Disney Beignets Recipe: Homemade Mickey Mouse Beignets

Living near Disney World means we get to visit the parks pretty often, and one of my favorite things to check out is the seasonal food. There’s always something new to try, and I usually come home thinking about which recipes I’d love to recreate in my own kitchen. This Disney Beignets Recipe was one I couldn’t wait to make at home.

I started with the Mickey Mouse beignet recipe from one of my Disney cookbooks, but after making my first batch, I knew I wanted to make a few changes. The texture was good, but I wanted more sweetness and flavor in the dough. I also found that the beignets browned pretty quickly while frying, so I experimented with a few adjustments.

My version has a little more flavor and sweetness while keeping that soft, fluffy center that makes a warm beignet so delicious. And, of course, they’re cut into that familiar Mickey Mouse shape and finished with lots of powdered sugar.

What Are Disney Beignets?

Disney beignets are soft, pillowy pieces of fried dough served warm with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. What makes the Disney version especially fun is their classic Mickey Mouse shape. They’re light and fluffy on the inside with a slightly crisp exterior, and they’re best enjoyed fresh from the fryer while they’re still warm.

Why You’ll Love This Disney Beignets Recipe

These homemade Disney beignets are soft and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness and a generous coating of powdered sugar. I added a little more flavor to the dough while keeping that classic light, pillowy texture we all love in a beignet. And of course, cutting them into Mickey Mouse shapes makes them especially fun to make and serve.

How I Tested This Disney Beignets Recipe

I started with the Mickey Mouse beignet recipe from one of my Disney cookbooks, but after making my first batch, I felt like the dough needed a little more flavor and sweetness. I also noticed that the beignets browned pretty quickly while frying, so I made a few adjustments to the ingredients and cooking temperature. These small changes gave me a more flavorful beignet with the soft, fluffy center and lighter golden exterior I was looking for.

Ingredients for Mickey Beignets

The ingredients for these Mickey beignets are simple, but a few of them play an important role in getting that soft, fluffy texture and a flavorful dough. Here are the ingredients I think are worth talking about before we start making the beignets.

Yeast

Yeast is what gives these beignets their light and airy texture. I increased the amount from the original recipe to help the Mickey-shaped dough rise a little more efficiently. Be sure your water is warm, about 105°F, but not hot, since water that is too hot can damage the yeast.

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream adds richness and helps create a soft, tender beignet. Since this is an enriched dough, the cream also gives the inside a little more flavor than you would get from water alone.

Vegetable Shortening

Shortening helps keep the beignets soft and tender without adding extra milk solids that can encourage browning. Since I wanted a lighter golden beignet, I chose to keep shortening in the dough rather than replacing it entirely with butter.

Sugar

I used fine caster sugar in this recipe because it dissolves easily into the dough. I also increased the sweetness slightly from my first test batch, which gave the beignets more flavor even before adding the generous coating of powdered sugar.

Vanilla Extract

Vanilla wasn’t in the original recipe I tested, but I felt the dough needed a little more flavor. A small amount of vanilla adds warmth and sweetness without changing the classic beignet flavor.

Salt

Salt may seem like a small ingredient, but it makes a noticeable difference in the flavor of the dough. I increased it slightly after my first test batch to help balance the sweetness and bring out the vanilla and other flavors without making the beignets taste salty.

How to Make Disney Beignets at Home

Making homemade Disney beignets takes a little time since the dough needs to rest and then rise after it’s cut into Mickey Mouse shapes. Most of that time is hands-off, and once the beignets are ready to fry, they cook very quickly.

Activate the Yeast

Add the 2 Tbsp warm water (about 105°F) to a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Stir gently until combined and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.

Make the Beignet Dough

Add the caster sugar, shortening, salt, heavy cream, egg, vanilla, flour, and boiling water to the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in the yeast mixture.

Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed just until the ingredients come together and the dough becomes smooth. Avoid overmixing. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Roll and Cut the Mickey Beignets

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick. Use a Mickey Mouse-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the beignets. If you don’t have a Mickey cutter, cut the dough into approximately 2½- to 3-inch squares.

Arrange the cut beignets on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving enough room between them to expand as they rise.

Let the Dough Rise

Instead of simply covering the cut dough with a towel, slide the entire baking sheet into a large, clean plastic bag. Keep the plastic from touching the dough and loosely close the bag. This creates a warm, protected environment and helps prevent the surface of the dough from drying out.

Place the tray in a warm, draft-free area and allow the beignets to rise until approximately doubled in size and noticeably puffy.

Fry the Beignets

Pour about 3 inches of vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Place a cooking thermometer in the oil and slowly heat it over medium heat until the temperature reaches 325°F.

Keep the thermometer in the oil while frying so you can monitor the temperature and adjust the heat as needed.

The thermometer I use: I like using a cooking thermometer that can stay in the oil while the beignets fry. It makes it much easier to watch the temperature and adjust the heat as needed. You can find the thermometer I use here.

Pour about 3 inches of vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Place a cooking thermometer in the oil and slowly heat it over medium heat until the temperature reaches 325°F.

Keep the thermometer in the oil while frying so you can monitor the temperature and adjust the heat as needed.

Carefully lower the beignets into the hot oil, working in small batches. Fry the first side for about 2 minutes, keeping an eye on both the color of the beignets and the temperature of the oil.

Flip the beignets and fry the second side for about 1 minute, or until both sides are a beautiful golden brown. Remove them from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray to drain briefly before adding the powdered sugar.

Don’t rely on the clock alone. Oil temperature and color are your best guides. Mine took about 2 minutes on the first side and another minute after flipping, but cooking times can vary slightly as the oil temperature changes between batches. Keep an eye on your thermometer and adjust the heat as needed to stay close to 325°F.

Dust with Powdered Sugar

While they’re still warm, dust the beignets generously with powdered sugar and serve immediately. Beignets are at their best when they’re freshly fried, warm, and covered in plenty of powdered sugar.

How to Make the Mickey Mouse Shape

The Mickey Mouse shape is what makes these Disney beignets so much fun! After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, roll it out to about ¼-inch thick and use a Mickey Mouse-shaped cookie cutter to cut out each beignet. Press the cutter firmly through the dough so the ears and edges are clean and well defined.

Place the cut Mickey shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet with a little space between each one. Keep in mind that the shapes will become softer and puffier as they rise, so don’t worry if the edges aren’t perfectly crisp. Once the dough has doubled in size and looks light and puffy, the Mickey beignets are ready to fry.

How to Fry Beignets Without Getting Them Too Dark

One thing I noticed while testing these Mickey beignets was how quickly they browned in the hot oil. At 350°F, the outside became darker than I wanted before I achieved that pretty, light golden color. For my next batch, I lowered the oil temperature to 325°F, which gives the beignets a little more time to cook through without browning quite as quickly.

The Best Oil Temperature for Beignets

I found that 325°F worked better for this dough than 350°F. Use a cooking thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature, since it can fluctuate as you add each batch of dough. Fry only a few beignets at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too dramatically.

How to Tell When Beignets Are Done

Watch the color of the beignets rather than relying only on a cooking time. Once the underside turns light golden, carefully flip the beignet and cook the other side. The finished beignets should be lightly golden on the outside and cooked through with a soft, airy center.

Tips for Light and Fluffy Beignets

A light, fluffy beignet starts with a soft dough and enough time for the cut shapes to rise properly. These are a few things I found especially helpful while making this recipe.

Don’t Add Too Much Flour

The dough should be soft and easy to work with rather than stiff or dry. Add the flour gradually and use only as much as needed to create a smooth dough. Too much flour can make the finished beignets heavier and denser.

