French crullers might look like regular doughnuts, but looks can be deceiving! Underneath that irresistible glaze and the crisp, ridged exterior is an ethereally light, delicate interior unlike any other doughnut you’ve had.
While everyday doughnuts are typically made with a yeast-based dough, French crullers are made with choux pastry dough, like gougères and cream puffs. And if you’re familiar with those French delights, you know what to expect from crullers too—a fabulously light, airy inside that’s almost custard-like, with a crispy, golden brown exterior.
Why You’ll Love This French Cruller Recipe
- A worthwhile project. French crullers do take some time, but I’d say this is one of those recipes made not just for the finished result, but for the love of baking. If you enjoy making project recipes like kolaches, you’ll have fun with the process of making crullers.
- Not your average doughnut. Crullers aren’t just glazed doughnuts with fancy ridges! They’re really an entirely different experience—I’d say the shape, glaze, and frying is all they have in common with the puffy yeast doughnuts you buy from doughnut shops.
- Impress your guests (or yourself). You’ll be proud of yourself after making a batch of these crullers—and if you serve them for a brunch, your guests will be quick to praise your baking skills!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Crullers:
- Water
- Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter allows you to add just the right amount of salt for the recipe. Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking.
- Eggs – Choux pastry has a higher egg-to-flour ratio than many other pastries and doughs. They give it its tender, light, and airy texture.
- Oil – For frying. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil are all good options.
For the Glaze:
- Confectioners’ sugar – Also known as powdered sugar.
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand is fine.
- Vanilla extract – I like to use my homemade vanilla extract.
How to Make French Crullers
- Prepare. Cut 20 four-inch parchment paper squares.
- Start the choux pastry. Combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the flour. Remove the pan from the heat; quickly and vigorously stir in the flour.
- Keep heating. Return the pan to medium heat and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and forms a thin crust on the bottom of the pan.
- Cool. Remove the pan from the heat again. Let the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Allow it to continue cooling until it’s below 125°F but still warm to the touch.
- Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time using an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Pipe. Scoop the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 3-inch circles of dough onto the parchment squares.
- Heat the oil. While the piped dough rests, fill a deep pan with 2 to 3 inches of oil. Bring it to 375°F over medium heat.
- Fry. Use metal tongs to grab the corner of a parchment square and carefully set it into the hot oil with the parchment side facing up. Repeat with another 1 or 2 crullers. After about a minute, remove the parchment paper with the tongs. Cook the crullers for another 2-3 minutes, then use tongs to turn the crullers and cook 2-3 more minutes on the other side until lightly browned.
- Drain. Remove the crullers from the oil using tongs or a large slotted spoon. Set them on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Make the glaze. Stir together the glaze ingredients, adding enough milk to make a thin, dip-able consistency. (If it’s too thin, you can adjust by adding more confectioners’ sugar.)
- Glaze. Dip the warm crullers into the glaze, then return them to the rack until the glaze sets.
Tips for Success
- Place the parchment squares on a sheet pan. This way, if you need to move the crullers after piping, you can move them all at once rather than grabbing one or two at a time.
- Pipe perfect French crullers. Consider your first cruller practice; you’ll get better as you go! Hold the bag 2 to 3 inches above the parchment and keep a steady hand as you pipe a circle. Overlap the ends just a bit to ensure that you have a complete circle.
- Adjust the oil temperature as needed. Use a thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature. As you add crullers to the pot, the temperature may go down; other times, if you have the heat too high, the temperature will start to rise. It’s important to keep it around 375ºF because too hot will cook the outside of the crullers before the insides are done, and too cool will let the crullers absorb too much oil.
Variations
I don’t recommend making adjustments to the choux pastry, but you can customize the glaze to your liking. Try swapping the vanilla extract for almond extract, which gives French crullers an unexpected (but delicious!) twist. Here are some additional options to try:
- Marshmallow glaze (from my hot chocolate cookies)
- Brown butter glaze (from caramelized banana bread)
- Butterscotch glaze (from mini chocolate pound cakes)
- Caramel glaze (from apple spice cake)
- Lemon glaze (from mini lemon pound cakes)
How to Store Leftovers
French crullers are best eaten fresh, as soon as the glaze has set. Barring that, they should at least be eaten the same day they’re made. If you absolutely must store leftovers longer, they’ll keep in an airtight container for about 2 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Again, French crullers are best enjoyed fresh, but you can safely freeze them for up to 2 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze them before frying, which is a great option if you don’t think you’ll be able to eat them all in a single day.
Pipe the crullers onto the parchment squares, then place the squares on a sheet pan and set it in the freezer until they’re frozen solid. Transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container for up to a month. Let them sit at room temperature while you heat the oil, then fry them as directed. (If they’re still quite frozen, they could take a bit longer than frying from fresh.)
More Breakfast Pastry Recipes
- Cheese Danish
- Toasted Coconut Cake Doughnuts
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Cinnamon Breakfast Cake
French Crullers
This recipe for French crullers has a crisp, ridged exterior and a light, fluffy interior unlike any other glazed doughnut you’ve ever had!
Ingredients
For the crullers:
- 1 cup (236ml) water
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- Oil for frying (such as vegetable, canola, or peanut)
For the glaze:
- 2 cups (220g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the crullers:
- Cut parchment paper into twenty 4-inch squares.
- Stir together the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the flour all at once. Working quickly, stir vigorously until thoroughly combined.
- Return the pan to medium heat, and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and forms a thin crust on the bottom of the pan. The dough will be thick. (This should only take 2-3 minutes.)
- Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes. Then transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let it continue cooling until it is still warm to the touch. This will take 5-10 minutes. Aim for a temperature below 125°F.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. (About 1 minute each) The pastry should be soft but able to be piped.
- Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, filling it about halfway. Pipe 3-inch circles of dough onto the parchment squares. Allow the piped dough to rest while you heat the oil.
- Fill a deep pan with 2 to 3 inches of oil. Heat to 375°F over medium heat.
- Use tongs to grab a corner of a parchment square and gently place into the oil with the parchment side facing up. Repeat with another 1 or 2 crullers, being sure not to crowd them in the pan.
- After about a minute, use tongs to remove the parchment paper. Cook about another 2-3 minutes, and then use tongs to turn the crullers over and cook 2-3 more minutes until lightly browned. Keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust the heat as needed.
- Remove the crullers from the oil using tongs or a large slotted spoon. Place them onto a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
To make the glaze:
- Combine the glaze ingredients, using enough milk to make a thin, dip-able consistency.
- Dip the warm crullers into the glaze, and then return them to the rack to allow the glaze to set.
Recommended Products
Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
-
Pre-Cut Baking Parchment Paper -
Enameled Cast Iron Covered Round Dutch Oven, 4.3-Quart
-
Wilton 12-Inch Disposable Decorating Bags for Piping and Decorating
-
OXO Good Grips Glass Candy Thermometer
-
1M Open Star Piping Tips
-
Enameled Cast Iron Covered Round Dutch Oven, 7.3-Quart
-
OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs
-
Half Sheet Nonstick Cooling Rack
