Cronut Recipe
Cronuts are soft and flaky pastries that taste like a donut and a croissant had a baby. You won't believe how easy these are to make and how great they taste!
A Cronut is a croissant donut hybrid. The original version takes 3 days to make and has lines 100 people deep. To say that I'm not a morning person is an understatement. The last thing I'd ever want to do is wait in a bakery line at 6 AM. That's why I was determined to make a copycat cronut recipe that would allow me to enjoy these at home. I've successfully made copycat beignets and Krispy Kremes in the past, so I knew I could come up with a solution. This recipe takes no time at all and tastes AMAZING!
We love making them for weekend and holiday breakfasts. They'd also be great for Mother's Day brunch. These are some of the best donuts I've ever had! Bonus: You can enjoy them in your PJs!
❤️Why I Love These Doughnuts❤️
- Affordable: Why pay $5 a donut at the fancy shops when you can make a whole batch for that price?
- Texture: The croissant dough gives them a unique texture with layers of flaky dough.
- Glaze: A generous amount of glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Crescent Sheets: Look for these near the refrigerated biscuits in your supermarket. If you can't find them, puff pastry dough can also be used. However, I find the crescent sheets to give a moister fluffier donut.
- Vanilla Pudding: Refrigerated or shelf-stable pudding will both work.
- Powdered Sugar: You can add more or less to reach your desired level of sweetness/consistency.
Vegetable Oil
Always fry in neutral oil with a high smoke point. The original Cronut is fried in grapeseed oil. I prefer vegetable oil, but canola or peanut oil would also work well.
How to Make Cronuts At Home
- Prep work: Fill the pan with oil, and heat.
- Dough: Fold dough in half twice once in each direction. Cut using a biscuit cutter, and then cut a small hole in the center of each.
- Fry: Fry for 30 seconds per side.
- Fill: Cut in half and fill with pudding if desired.
- Glaze: Combine all ingredients and drizzle over donuts.
Leftovers
These are best eaten the day they are made.
️Krystle's Tips️
- Use a biscuit cutter or a small glass to cut your donut shapes. The whole in the middle can be easily made with the round end of a pastry tip.
- Use a Deep Fry Thermometer: Try to keep the oil at 350 degrees. Bring the oil up to temp. between batches as well. Fry only a few at a time to avoid bringing the oil temp. down.
- If it's too hot, they'll burn on the outside, but be raw on the inside.
- If the oil is too cold, you'll end up with a greasy doughnut.
- Reuse your oil: Strain and cool your oil for frying similar food in the future. If you need suggestions, try: Krispy Kreme Donuts, Zeppole, or Cinnamon Delights next.
- Save your scraps: Roll dough scraps into donut holes, or, as we like to call them, Crobits. Fry for around a minute.
Fry In Batches
Fry only a few at a time: This will help keep the oil at the right temperature.
❔Frequently Asked Questions❔
Yes, air fry at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes.
They will float to the top of the oil. In addition, they should appear golden brown.
More Breakfast Ideas
📖 Recipe
Easy Cronuts Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 Packages Pillsbury Uncut Crescent Sheets
- 1 Vanilla Pudding Cup
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon Milk
- Vegetable Oil for Frying
Instructions
- Fill pan with around 2 inches of oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees over medium heat.
- Fold dough in half in one direction then fold in half in the other. Cut about 3" circles from the dough using biscuit cutter of cup/glass.
- Then Cut about 1" circles from center of each 3" shape. Reserve 1" circles to cook as cronut holes.
- Gather up scraps , roll ,and cut an additional cronut.
- Fry the donuts about 90 seconds on each side until golden brown.Drain on paper towels, and allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add additional milk as needed.
- Split a cooled cronut in half and fill with 2 tablespoons of pudding then replace top.
- Drizzle top with glaze and allow it to set.
Notes
Ingredient Notes
- Crescent Sheets: Look for these near the refrigerated biscuits in your supermarket. If you can't find them puff pastry dough can also be used.
- Vanilla Pudding: This makes such a dreamy filling. Refrigerated or shelf-stable pudding will both work.
- Powdered Sugar: You can add more or less to reach your desired level of sweetness/consistency.
- Vegetable Oil: Always fry in neutral oil with a high smoke point. I prefer vegetable, but canola or peanut would also work well.
Pro Tips
- Use a biscuit cutter, or a small glass to cut your donut shapes. The whole in the middle can be easily made with the round end of a pastry tip.
- Use a Deep Fry Thermometer: Try to keep the oil at 350 degrees. If it's too hot they'll burn on the outside, but be raw on the inside. If the oil is too cold you'll end up with a greasy end result. Bring the oil up to temp. between batches as well.
- Fry only a few at a time: This will also help prevent a drop in the oil temperature.
- Reuse your oil: Strain and cool your oil for frying similar food in the future.
- Save your scraps: Roll dough scraps into donut holes.
Nutrition
How many does this make? I'm so excited to try them!
It makes 6 cronuts. Please let me know what you think Michele! 🙂
How many does this recipe make? Unless it makes a lot, it seems like you'd have lots of leftover glaze.
Hi Chris,
Great question, it makes 8.
Looks so good!! Can't wait to try!
Thanks so much Victoria!
Thank you SOOO much for the receipe! I just bought the ingredients to make this weekend. This will be a perfect with a big ol' cup of coffee (with O'mara's in it). Cheers!!!!
Hi Nikki,
You are so welcome. I hope you enjoy. I'd love to know what you think of them! 🙂
These were awesome. So simple, and so tasty. The family devoured them and wanted more. Will certainly be making these again. We topped with strawberries and cool whip.
Hi Carole,
I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Love the idea of pairing them with berries I'll have to try that next time.
Wish I had these now! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
Thank you Karly! 🙂
I'm totally with you about when it is time to wake up and when it is time to sleep. Why should we have to be "rising and shining" so early? These sound like such a yummy, easy way to get a great fix without waking up that early! I noticed that this awesome recipe was featured on Freedom Fridays and would be thrilled if you would bring it to my party too! You can find The Yuck Stops Here this week until Sunday evening at 8pm ET at http://mommasangelbaby.com/the-yuck-stops-here-10/ or starting next Tuesday at 8pm ET at http://mommasangelbaby.com/?p=2628. Hope to see you there! Thanks for sharing & HUGS
HAHA so true Cheryl. Let's start a movement to change that (meeting starts after 12 PM naturally!) 🙂
Yummy! Don't forget to link it up to my Feature Friday Link Party 🙂
Thanks so much for linking up to Freedom Fridays - you had the most viewed link last week! 🙂
That is awesome. Thanks so much for letting me know Jamie! 🙂
I wish I could say that I plan to make these, but really I'm going to pin it and then walk across the street to have one or two from the bakery. #lazy #stissharefest
Haha that is how I feel about cupcakes so no worries there!:)
This looks good! I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams , starts on Fridays 😀 Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party.
I have tried cronuts and they are awesome. What a treat! Yours look great. I must give them a try.
Thanks,
Bev
Thank you Beverly!
These look SO good. I've never had a cronut. I need to start!!
Oh my gosh Dorothy, you do! Just be prepared to not be able to stop! 🙂
YUM! I am SO not a morning person either, but I think I'd wake up for these! 🙂
Glad I'm not alone Heidi!
Oh my gosh! They look amazing and I love making things with Pillsbury crescents. They are so delicious!
Thanks Christin,
I've never really used them for much besides pizza and rolls. How else do you like to use them?