Homemade Cruffins Recipe

Introduction

Cruffins are a delightful hybrid between croissants and muffins, offering flaky layers packed into a portable, fun shape. This homemade recipe combines rich laminated dough with a cinnamon-sugar coating for a delicious morning treat or indulgent snack.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
• 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted or salted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 3 pieces
• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) salted butter, slightly softened (see Note)
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Optional fillings: 6 Tablespoons Nutella, jam, lemon curd, or pastry cream

Instructions

1. Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together. Cover and let sit about 5 minutes until foamy. If you don’t have a mixer, use a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
2. Step 2: Add the butter, 2 cups (250g) of flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining 1 cup (125g) flour and beat on low until a soft dough forms that pulls away from the bowl sides. Add up to 2 more tablespoons of flour if very sticky.
3. Step 3: Knead the dough in the mixer for 5 minutes or on a lightly floured surface by hand until smooth and elastic but still soft. The dough should pass the windowpane test—stretch a small piece until thin enough for light to pass without tearing.
4. Step 4: Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat all sides. Cover tightly and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until nearly doubled in size.
5. Step 5: Punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured silicone baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten gently into a 10×14-inch (25x36cm) rectangle. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
6. Step 6: Beat the softened salted butter with 1 tablespoon flour until combined. Keep flour nearby to dust your surface and rolling pin while laminating. Remove dough from refrigerator.
7. Step 7: Spread the butter mixture evenly over the center third of the dough. Fold one edge over the butter, then the other edge over that, enclosing the butter. Pinch the ends closed. Rotate so the long side is horizontal, lightly flour, and roll into a 9×12-inch (23x30cm) rectangle. Fold edges over like a letter. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
8. Step 8: Repeat the rolling and folding step two more times, refrigerating for 20 minutes between each turn. This creates the flaky layers.
9. Step 9: Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Remove dough from fridge and cut into 3 even parts. Roll each portion into an 8×12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar evenly and press it into the dough gently.
10. Step 10: Cut each portion into twelve 1-inch strips. Stack three strips on top of each other and roll up like a spiral, tucking the ends underneath. Place each roll into a muffin pan cup. Repeat with remaining dough to make 12 cruffins.
11. Step 11: Cover lightly and let cruffins rise for 1 hour until puffy. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
12. Step 12: Bake for 25–28 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C). Cool in pan on a rack.
13. Step 13: Once cool enough to handle, roll each cruffin in remaining cinnamon-sugar. Optionally, fill with Nutella, jam, lemon curd, or pastry cream using a piping bag with a long, skinny tip.

Tips & Variations

• Use a silicone baking mat for rolling and rolling pin dusting to prevent sticking and sliding.
• Let the dough rest if it resists rolling to allow gluten relaxation and easier shaping.
• Filling options like Nutella or jam can be added for extra flavor—inject after baking when the cruffins have cooled.
• Be careful not to add too much flour during kneading to keep the dough tender and flaky.

Storage

Store leftover cruffins at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in a 300°F (150°C) oven for a few minutes to refresh the crispness before serving. Avoid refrigerating as it can dry out the pastry.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough by hand without a mixer?

Yes, you can mix and knead the dough by hand using a large bowl and a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Knead on a floured surface for best results.

Why is the dough folded multiple times during lamination?

Folding creates layers of butter and dough, which create the flaky, airy texture characteristic of laminated pastries like cruffins.

Homemade Cruffins Recipe

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Homemade Cruffins are a delightful hybrid of croissants and muffins, combining the flaky, buttery layers of laminated dough with a convenient muffin shape. These cruffins are made by preparing a yeast-leavened dough, performing multiple laminations with butter, rolling and cutting into strips layered and spiraled into a muffin tin, then baked until golden and crisp. Finished with cinnamon sugar coating and optional fillings like Nutella or jam, cruffins make an indulgent breakfast or snack option that impresses with their texture and flavor.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 28 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 12 cruffins 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough

• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
• 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted or salted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 3 pieces
• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt

Lamination Butter Mix

• 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) salted butter, slightly softened (see Note)
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Optional Fillings

• 6 Tablespoons Nutella, jam, lemon curd, or pastry cream

Instructions

1. Preliminary Notes: Read the recipe and have step-by-step photos ready before starting. Prepare refrigerator space for chilling dough in later steps.
2. Prepare the Dough: Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar in your stand mixer bowl with dough hook. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Add butter, 2 cups flour, and salt; beat on medium 2 minutes. Add remaining flour and mix on low until a soft dough forms. Add 2 more tablespoons flour if very sticky.
3. Knead the Dough: Knead in mixer on medium for 5 minutes or by hand on a floured surface. Add flour sparingly if dough is sticky. Dough should pass windowpane test and feel soft but elastic.
4. First Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover tightly and let rise in warm place about 2 hours or until nearly doubled.
5. Flatten Dough and Chill: Punch down dough, place on floured silicone mat/parchment on baking sheet. Press/roll into 10×14-inch rectangle. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
6. Prepare Lamination Butter: Beat softened butter and 1 tablespoon flour together until smooth and combined.
7. First Lamination: Remove dough from fridge. Spread butter mixture over center third of dough. Fold one edge over butter, then fold other edge to cover like a letter. Seal ends. Rotate dough, flour top lightly, roll to 9×12-inch rectangle. Fold edges like a letter again. Cover dough, refrigerate 20 minutes.
8. Second Lamination: Repeat rolling and folding (9×12-inch rectangle, folding edges like letter), rotate horizontally and repeat. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
9. Third Lamination: Repeat the rolling and folding process once more. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
10. Shape and Fill Dough: Lightly grease 12-cup muffin pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll each to 8×12-inch rectangle, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, press in. Cut 12 strips lengthwise per portion. Working 3 strips at a time, layer and roll into spiral. Place spirals into muffin cups. Repeat for all dough portions, making 12 cruffins.
11. Second Rise: Cover cruffins lightly, let rise 1 hour until puffy.
12. Bake Cruffins: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 25–28 minutes or until internal temp is 200°F (93°C). Cool cruffins slightly in pan on rack.
13. Coat and Fill: Roll cooled cruffins in remaining cinnamon sugar. Fill with optional fillings using a piping bag and long thin tip by poking hole 3/4 way down and squeezing filling inside.
14. Storage: Store leftover cruffins covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

• Butter for lamination should be softened but still cool (60–64°F / 15–18°C) for optimal rolling.
• Use a silicone baking mat to roll dough directly to prevent sticking and sliding.
• Do not extend refrigeration times during laminations to avoid over-expansion and difficulty rolling.
• If dough resists rolling, let it rest for 5 minutes to relax gluten.
• Windowpane test is useful for determining proper kneading.
• Use a bench scraper or pizza cutter for clean cutting to avoid damaging silicone mats.

Keywords: Cruffins, Laminated dough, Cinnamon sugar cruffins, Homemade cruffins, Croissant muffin hybrid, Sweet breakfast pastry