and Proof
- Place back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let proof until doubled about 2 hours.
- Roll the dough out on the floured surface about ½ inch thick. Cut into 2 inch squares or use a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter.
Deep Fry, Cool, and Sugar Coat
You can easily use a 3 to 3 ½ quart heavy bottomed sauce pan to deep fry these beignets. However, an electric mini deep fryer is less messy, used less oil, and is actually safer.
After frying let the electric mini fryer oil cool. Then transfer to a Ball mason jar and refrigerate until ready to make additional donuts or beignets.
- Heat up the oil to 350 to 360 F. Use a thermometer if not using an electric fryer that has temperature settings.
- After the vegetable oil reaches that 350 - 360 F temp, add a few of the squares or Mickey cut out dough to the hot oil.
- Deep fry for about 2 minutes on each side. The dough will rise to the surface and puff up. Don't over brown.
- Allow the beignets to cool on some paper towels, about 5 minutes. Then, dust with a sieve full of powdered sugar. Serve!
Serving Suggestions
These Princess Tiana's beignets are perfect to build excitement while planning a vacation to Disney World. Or, surprise your little princess after a much loved visit to Disney's Princess and the Frog beignet shop in the Magic Kingdom.
For more donut treats, see our Powdered Sugar Mini Donuts, and Fat Tuesday Paczki (Polish Donuts).
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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Substitutions
If you have sourdough starter, you can use the starter instead of yeast.
Variations
You can use this Tiana’s Beignets recipe to make other shapes using cookie cutters. Here are some great ideas:
- Mickey Mouse Beignets - Use this cute Mickey Mouse cookie cutter to cut out the dough, then fry and dust with powdered sugar just like the Princess Tiana's Beignets.
- Chocolate Beignets - After frying and cooling, use a piping bag fitted with a cream puff tip. Insert the tip and squeeze in your favorite chocolate filling (Nutella, chocolate pudding, chocolate creme, etc.).
- Cinnamon Beignets - Instead of dusting with powdered sugar, roll in granulated sugar and ground cinnamon mixture.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making these Disney beignets.
- Mickey Mouse Cookie Cutter
- Electric Mini Deep Fryer
- Rolling Mat
- Cream Puff Filling Tip - to pipe in a filling like Chocolate pudding or Nutella!
Storage
If you have leftover Tiana's beignets, store them in a air tight container at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- Cut out the dough and freeze so you can make fresh copycat Disney beignets any morning you want!
- Don't over fry, just until a light golden brown.
- Cool on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Make sure the frying oil is at least 350 F so that the dough does not soak up grease.
- Dust with a HEAVY layer of powdered sugar, just like Tiana's beignets!
Frequently Asked Questions
Beignets are a French doughnut that is made up of an enriched dough of yeast, sugar, and then fried. They can be filled with chocolate, and are usually heavily dusted with powdered sugar.
You can, but it is better to freeze the dough, and fry them as you need them. If you freeze the fried pastries, let them defrost in the refrigerator so the condensation doesn't wet the powdered sugar.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Princess Tiana’s Beignets
Ingredients
- 2½ teaspoon active yeast
- 1 cup milk warmed to 100 - 110° F
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2¾ cup flour plus a little more for using on the rolling mat
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 cups vegetable oil neutral tasting
Instructions
- Sprinkle the dry active yeast on top of a small bowl with the warm milk and 1 teaspoon of flour or sugar. Stir and let sit 5 minutes. After bubbles appear on the top, you know your yeast is active. The warm milk and sugar 'proved' the yeast was active.1 cup milk, 2½ teaspoon active yeast
- Transfer the milk & yeast mixture to a large bowl. Add the remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and melted butter. Add in half the flour to the wet ingredients and combine well.¾ cup sugar, 1 large egg, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup butter, 2¾ cup flour
- Add the second half of the flour and mix until you have a sticky dough. Scrape the sides and mix well.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes, until it has a smooth textured surface. Place back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let proof until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch thick. Cut into 2 inch squares or use a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter.
- Heat up the oil to 350 to 360 F. Use a thermometer if not using an electric fryer that has temperature settings.4 cups vegetable oil
- After the vegetable oil reaches that 350 - 360 F temp, add a few of the squares or Mickey cut out dough to the hot oil. Deep fry for about 2 minutes on each side. The dough will rise to the surface and puff up. Don't over brown.
- Allow the beignets to cool on some paper towels, about 5 minutes. Then, dust with a sieve full of powdered sugar. Serve!1 cup powdered sugar
Notes
- Cut out the dough and freeze so you can make fresh copycat Disney beignets any morning you want!
- Don't over fry, just until a light golden brown.
- Cool on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Make sure the frying oil is at least 350 F so that the dough does not soak up grease.
- Dust with a HEAVY layer of powdered sugar, just like Tiana's beignets!
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