Disneyland-Style Mickey Mouse Beignets
October is my favorite time of year to go to Disneyland.
The weather is cool, the crowds have slowed, and the Día De Los Muertos celebration is gorgeous! While I’m staying home for the time being, I can almost feel the magic in the air and smell the Mickey beignet from New Orleans Square—it is my favorite treat at the park. I know for some, its the giant turkey leg, for others, its the crispy, sweetly spiced churro, or the caramel apples. But there’s something amazing about the just fried, powdered sugar-dusted pillows of dough that make my Disneyland trip complete.
But this recipe I must warn you is nothing like the one I found on various Disney blogs and sites. These I’ve developed to have a deeper flavor, and more puff than the Disney Parks original. Evaporated milk adds caramel notes, higher yeast content gives it a beautiful fragrance, and a bit of extra salt goes a long way in tying all of those flavors together. These get rolled pretty thinly as to make sure that the'y’re just the right size—not too much, not too little.
I used this cutter from Amazon and if you use this affiliate link I could possibly get a commission. But any cutter will work, and even if you don’t use a Mickey Mouse Cookie Cutter for this beignet recipe, cutting the dough into squares will be just as tasty.
Disneyland-Style Mickey Mouse Beignets
Ingredients
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 4 Tbsp soft butter
- 1 egg
- 3½ - 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
- Oil for frying
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar, and gently mix together with a fork. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is bubbly and fragrant.
- Once the yeast has bloomed, add the evaporated milk, butter, egg, 3½ cups flour, and salt. Begin mixing on low with the dough hook attachment, and gradually increase to medium speed for 7-8 minutes or until a smooth, tacky dough forms.
- Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue to knead, adding the remaining ½ cup of flour if needed. The dough should be soft, and tacky to the touch, but not sticky. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise until double in size for 1 ½-2 hours, or in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- Once the dough has proofed, begin heating about 2 inches of oil in a pot to 275 degrees F. Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to about ½-inch. Cut the beignets with a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter, and place on a baking sheet. If the oil is not yet at the correct temperature, cover the dough and adjust the temperature to get to 275 degrees F.
- Drop 2-3 beignets in the hot oil and cook until golden brown on each side—about 1-2 minutes per side. Place them on a baking rack with paper towels set under it and sprinkle with powdered sugar while they’re still hot. Repeat with the remaining beignets. Roll in powdered sugar when they’re cooled slightly to coat. These are best eaten fresh, but nothing can stop you from dipping them into hot cocoa or coffee the next day.
