A beignet (pronounced ben-YAY) is one of the lightest, fluffiest, most delicious pastries I’ve ever eaten. Sitting in the French Quarter, at the Cafe du Monde, sipping a café au lait, and being covered in powdered sugar as I inhaled one beignet after another, fearing I would never taste anything so transforming again. Truly, one of the signature flavors of New Orleans. But is it a healthy food to consume, especially on a gluten-free or vegan diet?
Beignets are not vegan, as they contain dairy and eggs. Veganism is a way of living aimed to avoid exploitation and the cruelty towards animals. The best vegan alternatives include Thrive Market Organic Protein Pancake & Waffle Mix, The Vegan Knife Gluten Free & Vegan Donut Baking Mix, and Simple Mills Pancake and Waffle Mix.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what a beignet is and its history, how it is made and its nutritional value. We’ll also look at some brands of beignet mixes you can use at home, both vegan-friendly, and some not so vegan-friendly. Ready to dig in?
Contents
What is a beignet?
A beignet is a deep-fried pastry, or “fritter.” Traditionally, it is made from pâte à choux, a type of dough made from only butter, water, flour, and eggs, but they can also be made from yeast. There are no raising agents used in the dough, instead it relies on a high moisture content to create steam used during cooking the pastry. Because of this steam-cooking method, the French beignet has a hollow center and a “pillowy” texture.
Beignets are part of the French pastry family known as choux pastry. This type of pastry is made from a dough which is moist enough to utilize steam to make it “fluff up” during cooking. French settlers brought these pastries with them, in the 17th century, when they migrated to eastern Canada, to a region called Acadia. As the Acadians then migrated south, into what is now known as the French Quarter, they brought their culture, heritage, and most importantly, their foods, with them.
Beignet Mix Nutritional Information
The Café du Monde
If you’re looking for the most authentic beignet in relation to the original French, you’ll need to travel to New Orleans, to the Riverwalk Marketplace, where the original French Market coffee stand is located. You’ll get an order of three beignets, pair it with a café au lait, and find yourself in heaven.
Or… you could just make your own.
Cafe Du Monde Beignet Mix
Ingredients:
- Enriched wheat flour
- Enriched barley flour
- Milk
- Buttermilk
- Salt
- Sugar
- Leavening (baking powder, baking soda, and/or yeast)
- Natural and artificial flavoring
Nutrition Facts (per 0.6 ounce serving):
- 60 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 170 mg – Sodium
- 12 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g – Dietary Fiber
- 1 g – Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 4% DV – Calcium
Mam Papaul’s Beignet Mix
Ingredients:
- Enriched Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Sugar
- Cultured Buttermilk (Skim Milk, Lactic Acid and Cultures)
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Baking Powder (Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cornstarch)
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 0.6 ounce serving):
- 60 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 80 mg – Sodium
- 12 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g – Dietary Fiber
- 4 g – Sugars – Includes 3 grams added sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 2% DV – Iron
Both of these brands of beignet mixes, while being more traditional with their ingredients to the original French beignet recipes, are not vegan-friendly. They both contain milk or buttermilk ingredients. Since these are sourced from animals, neither of them can be acceptable for a vegan diet.
So let’s take a look at some vegan-friendly, healthier alternatives for tasty beignets.
Alternatives to Beignets
Thrive Market Organic Protein Pancake & Waffle Mix
Certified gluten-free, organic, diary-free and vegan, the Thrive Market’s pancake and waffle mix is made from pea and chickpea powders and can be a great substitute for making fluffy beignets.
Ingredients:
- Organic Pea Starch
- Organic Pea Powder
- Organic Chickpea Powder
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Organic Potato Starch
- Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate)
- Organic Coconut Oil
- Organic Dextrose
- Sea Salt
- Organic Flaxseed
- Organic Corn Starch
- Natural Flavor
Nutrition Facts (per 65 gram serving):
- 240 – Calories
- 2.5 g – Total Fat
- 1.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 520 mg – Sodium
- 45 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 6 g – Sugars
- 11 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 6% DV – Calcium
- 10% DV – Iron
Thrive Market Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffin & Bread Mix
Try a new spin on a beignet flavor, or just make a batch of amazing tasting pumpkin muffins or loaf of pumpkin bread. This vegan bread and muffin mix from Thrive Market is also paleo and kosher.
Ingredients:
- Almond Flour
- Organic Coconut Sugar
- Pumpkin Powder
- Organic Arrowroot Powder
- Organic Coconut Flour
- Organic Spices (Organic Cinnamon, Organic Nutmeg, Organic Cloves)
- Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate)
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 26 gram serving):
- 120 – Calories
- 0 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 0 mg – Sodium
- 14 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Sugars
- 3 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 8% DV – Calcium
- 6% DV – Iron
The Vegan Knife Gluten Free & Vegan Donut Baking Mix – Cinnamon Sugar
The Vegan Knife Company provides food ingredients for people who have food allergies. Their products are free from the top 8 food allergens. Their dessert mixes are made with clean and healthy ingredients, and taste great, too!
Ingredients:
- Brown sugar (sugar, molasses)
- Garbanzo bean flour
- Potato starch
- Sorghum flour
- Tapioca flour
- Baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate)
- Xanthan gum
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 41 gram serving):
- 150 – Calories
- 1 g – Total Fat
- 0 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 150 mg – Sodium
- 33 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 15 g – Sugars – Includes 15 g added sugars
- 3 g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 4% DV – Iron
Simple Mills
Simple Mills has a great philosophy — if you cannot recognize an ingredient, then neither will your body. This is why they use simple, clean ingredients in their products.
Simple Mills Pancake and Waffle Mix
This vegan-friendly, plant-based pancake and waffle mix is made from almond and coconut flours, so you’ll be tasting a slightly sweeter pancake or waffle. Which is never a bad thing.
Ingredients:
- Almond Flour
- Arrowroot
- Organic Coconut Sugar
- Organic Coconut Flour
- Cream of Tartar
- Baking Soda
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 40 gram serving):
- 180 – Calories
- 8 g – Total Fat
- 10 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 240 mg – Sodium
- 23 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 6 g – Sugars – Includes 5 g added sugars
- 4g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 4% DV – Calcium
- 6% DV – Iron
- 8% DV – Potassium
Partake Baking Company
Created by a family whose daughter was diagnosed with severe food allergies as an infant, the Partake Baking Company wants to provide safe, delicious foods to those who deal with food allergies, so they can enjoy the same types of foods, without the harm.
Partake 5-in1 Baking Mix
Gluten-free, vegan, and containing no rice, gums, or emulsifiers, this baking mix is not only versatile, but it makes amazing recipes!
Ingredients:
- Gluten Free Flour Blend (Oat Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Tapioca Flour)
- Oat Milk (Water, Oats, Enzymes)
- Potato Starch
- Oat Fiber
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Sea Salt
- Cream of Tartar
- Baking Soda
Nutrition Facts (per 40 gram serving):
- 140 – Calories
- 1.5 g – Total Fat
- 10 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 270 mg – Sodium
- 29 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 3 g – Sugars – Includes 3 g added sugars
- 4g – Protein
Additional vitamins & minerals:
- 2% DV – Calcium
- 6% DV – Iron
- 4% DV – Potassium
Final Thoughts
Beignets are just an amazing pastry. Their texture, flavor and perfect pairing with strong coffee make them a treat that you can really overindulge with. The more commercially manufactured beignet baking mixes do not allow for dietary restrictions to be followed. They contain ingredients which make them unfriendly to vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free lifestyles. Opt instead for brands which use simple, clean ingredients and support different dietary restrictions.
Related Questions
Are beignets keto?
Beignets are not keto-friendly. They are a high-carb, processed food which contain a high amount of sugar, and usually, not very healthy ingredients.
Are beignets gluten-free?
Made from processed flour and sugar, and usually containing wheat ingredients, commercially manufactured beignets, and those available in restaurants, are not gluten-free.
Are beignets donuts?
Beignets are not donuts. First off, beignets are square, donuts are round. But that’s just semantics. Donuts are made with less yeast and less eggs than beignets. This makes the donut have a heavier, denser texture, versus the light and airy texture of a beignet. Even though some consider the beignet the “French doughnut,” try tasting them side-by-side, and you’ll be able to tell the difference.