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As much of the country continues to shelter in place, many of us are missing some of our favorite indulgences — and for Disney fans, that includes the tasty treats at their parks. Disney has been keeping us busy recreating some of those in the kitchen by sharing recipes for many of their most beloved dishes, including churro bites, Dole Whip, grilled cheese and cookie fries.
But, they’ve really outdone themselves this time with a recipe for one of their top fan-favorite Disney treats: Mickey Mouse-shaped beignets.
These fluffy, light-as-air New Orleans-style donuts have been winning guests over at Disneyland’s Mint Julep Bar for years and, more recently, at Walt Disney World’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter as well. Disney shared the classic recipe for you to make at home, but at the parks, they’ve been known to get a little crazy with seasonal varieties, like red-hot beignets and hot chocolate beignets.
Made fresh and served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar, Mickey beignets are the perfect breakfast or sweet snack. (But seriously, is there ever a wrong time for sugar-coated fried dough?) If you think homemade donuts sound intimidating, not to worry. This step-by-step recipe makes it easy to whip them up in your kitchen, and you probably already have most of the ingredients at home.
Once you’ve made the dough, to get your beignets to look like everyone’s favorite mouse, you’ll need a Mickey-shaped cookie cutter. If you don’t have one, you can use any cookie cutter or just cut them into 2 1/2- to 3-inch squares. Fry each beignet in oil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown (just make sure to supervise kids when working with hot oil), drain on paper towels, dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Just be warned — these pillowy soft treats are so tasty they’ll be gone in a flash.
Mickey Mouse-Shaped Beignets
Makes 10 large Mickey Mouse-shaped beignets or 2 dozen small beignets
Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (105 F)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Powdered sugar
Directions:
- Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Combine sugar, shortening, salt, heavy cream, egg, flour and boiling water in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. With the dough hook attachment of an electric mixer on medium speed, mix the dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll to 1/4-inch thickness and cut individual beignets with a Mickey Mouse-shaped cutter or cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch squares. Cover with a towel and let dough rise until doubled in size in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Using caution, heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side. Remove with tongs and place on paper towels to drain. Dust warm beignets with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
A note from Disney: This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version.
Are you cooking up a storm in your kitchen right now?