Flaky Buttery Cruffins (Printable version)
Buttery croissant-muffin hybrids with flaky laminated dough and endless filling possibilities.
# What you need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast
04 - 2 tsp fine sea salt
05 - 1 cup warm whole milk
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
→ Butter Layer
08 - 14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
→ Optional Fillings & Toppings
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 2 tsp ground cinnamon (for rolling)
10 - 1/2 cup chocolate spread
11 - 1/2 cup fruit preserves or jam
12 - Lemon curd, Nutella, or pastry cream, as desired
# How To:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a separate container, blend the warm milk with the egg, then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the softened butter and knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms, approximately 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 to 7 minutes with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
02 - Place the room-temperature butter on a sheet of parchment paper and roll it into a uniform rectangle approximately 8x10 inches. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until firm yet still pliable, about 15 to 20 minutes.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, roll the risen dough into a large rectangle roughly 16x12 inches. Set the chilled butter block over one half of the dough, then fold the other half on top to enclose the butter. Roll the dough out gently and fold it into thirds like a letter. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat this rolling and folding sequence two more times, chilling the dough for 20 minutes between each fold to keep the butter firm.
04 - Roll the laminated dough into a large rectangle about 16x12 inches. Trim the edges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter for clean, even lines. Cut the dough vertically into 12 equal strips, each roughly 1 1/4 inches wide. If using a filling, spread a thin, even layer of chocolate spread or jam along the length of each strip.
05 - Roll each strip tightly into a compact spiral from one end to the other. Using a sharp knife, slice each spiral in half lengthwise to expose the flaky internal layers. Twist each half into a loose knot and set it into a greased 12-cavity muffin tin with the cut side facing upward, allowing the layers to fan out slightly.
06 - Loosely cover the muffin tin with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the shaped cruffins rise in a warm, draft-free area for 45 to 60 minutes until visibly puffed and nearly doubled.
07 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the cruffins on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through, until the tops are a deep golden brown and the centers sound hollow when tapped.
08 - Immediately upon removing from the oven, brush the warm cruffins with melted butter. If desired, roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm as they are, or pipe lemon curd, Nutella, or pastry cream into the center for an extra-indulgent treat.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The laminated dough creates hundreds of paper thin layers that shatter beautifully when you bite into them, something store bought pastries never achieve.
- Once you master the basic folding technique, the filling options become genuinely endless and kind of addictive to experiment with.
- They look impossibly impressive sitting on a plate but the shaping method is surprisingly forgiving for home bakers.
02 -
- If your butter breaks through the dough during lamination, stop immediately and chill everything for fifteen minutes before continuing because warm butter ruins layers irreversibly.
- The dough can be prepared through the lamination stage and refrigerated overnight, which actually improves both flavor and manageability for morning baking.
- Cruffins are genuinely at their peak within four hours of baking and stale noticeably by the next day, so plan your timing around when you want to serve them.
03 -
- Keep a bowl of ice water nearby and dip your fingers in it occasionally while working with the laminated dough, cold hands prevent the butter from softening under your touch.
- Use a piping bag with a long narrow tip to inject fillings into finished cruffins, inserting the tip from the top and squeezing gently as you pull upward for even distribution.