Name: African Beignets
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 36 beignets
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 5 cups self rising flour; 1⅔ cups granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 2⅓ cups water; Canola or vegetable oil for frying

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These easy beignets are made with self rising flour—no yeast necessary! They’re soft on the inside, lightly crisp on the outside, and delicious with a cup of coffee or tea.

I was first introduced to beignets in (where else?) New Orleans, Louisiana. They were warm and crisp and coated with a mountain of powdered sugar.

These are not those beignets.

My next encounter with beignets was at Longe’s brother’s house when we were dating. Longe and his family moved to the U.S. from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was a Belgian colony. It appears that parts of Belgian cuisine made its way into Congolese cuisine, and included in that cuisine are these easy beignets.

These African-style beignets are already a little sweet, and therefore don’t need that mountain of powdered sugar to serve them. Instead, they are typically served with honey peanut butter for dipping. They are delicious with coffee or tea for an afternoon snack, and guests devour them at gatherings as a dessert.

How to make beignet batter

Combine self-rising flour and sugar in a large bowl.

Whisk together two eggs, then stir them and 2⅓ cup water into the flour and sugar to create a batter.

How to fry beignets

Drop spoonfuls of the batter into hot oil using a cookie scoop. This ensures that you get nice round balls for the beignets.

For the oil, you could use canola oil or vegetable oil heated to 400°F.

After 2 minutes, flip the beignets using a spider tool. Cook for an additional 2 minutes and then remove using the same spider tool.

Place the beignets on a cooling rack over a sheet pan to catch an excess oil.

If you’re sensitive to the smell of fried food in your home, use a fryer with a lid. I have this fryer and the lid is super helpful in keeping smells to a minimum. It’s also really easy to use.

How to serve beignets

Beignets are best served on the day they are made. You could sprinkle them with powdered sugar, or you could do it the African way: dip in peanut butter with honey.