Give the Beignets Enough Time to Rise

After cutting the Mickey Mouse shapes, let them rise until they have doubled in size and look noticeably puffy. Use the appearance of the dough as your guide rather than watching the clock. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, the rising time can vary.

Keep the Dough Covered While It Rises

Keeping the cut beignets from drying out is important during the rise. I like to place the entire baking sheet inside a large, clean plastic bag, making sure the plastic doesn’t touch the dough. This creates a protected environment that helps the Mickey shapes rise evenly.

Watch Your Oil Temperature

Use a thermometer while frying and check the temperature between batches. If the oil is too hot, the outside can become dark before the center is completely cooked. If it’s too cool, the beignets can absorb too much oil and become heavy.

Fry in Small Batches

Avoid crowding the pot. Adding too many beignets at once can quickly lower the oil temperature and make it harder to cook them evenly. Giving each Mickey a little room also makes them much easier to turn.

How to Serve Disney Beignets

This Disney Beignets Recipe is best served warm and fresh from the fryer with a very generous coating of powdered sugar.

I still remember having beignets at Café du Monde in New Orleans, where they arrived with so much powdered sugar that you could barely see the beignets underneath. At first it looked like an enormous amount, but after one bite, I realized it was exactly right. That pile of powdered sugar is part of what makes a warm beignet so delicious.

So don’t be shy when finishing your Mickey beignets. Let them drain briefly after frying, then cover them with powdered sugar while they’re still warm. This is definitely one of those desserts where a light dusting just isn’t enough!

Disney Beignets Recipe FAQs

Here are a few helpful answers to common questions about making homemade Disney beignets.

Can I Make the Beignet Dough Ahead of Time?

Yes. You can prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it, tightly covered, overnight. Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature briefly so it’s easier to roll, then cut out the Mickey shapes and allow them to rise until doubled in size before frying.

Why Are My Beignets Dense?

Dense beignets can be caused by adding too much flour or not allowing the cut dough enough time to rise. The Mickey shapes should look noticeably larger and puffy before they go into the oil. Also, make sure your yeast is fresh and that the water used to activate it isn’t too hot.

Why Did My Beignets Get Too Brown?

If your beignets become dark too quickly, your oil may be too hot. I ran into this with my first batch when frying at 350°F, so I experimented with a slightly lower temperature to get a lighter golden exterior while still cooking the centers completely.

What Temperature Should I Fry Beignets?

For this recipe, I fry the beignets at 325°F. I found that this temperature allowed the centers to cook through while giving the outside a beautiful golden color without browning too quickly. Keep a cooking thermometer in the oil while you fry and adjust the heat as needed, since the temperature will naturally fluctuate between batches.

Can I Make Disney Beignets Without a Mickey Mouse Cutter?

Absolutely. The Mickey shape is fun, but it isn’t necessary. Simply roll the dough to about ¼-inch thick and cut it into 2½- to 3-inch squares. Let the pieces rise until doubled in size, then fry them the same way as the Mickey-shaped beignets.

More Disney Recipes to Make at Home

If you enjoyed making these Mickey Mouse beignets, try my Ginger Beer Mocktail Recipe next. It’s another Disney-inspired recipe that’s easy to recreate at home and makes a fun drink to serve alongside your favorite treats.

I’ll be adding more Disney recipes as I make and test them, so check back as this collection grows.

A Little Disney Magic at Home

This Disney Beignets Recipe was such a fun one to test, and after adjusting the dough, proofing method, and frying temperature, I’m really happy with how the beignets turned out. Frying them at 325°F gave me beautifully golden beignets that were soft and fluffy inside.

And when it comes to the powdered sugar, I say the more, the better. I still remember the beignets we had at Café du Monde in New Orleans—they arrived under so much powdered sugar you could barely see them. That’s exactly how I like mine!

Serve these beignets while they’re still warm, pile on the powdered sugar, and enjoy. They’re such a fun way to bring one of my favorite Disney treats home.

Cheers,