Chocolate Beignets are a delicious light and fluffy chocolate dough that has a chocolate powdered sugar coating. Grab a napkin cause these beignets are a bit messy from the powdered sugar coating, but so worth it when you taste the perfection! Pillow-y New Orleans-style beignets that melt in your mouth.
Eat them plain, or pair them with a dark chocolate dipping sauce for more chocolate flavor. While you can serve these up for a special occasion, you can also serve them up for a mid-week breakfast or even dessert. Nothing beats a fluffy beignet in my book! If you like the classic beignets you will love this chocolate version.
This was inspired by my Mickey Mouse Beignets! I wanted a chocolate version. But also check out my Mickey Mouse Churros for another sweet pastry treat!
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Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you will need to make this recipe. You can find the full list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- active dry yeast
- warm water
- granulated sugar
- evaporated milk
- eggs, beaten
- salt
- vegetable shortening
- cocoa powder
- bread flour
- Vegetable oil
Chocolate Sugar Coating
- cocoa powder
- powdered sugar
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the instructions to make this recipe. You can find the full directions in the recipe card.
Stir together ½ cup water, sugar, and yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes.
Add the evaporated milk, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture and beat just until combined.
Stir vegetable shortening into the remaining warm water. Mix into yeast mixture.
Add the cocoa powder and 4 cups of bread flour to the mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Slowly add the remaining bread flour.
Add the dough to an oiled bowl, and cover it tightly. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in rise or up to 24 hours.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface in a rectangle shape until ¼ inch thick. Cut into 40 retangles.
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 360 degrees. Fry the dough in small batches for 2-3 minutes or until done.
Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and add to a freezer bag. Shake the warm beignets to coat them in the powdered sugar mixture.
Hint:
Variations
Here is a handful of ways to change up the overall flavor of these chocolate beignets for this pastry! You can leave them plain or alter the flavor of these beignets!
- Filled – you can make a chocolate filling or even a whipped cream filling and use a piping tip to fill the center of the beignets! Or even a chocolate hazelnut filling would be incredible. This elevates the richness tremendously.
- Frost or Glaze – make a chocolate frosting, chocolate ganache, or other flavor of frosting or glaze to dip the tops of the beignets in or to dip in.
- Mix in’s – add some mini chocolate chips to the dough to sweeten the fried dough. Just don’t add too many as they can burn easily when being fried.
See this peanut butter donut recipe for another pastry-inspired recipe. These are sinfully delicious.
Equipment
So for this recipe I do have a few recommendations. A stand mixer is great for allowing you to mix the dough evenly. As well as using the dough hook attachment.
Then you will want a bowl that you can allow the dough to rise in. I find that glass bowls work great. I also use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife for slicing pieces of the dough to make the beignets.
Storage
Room Temperature Storage – Allow your beignets to cool at room temperature, and then store them in an airtight container. You can add a layer of paper towel under the beignets to help soak up any extra moisture. If you plan to stack them, then use parchment paper or wax paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Freezing – You can also freeze the beignets. Place them in a freezer container and freeze for 1-2 months. If you are going to stack them, then do a liner between stacks or they will stick together once they are frozen.
Wendy’s Test Kitchen Tips
- Make sure to not overmix the dough or it makes it heavy and dense.
- Ensure your yeast activates becomes fluffy and blooms properly. Otherwise, your texture will be off.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer you can use a whisk or spoon, it just takes a bit longer to create the proper consistency.
- Don’t allow the oil to get too hot or it will overcook the outside of the beignets and leave the center doughy still.
- Allow the beignets to cool a bit before you dust them with powdered sugar. If you add it on too quickly it will melt off the tops.
- These are best when eaten fresh and warm. Like a traditional donut they will dry out quickly so fresh is best.
- Aim to cut the same pieces of dough in size so you get even-sized beignets so they cook up similarly.
- Reach for the proper size of pot. You want to make sure when you drop the piece of dough in the pan it has room from the edges to cook up.
- If need be reach for a candy thermometer to place on the side of the pan to make sure it is the right temperature of oil when frying.
- Place your finished beignets on a few paper towels to help soak up the excess oil.
FAQs
What do beignets taste like?
Beignets are donuts, and they taste similar to yeast donuts. You will find they are not as sweet as a traditional donut, and they offer a fluffier texture.
French settlers are the ones who introduced beignets to Louisianna in the 17th century, this is what history is saying the start of these fluffy donuts was created.
If the beignets are raw in the center, your oil is too hot making the outside golden brown before it should be. Lower your oil temperature, and then try again.
Vegetable oils or peanut oil are two types of oil that are very common when you deep fry.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
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Chocolate Beignets
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- sharp knife or pizza cutter
- deep fryer or large dutch oven
- spatula
- ziploc bag
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups warm water 105° to 115°, divided
- 8 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 7 cups bread flour divided
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the chocolate powdered sugar:
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl, stir together ½ cup water, sugar, and yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes.
- Add the evaporated milk, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture and beat just until combined.
- In a large measuring cup, stir vegetable shortening into the remaining warm water. Mix into yeast mixture. If the water is not warm enough to melt the shortening, heat it in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Add the cocoa powder and 4 cups of bread flour to the mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Slowly add remaining bread flour.
- Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turning the dough to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap.
- The dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or allowed to rise in a warm, draft-free location until it doubles in size.
- Heat vegetable oil in a fryer or dutch oven until 360 degrees.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape into a rectangle. Roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness.
- With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into about 40 rectangular pieces.
- Fry the beignets in small batches about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove and drain on paper toweling.
- Sift together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar for the powdered sugar topping.
- Before serving, toss with the chocolate powdered sugar.