There’s something special about biting into a warm, freshly fried beignet covered in powdered sugar. And yes, you can absolutely enjoy them even if you eat gluten free.

These gluten free beignets are soft, pillowy, and taste just like the ones you’d get at a cafe in New Orleans. No one will guess they’re made without regular flour.

The dough comes together really easily. You mix it up, let it chill in the fridge, then cut it into squares and fry them. Simple as that.

Once they come out of the oil, you pile on a ridiculous amount of powdered sugar while they’re still hot. That part is non-negotiable.

If you’ve been missing beignets since going gluten free, this recipe is going to make your day.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Finally, Gluten Free Beignets That Actually Puff Up – The combo of gluten free 1-to-1 flour and tapioca starch gives these beignets that classic light, pillowy puff you thought you could never get without regular flour.

Ready to Eat in Minutes – Once your dough is chilled, you go from cutting squares to biting into hot, sugar-covered beignets in under 10 minutes of frying time.

Simple Ingredients You Can Actually Find – No weird specialty flours or hard-to-find gums here, just basic pantry staples like milk, egg, butter, and a good gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour that most grocery stores carry.

The Overnight Dough Makes Your Life Easier – You can mix the dough the night before, let it chill in the fridge, and then just cut and fry the next morning for a seriously impressive weekend breakfast with barely any effort.

Ingredients

1 cup Warm Whole Milk (110 F)
2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
1/2 tsp Salt
3 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
Vegetable Oil, for frying
Powdered Sugar, for dusting

How to Make

Step 1

Stir together warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of the granulated sugar in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes until foamy.

Step 2

Whisk in the egg, melted butter, remaining granulated sugar, and salt until smooth. Add the gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour and tapioca starch and stir until a soft, sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Turn the chilled dough out onto a surface dusted with tapioca starch. Pat or roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into roughly 2-inch squares and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 4

Heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 360 F. Working in batches of 4 to 5, carefully lower the squares into the oil. Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until puffed and deep golden brown.

Step 5

Transfer the beignets to a paper towel-lined plate to drain for about 30 seconds, then move to a serving plate. Pile on a very generous amount of powdered sugar while they are still hot and serve immediately.

Helpful Tips

Make Sure Your Yeast Is Actually Active

The milk needs to be around 110 F, not hotter. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise at all. If you don’t have a thermometer, it should feel warm on the inside of your wrist but not uncomfortable.

After you stir the yeast and pinch of sugar into the milk, wait the full 5 to 7 minutes. You should see a layer of foam on top that looks bubbly and alive. If nothing happens after 7 minutes, your yeast is dead and you need to start over with fresh yeast and new milk.

This step basically decides whether your beignets puff up or come out flat and dense, so don’t rush past it.

Don’t Skip the Refrigerator Time

The dough needs at least 2 hours in the fridge, and honestly overnight works even better. Chilling firms up the butter and relaxes the dough so it’s way easier to handle when you go to roll it out.

Gluten free dough is naturally sticky, and if you try to work with it warm, it will stick to everything and frustrate you. Cold dough holds its shape better and cuts into clean squares without stretching or tearing.

Just make sure the plastic wrap is pressed right against the surface of the dough so it doesn’t dry out while it sits in the fridge.

Use Tapioca Starch When Rolling Out the Dough

When you take the dough out of the fridge and put it on your work surface, dust that surface with tapioca starch instead of regular flour. The recipe calls for this specifically because tapioca starch keeps things gluten free and it does a great job of preventing sticking without making the dough tough.

Dust your hands and your rolling pin with it too. If the dough still feels too sticky, add a little more starch, but don’t go overboard. You just want a thin layer so things don’t stick.

Pat or roll the dough gently to about 1/2 inch thick. If it’s thinner than that, your beignets won’t puff up enough. If it’s thicker, the inside might not cook all the way through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to refrigerate the dough, and can I skip that step?

Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours firms it up so you can actually roll it out and cut it into squares. Gluten free dough tends to be sticky and soft, so without that fridge time it would be nearly impossible to handle.

Skipping this step is not recommended. If you’re short on time, even 1.5 hours in the fridge will help, but overnight gives you the best texture and makes the dough much easier to work with.