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
These look absolutely delicious, would like to make for Christmas brunch! Can I make it the day before, and what would be the best way to store them.
Hi Connie! These are best made the day they are served unfortunately.
Thank you for sharing this recipe
this recipe look so yummy I must try it really soon!
Ur site sucks I can’t scroll to the recipe it just freezes n asks for my info each time n then I don’t receive any email or anything.
Hi Jennifer!
So sorry you're having trouble with the site. How frustrating!
I just checked and this page is working and scrolling fine: https://www.bakingbeauty.net/easy-diy-cronuts-recipe/
We do NOT require any information to get to the recipe. We do offer to email you the recipe but this is never required.
If you're still having any issues feel free to shoot me an email.
Cheers!
Krystle
This recipe made my day! I didn’t realize how easy it was to make cronuts but now I need to send my hubby off with half the batch before I eat them all!
I needed something fun and tasty to make for a family brunch and this came out great! Everyone asked for it again!
I’ve never made cronuts at home but I always buy them out when I come across them. The pudding was super simple but really good!
What a yum cronut recipe. I love how you described these as like a croissant and a dunt had a baby! Spot on!
I could use one of these for a sweet fix in the afternoon. As a kid I dreamed about pilbery dough. I saw the commercials and just longed for the day that I coukd Crack that cylinder open! Your cronus look just fabulous. Do you deliver! ???? ❤️ ????
These cronuts were so easy to make and my little cousins made them disappear in less time than it took to make them.
I'm so glad you enjoyed them Sean!
Yes! So glad I found your cronut recipe! My favorite cronut shop closed down but now I can just make this at home!
I cannot believe I made THIS! So delicious! If I could show you how perfect they turned out I would add my picture! So yum. Thank you!
At first I was thinking which would be easier, waiting in line for cronuts or making them at home. Then I saw your shortcut and my decision was made!! The final cronut was pretty close to the real deal and so much easier to make.
My kids are in love with these!
YUM! These would be great with a cup of coffee! INCREDIBLE!