Black Widow Pumpkin Beignets with Sweet Maple Glaze

New Orleans is one of my favorite places to visit. Dripping with dark history and liberally spiced with Voodoo, there are few places on this planet where the veil between worlds is so thin. Stand still in the heart of New Orleans and you can literally feel deep in your bones the twisting fingers of magic as they wrap themselves around your very essence.

While most who go to New Orleans make the obligatory stop at Café Du Monde for a hot cup of chicory coffee and beignets, I prefer to drift further off the beaten path and make my way down to a tiny little bakery deep in the heart of a forgotten parish.  There, a single wizened crone uses recipes pulled from the old world to create delicacies that are…well…magical.

One of my favorite treats she makes are Black Widow Pumpkin Beignets.  While her original recipe calls for actual black widows, I’ve made some meat-bag friendly adjustments that should make these much easier for you to make…and less deadly.

To make your own Black Widow Beignets you will need:

• 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (105F/40.5C)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon black food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Extra flour for sprinkling on your work surface
• vegetable oil for frying

Maple Glaze

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon black food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Start by first sprinkling your yeast over your warm water and stir to dissolve.  Allow it to stand for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl you can attach to a stand mixer, combine your flour, sugar, pie spice, and salt.

Slowly drizzle in your yeast water.

Once your yeast water is added in, turn your mixer onto low and add your pumpkin puree, heavy cream, hot water, egg, butter, and enough black food coloring to match my sense of humor.

Work your dough until smooth and well combined and then allow it to rest, covered with a clean towel, for approximately 30 minutes.

Once your dough has rested, transfer it to a well-floured surface and gently pat/roll it out to approximately ¼ inch thick.

Using a spider shaped cookie cutter (I got mine here and yes, this is an affiliate link. Read my full disclosure here.), carefully cut out your beignets. 

As you go, transfer your cut beignets to a large cookie sheet and cover with a clean towel. 

Once you have your last beignet cut, allow your towel covered spiders to rise in a warm, draft free area for approximately 90 minutes.

When it’s time to fry them up, heat up 3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot over medium-high heat to approximately 350F/176C.

Carefully drop your spider beignets into your hot oil one at a time and allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure both sides are evenly cooked. 

Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels or a rack to drain.

While your spiders are draining, let’s make our maple glaze!

Combine your butter and maple syrup in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter is completely melted.

Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.

Separate out 2 tablespoons of your maple glaze and add a few drops of red food coloring.  Transfer to a small piping bag or bottle.

Mix black food coloring into the rest of the maple glaze and dip the tops of your warm beignets into the maple glaze to coat evenly and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before moving onto the next step.

Carefully, using your red glaze in your piping bag or bottle, draw an hourglass shape onto the abdomen of your black widow beignet.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Bone Appetite!