Unleash the magic of bakery-quality treats right in your own kitchen with this incredible Cronut Recipe. Prepare to be amazed as you create flaky, buttery, and perfectly sweet cronuts in a mere 35 minutes, all thanks to one brilliant and easy store-bought shortcut! Forget the long lines and complicated pastry techniques; your journey to cronut bliss starts here.
Imagine sinking your teeth into a warm, fresh cronut, its delicate layers melting in your mouth. This decadent experience is elevated even further when paired with a cozy cup of rich hot chocolate or a comforting pumpkin spice steamer. It’s not just a pastry; it’s a moment of pure culinary delight.
What Exactly Is A Cronut? The Story Behind the Viral Sensation
The cronut is more than just a pastry; it’s a global phenomenon. Born from the ingenious mind of New York City pastry chef Dominique Ansel, this “croissant-donut hybrid” first captured hearts and palates in 2013. Ansel, working in his Soho bakery, sought to combine the delicate, buttery layers of a classic French croissant with the satisfying fried sweetness of a traditional American donut. The result was an instant viral sensation, leading to legendary queues outside his bakery and inspiring countless imitations worldwide.
What makes a cronut so special? It’s the unique texture. Unlike a regular donut, a cronut is made from a laminated dough, similar to that used for croissants. This intricate process of folding butter into dough layers creates hundreds of paper-thin, airy sheets that give the pastry its signature flaky interior. After being fried to a golden perfection, Ansel’s original Cronuts were often injected with flavored cream, rolled in a delicate sugar coating, and then finished with a beautiful glaze. Our simplified homemade cronut recipe captures that same magical flakiness and irresistible flavor, bringing this iconic dessert within reach for every home baker.
Essential Ingredients for Your Homemade Cronuts
Creating these delightful cronuts is surprisingly simple, especially with our clever shortcut. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
- Puff Pastry Dough (Frozen): This is our star ingredient and the secret to making cronuts in just 35 minutes! Pre-made puff pastry provides all the flaky, buttery layers without hours of laborious dough preparation. It forms the incredible base of your cronuts, delivering that signature croissant-like texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: A small amount of flour is crucial for dusting your work surface. It prevents the delicate puff pastry from sticking as you handle and shape it, ensuring clean cuts and easy folding.
- Vegetable or Canola Oil: Essential for deep frying. The type of oil used here influences the final texture and taste. Vegetable or canola oil are excellent choices due to their high smoke points and neutral flavor, ensuring your cronuts fry up golden and crispy without any unwanted aftertaste.
- Large Eggs: Eggs are whisked to create an egg wash, which is brushed onto the puff pastry. This wash contributes to a beautifully golden, crispy exterior when fried and helps the layers adhere during the chilling process.
- Granulated Sugar and Ground Cinnamon: This classic combination creates a warm, sweet, and aromatic coating for your freshly fried cronuts. The sugar provides texture and sweetness, while cinnamon adds a comforting spice that perfectly complements the rich pastry.
For the Optional Glaze:
While delicious on their own, a simple glaze adds another layer of sweetness and elegance:
- Powdered Sugar: The base for our smooth, quick glaze. Its fine texture dissolves easily, creating a silky finish.
- Unsalted Butter (Very Soft): Adds richness and a subtle buttery flavor to the glaze, enhancing the overall cronut experience. Make sure it’s at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Maple Syrup: Contributes a lovely depth of flavor and helps achieve the perfect consistency for the glaze. You can substitute with milk if preferred, but maple syrup adds a wonderful aromatic note.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla brightens and rounds out the sweet flavors of the glaze.
- Ground Cinnamon: A tiny pinch in the glaze echoes the cinnamon-sugar coating, tying all the flavors together beautifully.
Crafting Your Cronuts: A Step-by-Step Guide
Get ready to create magic in your kitchen! Follow these detailed steps to achieve perfect homemade cronuts:
- Thaw and Prepare the Dough: Begin by following the package directions to properly thaw your puff pastry dough. Most brands, like Pepperidge Farm, come with two sheets per package. Once thawed, lightly flour a clean, flat working surface. Carefully unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto the floured surface. Avoid rolling it out or pressing it down, as this can compress the delicate layers. Repeat with the second sheet.
- Prepare the Egg Wash and Chill: Crack both large eggs into a small bowl and briskly whisk them with a fork until well combined. Using a pastry brush, gently brush one side of each puff pastry sheet with the egg wash. This wash helps create a beautiful golden crust and aids in the lamination process. Now, carefully fold each dough sheet in thirds, much like folding a letter, or how they were initially packaged. Place these folded dough sheets into the freezer for 20 minutes. This chilling step is crucial; it firms up the butter in the pastry, preventing it from melting too quickly when fried and ensuring distinct, flaky layers.
- Heat the Frying Oil: While the dough chills, prepare your frying station. Pour vegetable or canola oil into a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed, deep pot. The amount of oil needed will depend on your pot size, but aim for it to be about one-third full, ensuring enough depth to submerge the cronuts. Heat the oil to precisely 350°F (175°C). Using a candy thermometer is highly recommended for accuracy, or rely on your deep fryer’s temperature gauge if it has one. Consistent oil temperature is key for cronuts that are crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked inside.
