Last updated on August 20, 2019 by Liza Hawkins
Believe it or not, I’ve never been to New Orleans. As a foodie, it hurts my heart to say that, because I’m pretty sure I could spend at least a week eating my way through the French Quarter.
It’s on my bucket list for when we win the lottery we’re able to save up enough money.
A few years ago I had a friend who traveled to the Big Easy and had the audacity to share (and also tag me in!) posts during the visit—specifically several trips to Café Du Monde for coffee and beignets.
C’mon.
It’s like those beignets (and my friend) were taunting me the. whole. time. (Okay, I didn’t mind. I actually looked forward to the daily reports from foodie-central.)
Beignets, if you’ve never had the pleasure of devouring five one, are the French answer to a doughnut. Light, fluffy pillows of fried dough, a little crispy around the edges, and finished off with a healthy dusting of powdered sugar.
They’re incredibly addicting, and oh-so-good.
Even though lots of people associate beignets with New Orleans, and specifically Café Du Monde, beignets actually have a much richer history that starts in France (no surprise), popping up in French works that date back to Mardi Gras in France as early as the 16th century.
Who knew?
During my friend’s visit to New Orleans, she simply wanted me to enjoy her experience, too … virtually. And I did. As a foodie, it’s hard not to drool over that stuff, whether it’s in person or on Instagram.
I mean, I can barely keep from sharing every photo from kitchn or Ina Garten I see in my feeds.
Note to my readers: when you’re out and about enjoying foodie-filled goodness, please feel free to tag me on Instagram or Twitter (@amusingfoodie) and use hashtag #amusingfoodie.
Anyway, back to NOLA. When my friend returned from her trip, I was pleasantly surprised with a souvenir:
Is it the same as sitting on Decatur Street enjoying a fresh beignet made with professional beignet-making hands? No.
I’ll tell you this though: even with a powder mix and four easy steps (mix, roll, fry, enjoy), they’re still mighty tasty!
That said, if you can’t get your hands on a mix (though Amazon Prime makes it easy and even kitchn agrees with me that it’s pretty spectacular), you can find from scratch recipes all over the place like these:
- CAFE DU MONDE BEIGNETS from Your Homebased Mom
- COSTAS FRENCH MARKET DOUGHNUTS (BEIGNETS) from allrecipes
- BEIGNET RECIPE FROM CAFÉ DU MONDE from Just A Pinch
But, if I were you, I’d just go ahead and buy the mix.
Because the mix makes it soooooooo easy to craft beignets at home. And less time making them means more time eating them, right?
Okay, maaaaayyyyybe my logic doesn’t add up; but, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!
The hardest part is making sure the oil stays at the right temp so they get deliciously golden brown on both sides, a task that’s made really simple with a candy thermometer!
So, really, it’s not difficult at all.
After they’re done frying (like, a couple minutes) they need to rest on a paper towel while you heap a generous dusting of powdered sugar on top while they’re still hot.
Then, the quicker you can get beignets off the plate and into your mouth, the better—even at the risk of burning your tongue.
You’ll make a giant powdered sugar mess all over your face, your shirt, and likely the counter and floor, too.
WORTH. IT.
The best kind of food is the messy kind. (And the fried kind.)
Om-nom-nom-nom!
This seems like a perfect breakfast snack for coffee addicts like myself. Will try it and share with you how it went. Thanks!
Cafe Du Monde was one of my favorite experiences in New Orleans. I went solo on a business trip, and a lovely couple from Denmark via California asked to sit with me and the three of us sat and talked and ate and drank. It was absolutely lovely. It’s on my bucket list to go again, because I know Mat would love it!
What a great memory, Kayla!