Buttery, Flaky Cruffins Recipe: A Sweet Pastry Delight

Bakery magic meets home cooking with these delectable cruffins that blend croissant flakiness and muffin charm.

The kitchen becomes your playground when mixing these pastry wonders.

Crisp layers and buttery textures await you in this delightful creation.

Pastry chefs have nothing on your skills with this straightforward recipe.

Each bite promises a delicate dance of rich flavors and tender crumbs.

Simple ingredients transform into an extraordinary treat that impresses without complex techniques.

Challenge yourself to master this delightful hybrid pastry and watch everyone’s eyes light up with excitement.

Delicious Cruffins That Wow with Layers

• Perfect for weekend mornings when everyone craves something special and delightful.
• Straightforward steps make this recipe approachable for novice bakers wanting to explore pastry techniques without feeling overwhelmed.
• Easily swap fillings like cinnamon sugar, jam, or chocolate to match family preferences and keep the recipe exciting every time you bake.
• Total time of around 2.5 hours includes rising and baking, with most of that being hands-off waiting periods, allowing multitasking during preparation.

Ingredients List for Flaky, Buttery Cruffins

• Flour: Essential for the structure and texture of the cruffin dough, provides a sturdy foundation for the pastry.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning, creating a delightful golden color.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the pastry.
• Yeast: Crucial for creating rise and developing the light, airy texture of the cruffins.

• Warm Milk, Melted Butter, Egg: Work together to create a rich, tender dough with soft crumb and delicate flavor.

• Cinnamon Sugar, Jam, Chocolate, Powdered Sugar, Flaky Salt: Provide extra flavor, texture, and visual appeal to customize the cruffins.
• Softened Butter: Used for layering and creating the signature flaky, buttery texture between dough sections.

How to Make Cruffins at Home

Step 1: Create Magical Dough

Grab a large mixing bowl and combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Whisk these dry ingredients until they’re perfectly blended. Pour in warm milk, melted butter, and a cracked egg. Mix everything until a shaggy dough emerges.

• Use hands and work for 8-10 minutes
• Or use a stand mixer with dough hook for 5-6 minutes
• Stop when dough becomes smooth and stretchy

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a cozy spot for 1-1.5 hours until it doubles in size.

Step 2: Transform Dough Into Layers

Punch down the risen dough and divide into 6 equal pieces.

• Cinnamon sugar
• Fruit jam
• Nutella
• Cream cheese

Roll the rectangle into a tight log, then slice lengthwise down the middle creating two long strips.

Step 3: Sculpt Cruffin Shapes

Coil each strip with cut layers facing outward to showcase beautiful swirls. Nestle these coils into a greased muffin tin. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Cover tin and let rise for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Bake To Golden Perfection

Crank oven to 375°F. Slide muffin tin inside and bake 20-25 minutes until cruffins turn golden brown and look irresistibly flaky.

Step 5: Dress Up Your Masterpiece

• Powdered sugar dust
• Chocolate drizzle
• Flaky sea salt
• Caramel sauce
• Fresh berries

Tips to Shape and Bake the Perfect Cruffins

• Choose Quality Ingredients: Select high-protein bread flour and fresh active dry yeast for optimal dough texture and rise.
• Master Dough Consistency: Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, ensuring proper gluten development for light, airy cruffins.
• Control Butter Temperature: Use softened butter at room temperature for easy spreading and even layering without tearing the delicate dough.
• Proof in Warm Spot: Find a draft-free, warm area around 80-85°F for rising, which helps the dough expand evenly and develop rich flavor.
• Get Creative with Fillings: Experiment with different sweet or savory fillings like Nutella, cream cheese, fruit preserves, or even herbed cheese to personalize your cruffins.

Store Cruffins Without Losing Fluffiness

• Store cooled cruffins in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb moisture. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for maximum 2 weeks to maintain optimal texture and flavor.
• Warm cruffins at 300°F for 5-7 minutes to restore crispiness and soft interior. Avoid microwave to prevent soggy texture.
• Let frozen cruffins thaw at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving for best taste and texture.