- Cut and Shape Your Cronuts: After the dough has chilled, remove it from the freezer. Using a 2 1/2-inch donut or pastry cutter (we highly recommend these biscuit cutters for perfect results), carefully cut out large cronut shapes from each sheet of puff pastry. You should be able to get about 3 cronuts per sheet. Then, use a smaller 1 1/2-inch cutter to create the center hole for each cronut. This process will yield a total of 6 large cronuts and 6 delightful donut holes. Don’t discard the dough scraps! You can gather them, gently re-roll, and fry them up for little bonus treats, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
- Fry to Golden Perfection: Carefully place 3-4 cronuts (or donut holes) at a time into the preheated oil. Do not overcrowd the pot, as this will drop the oil temperature and result in greasy cronuts. Fry the cronuts for a total of 5 minutes, flipping them every 1 to 1 1/2 minutes with a fork or tongs, until each side has puffed up beautifully and turned a rich golden brown. Continuously monitor the oil temperature, adjusting as needed to maintain a steady 350°F. Once fried, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the cronuts and place them on a plate lined with several layers of paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining cronuts and donut holes.
- Coat in Cinnamon Sugar: While the cronuts are still hot and fresh from the fryer, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Using tongs or two forks (the pastries will be very hot!), transfer the warm cronuts from the paper-towel-lined plate into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Gently spoon the cinnamon sugar over the cronuts and rotate them until they are generously coated on all sides. Enjoy them immediately for the ultimate fresh cronut experience, or proceed to the next step for an optional glaze.
- Optional Glaze Finish: For an extra touch of sweetness, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tablespoon very soft unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon until smooth. If the glaze appears too thick, add more maple syrup (or a tiny bit of milk) one teaspoon at a time until it reaches a desired dipping consistency. You can microwave the glaze for 5-10 seconds to thin it slightly if needed. Gently dip each cronut into the warm glaze, or simply drizzle it artistically over the coated pastries. Keep in mind that the cinnamon sugar might make the glaze adhere less perfectly, but it will still taste wonderful. Let the glaze set for a minute before serving. Cronuts are truly best enjoyed hot and fresh, right after being coated and/or glazed!
Quick Tip for Puff Pastry
Finding puff pastry dough is easier than you think! It’s typically located in the frozen aisle of most grocery stores, often alongside frozen desserts, pie crusts, or sometimes even frozen breakfast items. If you’re having trouble locating it, don’t hesitate to use a store locator app or ask a store associate. Always remember to carefully follow the package instructions for thawing the dough before you begin this recipe. Proper thawing ensures the pastry is pliable and its delicate layers remain intact, which is essential for that signature cronut flakiness.
Mastering Your Cronuts: Expert Tips for the Best Results
Achieving bakery-level cronuts at home is entirely possible with a few key techniques. Pay attention to these tips for an incredibly successful batch:
- Temperature Control is Paramount: Your number one tip for success is to use a candy thermometer for precise oil temperature monitoring. The ideal frying temperature of 350°F (175°C) is critical. If the oil is too hot, your cronuts will burn on the outside before the inside can cook through, leaving you with a raw, doughy center. If the oil is too cool, the cronuts will absorb too much oil, becoming greasy and heavy instead of light and flaky. Keep an eye on that thermometer and adjust your heat accordingly throughout the frying process.
- Fry in Small Batches: Resist the urge to cram too many cronuts into the fryer at once. Fry only 3-4 cronuts (or donut holes) at a time. Overcrowding the pot significantly drops the oil temperature, leading to uneven cooking and greasy results. Frying in small batches ensures the oil maintains its heat, allowing each cronut to cook evenly and develop that beautiful golden, crispy exterior.
- Immediate Coating for Maximum Stickage: The moment your fried cronuts come out of the oil and have briefly drained on paper towels, immediately roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. The residual heat and slight stickiness on the cronut’s surface are essential for the sugar to adhere properly. If you wait too long, the cronuts will cool, and the sugar coating won’t stick as effectively, leaving you with less flavorful pastries.
- Don’t Overwork the Puff Pastry: Remember, puff pastry relies on its distinct layers of butter and dough to create that incredible flakiness. Avoid rolling it out aggressively or handling it too much, as this can compress the layers and prevent them from puffing up correctly during frying. Be gentle when unfolding and cutting.
- Chill Thoroughly: The freezer chilling step (Step 2) is not optional! It allows the butter within the pastry layers to firm up, which helps maintain the separation between layers as the cronuts hit the hot oil. This leads to more pronounced, airy, and flaky layers in your final product.
Storage Tips for Your Cronut Creations
While cronuts are undeniably at their best when enjoyed fresh and warm, you can certainly store any leftovers for a delightful treat later. Proper storage ensures they remain as enjoyable as possible:
- Store in an airtight container. This is crucial to prevent them from drying out or absorbing unwanted odors.
- Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. For optimal texture, avoid refrigeration if consuming within this timeframe, as refrigeration can sometimes make pastries a bit tougher.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days for longer storage. If you choose to refrigerate, ensure they are still in an airtight container.
