A Croquembouche, But Make It With Beignets

There’s only one football fan in my household, and as much as I’ve tried (which isn’t much), it’s not me. But while I can’t bring much excitement to the game, I can at least bring a good snack.

Food media always goes all out for the Super Bowl—us included. And because this year’s game is in New Orleans, our Test Kitchen decided to develop game-day recipes inspired by the city. The only problem: I’ve never had a beignet before, but as someone who prefers baking over making a seafood boil (looking at you, Cesar), it felt like an obvious choice.

Still, I wanted to put a twist on the dessert. My first idea was one giant beignet, like fried dough from a pizza shop, but it didn’t seem exciting enough. Then I thought about shaping them into donut holes and stacking them into a croquembouche with melted sugar, but after frying the dough, that step felt unnecessary and overly complicated. After a few tests, I landed on a simple beignet stack—bite-sized pieces, each coated in a thick layer of powdered sugar. It’s not officially a croquembouche, but close enough. And since it’s made with beignets, we’re calling it a “beignet-bouche.”

Yes, it takes some effort—making and frying dough—but I promise you it’s a showstopping addition to a spread of wings and queso. One tip: They’re technically donuts, so I recommend frying them right before serving, but if that’s not an option, they’ll hold up through the game. And if you’re short on time day-of, you can make the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge.

Have you had beignets before? If so, where’s your favorite spot? Let me know in the comments!