Pair Your Cruffins with These Flavors

• A velvety cappuccino complements the rich, buttery layers of cruffins, creating a harmonious balance of sweet pastry and smooth coffee undertones.
• Serve a scoop of cold, creamy vanilla bean ice cream alongside warm cruffins to create a delightful temperature and texture contrast that elevates the entire dessert experience.
• A bright, tangy berry or stone fruit compote cuts through the richness of the cruffins, adding a fresh and vibrant element that refreshes the palate between bites.
• A light moscato or late-harvest riesling provides a subtle sweetness that beautifully highlights the cruffins' delicate layers and buttery composition.

Filling Ideas for Cruffin

• Gluten-Free Cruffins: Swap regular flour with a gluten-free blend made from rice, almond, or coconut flour to accommodate wheat sensitivities.
• Vegan Cruffin Delight: Replace dairy milk with almond or oat milk, use coconut oil instead of butter, and substitute egg with a flax egg or applesauce for a plant-based version.
• Low-Sugar Cruffin Option: Use a natural sweetener like stevia or monk fruit, and reduce sugar content by half while maintaining the pastry's rich flavor profile.
• Savory Herb Cruffins: Transform the recipe by adding herbs like rosemary or thyme, incorporating grated parmesan cheese, and using garlic-infused butter for a savory breakfast or brunch treat.

Delicious Cruffins Recipe

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4.7 from 21 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Homemade cruffins blend croissant-like flakiness with muffin magic, creating a pastry sensation that delights bakery enthusiasts. Sweet layers of buttery richness promise an irresistible treat you won’t be able to resist.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Primary Ingredients:

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup (180 milliliters) warm milk
• ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) unsalted butter, melted

Supporting Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling and Topping Options:

• Cinnamon sugar
• Jam
• Chocolate spread
• Grated cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Melted chocolate
• Flaky salt

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Instructions

1. Prepare the foundational pastry mixture by combining dry ingredients in a spacious mixing vessel, whisking flour, sugar, salt, and yeast until uniformly blended.
2. Incorporate warm milk, melted butter, and egg into the dry ingredients, stirring until a shaggy, cohesive dough emerges.
3. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes, developing gluten and creating a silky, elastic texture. Alternatively, utilize a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-6 minutes of efficient kneading.
4. Nestle the dough into a lightly greased bowl, envelop with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to proof in a draft-free, warm environment for 1-1.5 hours until it doubles in volume.
5. Deflate the risen dough and segment into six equal portions, preparing for intricate shaping.
6. Meticulously roll each dough segment into an ultrathin rectangular sheet, spreading a delicate layer of softened butter across the surface.
7. Enhance the flavor profile by sprinkling cinnamon sugar, jam, or preferred filling evenly across the buttered surface.
8. Tightly roll the rectangle into a compact log, then bisect lengthwise to reveal enticing layered inner textures.
9. Craft each strip into an elegant coil, strategically positioning cut layers outward to showcase the pastry’s delicate architecture.
10. Carefully nestle the coiled dough into a greased muffin tin, repeating the process for remaining dough segments.
11. Loosely cover the filled muffin tin and permit a final 30-minute rise to develop volume and lightness.
12. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), creating an ideal baking environment.
13. Bake the cruffins for 20-25 minutes, monitoring until they transform into a resplendent golden-brown with irresistibly flaky edges.
14. Allow the cruffins to rest in the tin for 10 minutes, facilitating gentle cooling and structural stabilization.
15. Transfer to a wire rack and finish with elegant embellishments: dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate, or sprinkle with flaky sea salt to complement the chosen filling.

Notes

• Ensure milk is warm (not hot) around 110°F to activate yeast without killing it, preventing dense dough texture.
• Use high-protein bread flour for better gluten development, creating more elastic and lighter cruffin structure.
• Room temperature ingredients blend smoother, helping dough incorporate evenly and rise consistently.
• Chill butter before spreading to maintain clean layers and prevent absorption into dough, preserving flaky pastry texture.
• Experiment with alternative fillings like Nutella, fruit preserves, or savory herb spreads for diverse flavor profiles.
• Gluten-free option: Replace wheat flour with cup-for-cup gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum for structural support.
• Vegan adaptation: Substitute dairy milk with almond milk, butter with coconut oil, and egg with ground flaxseed mixture.
• Overnight proofing enhances flavor complexity by allowing slow fermentation in refrigerator, developing deeper taste notes.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 180
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 200 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 30 mg