- Reheat for Best Enjoyment: To bring your stored cronuts back to life, reheat them gently. A few minutes in a preheated oven (around 300°F/150°C) can help restore some of their crispness. Alternatively, a quick zap in the microwave (10-15 seconds) will warm them through, though they may not be as crispy as fresh.
For even longer preservation, you can freeze unglazed, un-sugared cronuts. Once cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1-2 months. Reheat from frozen in a moderate oven until warm and flaky, then coat with cinnamon sugar or glaze.
More Dessert Recipes To Love:
If you’ve fallen in love with making cronuts, you’re sure to enjoy these other fantastic dessert recipes that are perfect for sharing, or simply treating yourself!
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Pin
Easy 35-Minute Homemade Cronuts
Chelsea Lords
10 minutes
5 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
6
large cronuts and 6 donut holes
Video
Equipment
- Deep fryer or deep, heavy-bottomed pot and thermometer
- Candy Thermometer
- Donut or Pastry Cutters (2.5-inch and 1.5-inch)
- Pastry Brush
- Slotted Spoon or Tongs
Ingredients
-
1
(17.3-ounce) package
puff pastry sheets
see note 1 -
Flour
for work surface -
1
gallon
vegetable oil
3.78L; or canola oil, see note 2 -
2
large
eggs -
1/2
cup
granulated sugar -
1
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
-
1/2
cup
powdered sugar -
1/2
tablespoon
unsalted butter
very soft -
2
tablespoons
maple syrup -
1/4
teaspoon
vanilla extract -
1/8
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Follow package directions to thaw the puff pastry dough. If using Pepperidge Farm’s dough, there should be 2 sheets per package. Lightly flour a flat working surface. Unfold the 2 dough sheets (do not roll it out or press it down) and place them on a lightly floured surface.
- Pour oil into a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed deep pot (see note 2). Use a candy thermometer to gauge heat or set the deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). It’s very important to monitor the heat constantly—if it’s too hot, the cronuts will be burned on the outside and raw/doughy inside; if it’s too cool, they will absorb excess oil and become overly chewy and greasy.
- Crack both eggs into a small bowl and briskly whisk them with a fork to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush both puff pastry dough sheets with the egg wash on one side. Then, carefully fold up each dough sheet in thirds (like folding a letter, replicating how you removed it from the packaging). Place the folded dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill and firm up.
- After chilling, use donut or pastry cutters to cut out large cronuts. A 2 1/2-inch cutter typically yields 3 cronuts per sheet of puff pastry. Use a smaller 1 1/2-inch cutter to cut out the center hole of each cronut. Repeat with the other sheet of puff pastry dough for a total of 6 cronuts and 6 donut holes. You can also gather and gently re-roll dough scraps to fry, avoiding waste.
- Carefully place 3-4 cronuts into the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes, flipping them every 1 to 1 1/2 minutes with a fork or tongs, until each side has puffed up and is golden brown. Ensure the heat is constantly monitored to maintain 350°F (175°C). Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried cronuts and place them on a plate lined with a few paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat until all cronuts and donut holes have been fried.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until combined. Using tongs or two forks (as the cronuts will be very hot), transfer the hot, drained cronuts from the paper-towel-lined plate into this bowl. Gently spoon cinnamon sugar over the cronuts and rotate them until they are generously coated on all sides. Enjoy immediately, or proceed to the next step for an optional glaze.
- Optional Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, very soft unsalted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a pinch of ground cinnamon until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more maple syrup (or milk) 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a desired drizzling or dipping consistency. You can microwave the glaze for 5–10 seconds to thin it slightly. Gently dip the cronuts into the glaze or drizzle it over them. Note that the cinnamon sugar might prevent the glaze from adhering perfectly, but it will still add wonderful flavor. Let the glaze set for a minute and enjoy! Cronuts are truly best enjoyed hot and fresh after being coated in sugar and/or glazed!
Recipe Notes
Note 2 – Oil Selection and Quantity: The exact amount of oil you’ll need depends on the size and depth of your pot or deep fryer. Aim to fill your vessel about 1/3 full, ensuring enough oil to submerge the cronuts comfortably. A deep fryer will generally require more oil, but for a heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop, 1–2 quarts (or liters) should be sufficient. While the original cronut recipe famously used grapeseed oil, which has a very high smoke point and neutral flavor, vegetable oil or canola oil are excellent and more accessible alternatives that work beautifully for achieving that perfect golden fry.
Nutrition Note: Please be aware that the nutritional information provided is automatically calculated and serves as an approximation. It does NOT include the oil absorbed during the frying process, as this amount can vary significantly based on oil temperature, frying time, and individual cronut size.
Storage: For best results, store any leftover cronuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store them longer, they can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. For optimal freshness, consider warming them slightly in an oven or microwave before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 198kcal |
Carbohydrates: 43g |
Protein: 2g |
Fat: 2g |
Saturated Fat: 1g |
Cholesterol: 57mg |
Sodium: 22mg |
Potassium: 31mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 42g |
Vitamin A: 108IU |
Calcium: 17mg |
Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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