Crunchy Laminate Sweet Cruffins with Optional Fillings Recipe
Delicious Cruffins are a delightful hybrid of croissants and muffins, featuring flaky, buttery layers baked in a muffin tin. This recipe guides you through creating a soft yeast dough, laminating it with butter, and shaping it into charming spirals, perfect for a sweet breakfast or an indulgent snack. Optional fillings like Nutella, cinnamon sugar butter, or fruit jams add extra flavor for customization.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 cruffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup warm milk (about 110°F / 43°C)
- 1 large egg
Laminating Butter
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
Finishing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
Optional Fillings
- Nutella or chocolate spread
- Cinnamon sugar butter
- Fruit jam or lemon curd
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add egg, flour, and salt, then mix and knead until a soft dough forms, about 8–10 minutes.
- First rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin rectangle approximately 10 by 12 inches.
- Spread butter and roll: Evenly spread softened butter over each rectangle, then tightly roll up each from the short side into logs. Chill the logs in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm the butter.
- Cut and shape: Using a sharp knife, slice each log lengthwise to reveal the layers. Roll each strip into a spiral resembling a cinnamon roll, and place them into a greased muffin tin.
- Second rise: Cover the filled muffin tin loosely and allow the dough to rise again for 45–60 minutes until puffy.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the cruffins for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Finish: Brush the warm cruffins with melted butter and roll them in granulated sugar. If desired, fill with Nutella, jam, or other spreads using a piping bag once cooled.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
- Chilling the butter logs is important to create distinct flaky layers in the cruffins.
- You can prepare the dough dough up to the second rise and refrigerate overnight for convenience.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the logs to keep the butter layers intact and visible.
- Feel free to substitute some of the all-purpose flour with bread flour for a chewier texture.
- Optional fillings can be added after baking to avoid burning or leaking during baking.
Keywords: cruffins, croissant muffins, laminated dough recipe, breakfast pastry, homemade cruffins
