Pumpkin Mickey Beignets

Pumpkin Mickey Beignets

Written by: Christine | August 7, 2022

Seeing the Beignet Sundae  all over Insta has us craving Mickey Beignets!!! It seems like August is the new September with all the fall treats and merch coming out already and we are not complaining! We decided to try out a treat that has been available in Falls past at Disney's Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Port Orleans French Quarter, the Pumpkin Mickey Beignet! 

They came out beyond delicious and the scent of the freshly fried spiced dough made it feel like fall in our house. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

·         1 ¼ tsp. active dry yeast (1/2 a packet)

·         ¼ C. brown sugar

·         ¾ C. Water (about 105 degrees)

·         1 egg slightly beaten (room temperature)

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         ½ C. buttermilk

·         2 TBSP. butter (melted)

·         ½ C. pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix!)

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         3-3  1/2 cups flour (plus extra for rolling)

·         1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

·         ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

·         1/8 tsp. ground cloves

·         1/8 tsp. ground allspice

For dusting:

3/4 C. powdered sugar

1 TBSP. Cinnamon

Directions:

Add warm water, brown sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk or mix with a fork. Let stand for 5 minutes to bloom yeast. It should look foamy with bubbles on the surface. If it does not, the yeast is dead, and the dough won’t rise.

After the yeast blooms. Turn the mixer on low. Add the next ingredients in the order on the list. (Except the dusting ingredients). For the flours start with 2 ½ C and add a couple TBSP. at a time until the dough comes together and starts to pull from the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky and wet but start to form. Add only as much flour as you need to get to that point.

Turn dough out into a buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place. Allow to rest and raise until doubled in size (depending on the warmth and weather this could be 1-2 hours).

When you see the dough has risen enough, pour canola oil into a dutch oven or cast-iron pan. Make sure not to fill too high (leaving at least an inch of space to protect from overflowing and splatter). Attach a cooking/candy thermometer to monitor temperature). Allow oil to come to 350-380 as you roll dough. Keep a close eye on this and adjust your flame to not overheat.

After the dough has risen, pour it out onto a well floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out 1/4 -1/3 inch thick. Use a floured Mickey cookie cutter to cut out your beignets. The dough is sticky! Make sure to refloor your surface, cutter and roller and place cut beignets on a floured plate or surface.

 

Lower your cut dough into the hot oil using a frying spider. Fry 1-1.5 minutes per side. Fry until deeply golden and remove the finished beignets using a spider onto a paper towel lined rack. Do not over crowd your pot.

Mix the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Sift the mixture onto the warm beignets. (We made a caramel sauce, but any store bought will do just as well).

 

Pro tip: Serve these with APPLE BUTTER!

 

Unpopular opinion, you can wrap these in an airtight container and toast them in the oven the next day, they are great with butter, jam, syrup, coffee…anything they are just good!