Hazelnut Cream Beignets Recipe

Hazelnut Cream Beignets Recipe tastes like a warm hug from a Paris café and a New Orleans bakery at the same time, ready in about 2 hours start to finish. It suits anyone who loves soft, pillowy fried dough with a rich, nutty filling and a cloud of powdered sugar. I tested this on a random Tuesday night in sweatpants, so you can absolutely pull it off in a normal home kitchen.

Why Make This Hazelnut Cream Beignets Recipe at Home

You control everything at home: the dough texture, the sweetness level, and how generous you feel with the hazelnut cream. Cafés often skimp on filling, while you can load these beignets until they almost burst.

Homemade beignets also taste incredible fresh from the oil, when the outside still crackles and the hazelnut filling flows like warm ganache. The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients plus hazelnut spread, so you avoid anything weird or hard to pronounce.

These Hazelnut Cream Beignets taste like a fancy bakery treat that accidentally wandered into my kitchen and decided to stay forever ★★★★★

Ingredients You Need

For the beignet dough

• 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm milk, about 105 to 110°F
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Neutral oil for frying, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil

I prefer King Arthur or Gold Medal flour because they stay consistent from batch to batch. Use any neutral oil with a high smoke point so the beignets fry evenly and stay light in flavor.

For the hazelnut cream filling

• 3/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt

You can use Nutella or any store brand hazelnut spread. If the spread feels stiff, warm it gently in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds so it blends smoothly.

For topping

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, for dusting
• Optional: 1 tbsp cocoa powder mixed into the powdered sugar for a light chocolate finish

Equipment list

• Stand mixer with dough hook or a large mixing bowl and sturdy spoon
• Medium bowl and whisk for the filling
• Heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven for frying
• Deep fry thermometer or instant read thermometer
• Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
• Piping bag with a small round tip, or a zip top bag with a corner snipped
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife or pizza cutter
• Cooling rack set over a sheet pan
• Small skewer or chopstick to poke filling holes

Tips & Mistakes

• Heat the milk to warm, not hot, so the yeast stays alive and works properly.
• Proof the dough in a warm, draft free spot so it doubles in size within about 1 hour.
• Dust your work surface lightly with flour so the dough does not stick, but avoid heavy flour that makes the beignets tough.
• Roll the dough evenly to about 1/4 inch thickness so the beignets puff nicely and cook through.
• Cut the dough into even squares so they fry at the same rate and stay uniform.
• Keep the oil at 350 to 365°F so the beignets turn golden without burning or soaking up grease.
• Fry a test beignet first so you can adjust the heat before you commit the whole batch.
• Drain the beignets on a rack instead of paper towels so the bottoms stay crisp.
• Let the beignets cool slightly before filling so the hazelnut cream does not melt and run out.
• Chill the hazelnut cream so it pipes cleanly and holds its shape inside the warm dough.
• Do not overfill the beignets or the cream will burst through the sides.
• Dust with powdered sugar right before serving so the tops stay pretty and not soggy.

How to Make Hazelnut Cream Beignets Recipe

Mix the dough

1. Add warm milk, sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast looks foamy on top.
2. Add the egg, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix until the egg breaks up and everything looks combined.
3. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but still feels slightly tacky.

Knead and proof

1. Knead the dough with the dough hook on medium low speed for 5 to 7 minutes until it turns smooth and elastic. You can also knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough once to coat it in a thin layer of oil.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and set it in a warm spot. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Make the hazelnut cream filling

1. Beat the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy.
2. Add the hazelnut spread, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk or beat until the mixture looks silky and uniform.
3. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the hazelnut mixture in two additions until no streaks remain.
5. Cover the bowl and chill the hazelnut cream in the fridge while the dough rises so it thickens.

Roll and cut the dough

1. Punch down the risen dough gently to release excess air.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle.
3. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, keeping the rectangle shape.
4. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 2 to 2 1/2 inch squares.
5. Transfer the squares to a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each piece.

Second rise

1. Cover the dough squares lightly with a clean towel.
2. Let them rise at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes until they look puffy and slightly larger.
3. Start heating the oil during this rise so it reaches the right temperature by the time the dough finishes proofing.

Heat the oil

1. Pour 2 to 3 inches of neutral oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven.
2. Clip a thermometer to the side of the pot.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 to 365°F. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature steady.

Fry the beignets

1. Gently lift a few dough squares and slide them into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pot.
2. Fry each side for about 1 to 2 minutes until the beignets puff and turn deep golden brown.
3. Flip them with a slotted spoon or spider so they cook evenly on both sides.
4. Transfer the fried beignets to a cooling rack set over a sheet pan.
5. Repeat with the remaining dough, letting the oil return to temperature between batches.

Fill with hazelnut cream

1. Transfer the chilled hazelnut cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. You can also use a zip top bag and snip a small corner.
2. Use a skewer or chopstick to poke a hole in the side of each warm beignet, wiggling gently to create a small cavity inside.
3. Insert the piping tip into the hole and squeeze in hazelnut cream until the beignet feels slightly heavier.
4. Wipe any excess filling from the outside with a clean towel.

Dust and serve

1. Place the filled beignets back on the rack.
2. Sift powdered sugar over the tops while they still feel slightly warm.
3. Add a little cocoa powder to the sugar if you want a chocolate hazelnut vibe.
4. Serve the Hazelnut Cream Beignets as soon as possible for the best texture.

Variations I've Tried

I swap the hazelnut spread for straight chocolate spread and add chopped toasted hazelnuts for a crunchy version. I also mix a spoonful of espresso powder into the hazelnut cream for a mocha style filling that tastes like dessert and coffee in one bite. Sometimes I add orange zest to the dough and a tiny splash of orange extract to the filling for a chocolate orange hazelnut twist.

You can also skip the filling and serve the beignets plain with a side of hazelnut cream as a dip. Kids love a version with mini chocolate chips folded into the hazelnut cream. If you want a lighter option, use half hazelnut spread and half Greek yogurt in the filling and sweeten it a bit more with powdered sugar.

How to Serve Hazelnut Cream Beignets Recipe

Serve Hazelnut Cream Beignets warm, dusted generously with powdered sugar so every bite tastes sweet and nutty. Pair them with hot coffee, strong tea, or hot chocolate for a cozy breakfast or dessert. They also work well on a brunch board with fresh berries, sliced bananas, and a bowl of extra hazelnut cream for dipping. Kids usually grab them as finger food, so keep napkins close and accept the powdered sugar on your shirt as a badge of honor.

How to store

• Store leftover Hazelnut Cream Beignets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Chill them in a single layer first so they do not squash each other, then stack with parchment between layers.
• Freeze unfilled beignets after frying and cooling, up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature and fill fresh.
• Reheat in a 325°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes until warm and slightly crisp, then dust with fresh powdered sugar before serving.