These adorable Mickey Mouse beignets are simple to make and addictingly delicious. A fun way to enjoy a tasty Disneyland treat at home!
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Disneyland Mickey Mouse Beignets
Beignets are on my list of most favorite things ever. The fried pastry dough is heavenly and tastes perfectly chewy and crisp. I’m a sucker for any type of fried dough and also love churros, fry bread, donuts and this funnel cake recipe! So delish!
I still remember the first time I ever tried a beignet. My husband and I were newlyweds and visited Disneyland over the holidays. I had never heard of New Orleans beignets before, and that first bite of pillow-y fried dough dusted with powdered sugar was pure heaven. If you haven’t tried them before, this recipe is the perfect way to get started!
Lately, my daughter has been obsessed with all things Mickey Mouse, so I thought it would be fun to make these beignets Mickey-shaped. Disney recently posted their recipe and the homemade version definitely lives up to the reputation. They’re chewy and crisp on the outside, and so light and soft on the inside. They are little bites of heaven and you will definitely not be able to stop snacking on them!
How to Make Mickey Beignets
Make the Dough. They start with a simple yeast dough that is mixed up quickly and allowed to rise for about two hours. Once the dough has risen, it’s rolled out and cut into Mickey Mouse shapes. My cookie cutter is the 4″ Wilton brand and I found it on Amazon.
Heat the Oil. Now it’s time to fry the beignets. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the temperature of your oil. You want it to stay right around 350ºF so the beignets will brown nicely and get cooked through without getting burned. If the oil is getting too hot, turn down the heat.
Fry the Beignets. Place the dough cut outs into the heated oil to fry. It only takes 30-60 seconds per side for the beignets to get golden brown. If your beignets are bigger than mine were (about 3 inches), they may take longer to cook. I only cook a couple at a time so they don’t stick together.
Let Cool. After they’re done, let them cool down on some paper towels for about 5 minutes. They already look fantastic! Perfectly puffy and golden.
Dust with Powdered Sugar. The final step is to dust them with powdered sugar. You can sprinkle it over the top, like I did, or you can toss them in a paper bag with some powdered sugar instead. Either way works great. Then dig in!
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Mickey Mouse Beignets
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg , whisked
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup heavy cream , or evaporated milk
- 2 Tablespoons shortening
- 3 ½ (445 g) cups all-purpose flour , more or less as needed
- Vegetable oil , for deep frying
- Powdered sugar , for dusting
Instructions
- Sprinkle the yeast over warm water and stir to dissolve. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until it turns foamy.
- Combine the sugar, egg, salt, heavy cream and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Use a dough hook attachment with a stand mixer or a dough whisk and then mix in 2 cups of the flour.
- Add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and forms a soft dough that is slightly tacky to the touch. Form the dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise about 1 hour, or until doubled.
- When the dough has risen, heat the oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven to 350ºF. Roll the dough out on a floured surface a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a floured cookie cutter into Mickey Mouse shapes. Carefully lower the cut outs into the oil and cook for 30-60 seconds on each side, or until golden brown. If the oil begins to get too hot, turn down. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels for 5 minutes.
- After the beignets have cooled slightly, dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. These are best served warm the first day.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Photography contributed by Alice from The Baker Upstairs for I Heart Naptime.
Categorized as: Breakfast, Kid-Friendly, Stovetop, Sweet Breakfast
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Hi! Going to try these tomorrow. Would it work to make the dough the night before?
Yes you can definitely make the dough and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days! It will rise slowly in the fridge. Let it come to room temp before you roll it and cut it out! :)
Made this recipe yesterday. They were a easy to make and tasted delicious. Definitely will make them again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
Could I freeze the dough?
Hi Erin! I haven’t tried freezing the dough, but I think that should be fine. I have stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and allow it to slowly rise. I would just let it come to room temperature before you roll it and cut it out.
Can I substitute butter for the shortening? Also, if I am bringing them somewhere, what is the best way to store them?
Hi Rachel! I haven’t tried substituting butter but I think that should work just fine. They are definitely best when served fresh, but you can transfer in an air tight container. :)
Looks delicious
Can it be made with store bought puff pastry?
Yes of course! :)
Hello! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I am wondering how I would make these without a stand mixer and a dough hook. Would using a wooden spoon and mixing it until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl work alright?
Thank you!
Hi Chloe! Yes, a wooden spoon should work just fine! :)
I rolled out my dough cut a few and fried them. They were somewhat hallow. I rolled out the rest of the dough and they were very dense. How do I get them to hallow and airy?
Hi Isabel! It is pretty common for beignets to have a hollow center. The thickness will determine if it is hollow or dense, so you will just have to experiment with the thickness! I’ve found about 1/2″ in thickness is just right.
This recipe is awesome! I had some family chiming in while I was trying to make it. Make sure the dough is no more than 1/2″ in thickness when you cut them out. My grandma thought I was making them too thin and I made it thicker and I tested one piece. The inside was not cooked through at all. I cut the pieces in half and spread them out a little more and it turned out perfect.😍
Thanks for the tip! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
They were good but mine came out hollow like, why could this be?
Hi Kayla! It is pretty common for beignets to have a hollow center. You could try rolling the dough out a bit thicker to help prevent the hollow center.
These are great! The perfect treat whenever you need some fun in your day!
These are so fun! My kids loved them!
Thank you for this recipe! They were so yummy and tastes just like Disney World!
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for your review!
I want to make the mickey beignets, but don’t want them to have to rise for 2 hours in the morning. Can I make these night before and just leave in refrig. and then cook the next morning??
After they rised, it should work out okay to put them in the fridge, but I haven’t tried it myself so I cannot say for certain.
Hi can I ask what is shorting please x
Hi Connie! Shortening is a shelf-stable solid oil used for deep frying. Lard would be an excellent substitution. :)
Pure puff perfection! I can just taste them!!
Do you use a candy thermometer to keep track of the oil temperature? Also is that a cast iron pot you are cooking them in??
Can they be adorable? I don’t think so!
http://www.myhappynook.com
Yum! I’ve never had a beignet before, but they look amazing!
Paige
You make me want to go to Disneyland!
This looks really tasty. I mean, anything that’s fried is tasty, right? In the Netherlands we have something a bit similar around New Year, but we add raisins. Good recipe!