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Baked Brown Butter Beignets

Nothing can compare to soft baked brown butter beignets topped with a sweet orange brown butter glaze. There’s big flavor in these bite-sized treats!
Baked Brown Butter Beignets
Yield 16 beignets

Ingredients

Dough

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cups warm water (110-115°F)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Active Dry Yeast
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk, divided

Glaze

  • Brown butter, reserved from dough (for brushing)
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 large orange)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)

Instructions

  • Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, whisk it frequently. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the butter turns a light amber color and has a nutty aroma. Watch it closely, it can go from brown to burnt rather quickly. Remove from heat, transfer 3 tablespoons to a small glass bowl and let cool to room temperature. Set aside remaining brown butter, to be used for brushing.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast is dissolved and foamy.
  • In a large bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, add the egg, vanilla paste, 1/2 cup milk, and 3 tablespoons of the cooled browned butter. Whisk to combine and add to the flour mixture. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until a soft, sticky dough forms. (The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but feel tacky with touched lightly with your finger.)
  • With well-floured hands, shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oil bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly flour surface and roll it into a ¼-inch thick square (6x6-inches). Use a pizza cutter or pastry wheel to slice the dough into 1½-inch squares. Place the squares 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a lint free towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Brush the tops of each square with remaining 2 tablespoons milk and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Make the glaze: If the brown butter has begun to solidify, warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds. In a medium bowl, whisk the brown butter, confectioner's sugar, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth.
  • While the beignets are still warm, drizzle the tops with orange brown butter glaze.

Notes