beignet

American  

[ben-yey, be-nye] / bɛnˈyeɪ, bɛˈnyɛ /

noun

plural

beignets

1. a fritter or doughnut.

2. French Cooking. any fruit, vegetable, seafood, etc., dipped in batter and deep-fried.

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beignet British  

/ ˈbɛnjeɪ /

noun

1. a square deep-fried pastry served hot and sprinkled with icing sugar

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Etymology

Origin of beignet

1830–35, < Louisiana French beignet ( def. 1 ), French beignet ( def. 2 ), Middle French bignet pastry filled with fruit or meat, equivalent to buyne literally, bruise, lump from a blow (of uncertain origin; cf. bunion) + -et -et

Explanation

A beignet is a type of sweet fried dough. New Orleans is famous for its beignets, and the beignet was named Louisiana's official state doughnut in 1986. You could describe a beignet as a small French doughnut. These delicious pastries are made from a yeasted dough—or sometimes a light choux pastry, which uses steam to puff up—that's cut into squares, fried in hot oil, and dusted with powdered sugar while still warm. In New Orleans, where beignets were introduced around 1700 by French immigrants, they're often served for breakfast. Beignet comes from the Old French buigne, "bump or lump," referring to the way the dough puffs into small, golden lumps as it fries.

Example Sentences

Here’s the key: Barry, Sally and NoHo Hank respectively get advice from beignet baker Mitch.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2022

The beignet story notwithstanding, Reed’s chapter on passing is one of his least effective.

From Washington Post • Mar. 4, 2022

In pastelillos de guayaba, guava — the epitome of tropical flavor — is balanced by crumbly, salty queso en hoja, fresh cheese, which is baked into a beignet and delightfully dusted with powdered sugar.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2021

Nothing new about that, even if the humor has, by now, grown staler than a day-old French Quarter beignet.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2013

Her skin matches the exact shade of mine—a sugared beignet fresh from the oil, golden brown and glistening under the lantern light.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton