I’ve gotta tell you, nothing makes me happier than adding a gem to my Disneyland recipe collection.

It’s not even debatable that one of the tastiest treats at Disneyland is the Mickey Mouse shaped beignets served at Cafe Orleans and the Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square.

In fact, the Disney Food Blog, (my personal bible) lists these fried pillows of dough as the very best of the best as far as snacks go at the Disneyland resort.

When you eat these warm from the pan, dipped in a little raspberry jam, you will feel like you are eating a gourmet jelly filled donut.  You’ll be transported straight to New Orleans Square.  You may even hear the Disneyland Railroad train go by.

If you’re like me, and missing Disneyland, you might die a little inside. 🙂

These are super easy to make, just a very simple yeast dough, and just require the teeniest bit of patience for rising time.  No fancy gadgets are needed, just a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter, which I purchased on Amazon for $6.99.

The ingredients and tools are simple, now you just need to get started.  Ready? Go! Make these immediately!

If you’re in a Disney kind of mood, check out my other Disney recipes for their famous White Chocolate Raspberry Cookie, their Mattherhorn Macaroons, Goofy’s Kitchen’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Pizza, and Minnie’s Bakeshop Baked French Toast.

Tips:
Keep an eye on the temperature of your oil.  If you have a candy thermometer, the oil should be at about 350°.  Too hot and they will burn.  If you don’t have a thermometer, no problem! Toss a piece of scrap dough into the heating oil and as soon as it starts to bubble up and rise to the top of the pan, the oil is ready.

These fry up super quickly.  Each side will only take 30-60 seconds to fry up.  You want to flip it as soon as it is golden.  Obviously, the bigger your beignets, the longer they will take to cook.

When you pull them from the oil, place them on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch any grease drips.  Then sprinkle them with powdered sugar while on the rack.

When you’re done with your oil, don’t throw it away! I store mine in a mason jar, labeled “Donuts” with the date, so the next time I make donuts I can use it again.

Recipe from IHeartNaptime

Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 – 3 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons shortening
oil, for deep frying
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, whisk together the water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit ten minutes, until bubbly.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the egg, salt, and evaporated milk. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix to combine. Stir in the shortening.

Add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and forms a soft dough that is slightly tacky to the touch. Form the dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for two hours.

When the dough has risen, heat the oil in a large pot to 350. (If you don’t have a thermometer, just heat the oil over medium heat, throw in a piece of scrap dough, and when it starts to bubble and rise to the top, the oil is ready.)

Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut with a cookie cutter into Mickey Mouse shapes. Carefully lower the cut outs into the oil and cook for 30-60 seconds on each side, or until golden brown.

Remove and drain on cooling rack for 5 minutes. After the beignets have cooled slightly, sprinkle with powdered sugar.