This recipe offers a seasonal twist on beignets with a creamy pumpkin filling.
Pumpkin Spice Beignets
Makes about 24
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water (105° to 110°)
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup boiling water
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 4¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
- Pumpkin Cream Filling (recipe follows)
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Cream Filling
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup canned pumpkin
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1⅓ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together ½ cup boiling water, evaporated milk, melted butter, salt, vanilla, and remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar by hand. Whisk in yeast mixture and egg. Add flour and pumpkin pie spice. Using the dough hook attachment, beat at low speed until dough comes together, starts to get smooth and soft, and forms a ball at base of dough hook, 6 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. (Dough should stick to your fingers when you touch it but release after you pull away. Dough will still stick to bottom and sides of bowl.)
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- In a large Dutch oven, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°.
- Divide dough in half. On a heavily floured surface, roll half of dough into a 13×10-inch rectangle (about ¼ inch thick). (Cover and refrigerate remaining dough.) Cut dough into 3-inch squares, and separate them so they do not stick back together; discard scraps.
- Place 2 to 3 squares at a time in hot oil; when settled on top of oil, immediately turn. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Carefully remove from hot oil, and let drain on paper towels. Let cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Using a small paring knife, make a hole in the side of each cooled beignet; using a small wooden skewer, hollow inside of each beignet.
- Place Pumpkin Cream Filling in a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch round piping tip; pipe filling into beignets. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar and pie spice, if desired.
Pumpkin Cream Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in pumpkin, vanilla, and pie spice. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until combined. Add cream, and beat at medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
