Copycat Cracker Barrel Beignets
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Cracker Barrel Beignets are the perfect sweet treat — light, airy, and crispy with a sweet coating and a sweeter dipping sauce. Though, if you decide to have a few for breakfast… I won’t tell! You’ll get 4 dozen pieces per batch, so make this copycat recipe when you have family and friends to help eat them!
Cracker Barrel Beignets
I’m never one to turn down dessert, but I don’t always want something super rich and decadent.
The biscuit beignets at Cracker Barrel are not quite as sweet as a donut but just as airy on the inside and crisp on the outside. A perfect compromise!
And because they’re made with homemade buttermilk biscuit dough, there are plenty of deliciously flaky layers throughout.
Served with the most incredible dipping sauce, this recipe is perfect for game days, holidays, and sleepovers — you’ll get up to 4 dozen treats per batch.
Try more of my favorite Southern desserts like peach cobbler, buttermilk cake, or the classic Coca Cola sheet cake… another Cracker Barrel copycat!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Buttermilk Biscuit Dough – Tender, flaky, and easy to make from scratch. Use my copycat recipe from Cracker Barrel or your favorite tried-and-true biscuit dough!
You’ll roll it out and cut it into rounds as usual, then slice the rounds into quarters and deep fry them instead of baking. - Frying Oil – Vegetable oil is my go-to because it has such a neutral flavor. Canola, safflower, or peanut oil are also great for deep frying.
- Cinnamon Sugar – The traditional coating for Cracker Barrel biscuit beignets! Granulated sugar and ground cinnamon are all you need to make it.
Add some nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice for a fall-flavored twist. - Butter Pecan Sauce – It’s easy to make this from scratch with butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and plenty of crunchy pecans.
For a more interesting flavor, swap the vanilla for rum extract!
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Biscuit Beignets Like Cracker Barrel
- Heat the oil to 350°F while you work on the dough.
The oil must be just the right temperature before adding the dough. Too hot, and the beignets will burn, but too cold, and they’ll come out greasy and underdone.
The temperature will drop as you fry each batch, so give the oil time to recover before adding more dough as well.
If you don’t have a thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. It’s ready when tiny bubbles climb up the handle to the surface.
- Cut biscuit rounds into evenly sized pieces.
If you’ve got a lot of different sizes going on, they won’t fry up evenly. That’s why it’s best to cut them into quarters instead of shaping them into smaller rounds.
Plus, the flaky layers will remain intact so you get the best texture — just like the biscuit beignets at Cracker Barrel!
- Drain well before coating in sugar.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the beignets from the oil, then transfer to a paper towel-lined tray.
No matter how much oil you let drip off the pieces, there will be extra that the paper towels can soak up!
Don’t let them sit there for too long, though, or you’ll lose that crispy texture.
Toss the pieces in cinnamon sugar while you fry the next batch, then get them onto another tray or wire rack.
I’ll usually serve up each batch as I make them, but you can hold them in a low-temperature oven if you plan to serve them all at once.
Set it to 200°F and have a sheet pan waiting so everything stays warm.
Prep Ahead
- Finely chop pecans
- Combine cinnamon and sugar
- Prepare butter pecan sauce
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- 4 Quart Stock Pot – Great for soups, roasts, frying, and more! This is a staple in my kitchen.
- Candy Thermometer – The easiest way to know if your frying oil is at the right temperature.
- Slotted Spoon – Easily transfer the biscuit pieces in and out of the hot oil.
- Medium Saucepan – Heats evenly and is easy to clean too.
- Sieve – Great for straining liquid or sifting dry ingredients to prevent clumps. You can even use it to dust powdered sugar over desserts!
Serving Suggestions
Toss Cracker Barrel biscuit beignets in the cinnamon sugar mixture as quickly as possible, while they’re still quite warm.
This helps it stick to the surface and creates a better flavor overall.
Don’t forget that warm butter pecan sauce for dipping!
I love getting crunchy little pieces of pecan in each bite, but you can certainly strain the sauce for a smoother consistency if you’d like. It’s delicious as an ice cream topping too.
Need a nut-free option? Serve Cracker Barrel beignets with chocolate or caramel sauce for dipping, or have some sweet fruit jam nearby to spread onto each bite.
I love to have a warm mug of coffee or tea with this treat, but I wouldn’t say no to a maple latte either!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
These really are best fresh out of the fryer — both in flavor and texture!
That said, this recipe makes quite a few beignets, so you’ll probably have leftovers if you don’t have lots of help eating them.
Store Cracker Barrel beignets in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. I like to line the container with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil too.
Reheat in the air fryer or oven at 350°F for a few minutes to help them crisp back up.
Cracker Barrel Biscuit Beignets FAQ
The texture is best when they are freshly made, but you can make the biscuit dough in advance to save some time!
Wrap the dough in several layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate up to a day in advance. Then, all you have to do is shape and slice before frying.
Yes, classic Southern beignets feature a thick coating of powdered sugar and are served as-is or with a dipping sauce — usually chocolate or caramel. They’re sometimes drizzled in honey too.
Instead, the biscuit beignets at Cracker Barrel are tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with butter pecan sauce.
While this shortcut would save you some time, the texture won’t be quite the same. Feel free to halve the biscuit dough recipe for a smaller batch, or chill half of the dough to make biscuits in the morning.
If you want to make Cracker Barrel beignets with refrigerated dough, choose Grands Buttermilk or something similar with plenty of flaky layers.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Copycat Cracker Barrel Beignets
Ingredients
Biscuit Beignets:
- 12 rounds of prepared buttermilk biscuit dough
- vegetable or neutral oil for frying
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Butter Pecan Sauce:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C).
- On a lightly floured surface, cut the biscuit rounds into quarters.
- Fry the biscuit dough pieces in batches until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Mix granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Toss warm beignets in the mixture until coated.
- Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add pecans, toasting for 1-2 minutes to enhance their flavor. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, allowing the mixture to simmer until smooth. Strain the sauce using a fine mesh strainer for a smoother sauce if desired.
- Serve beignets warm with the butter pecan sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published January 2025
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