Welcome to the ultimate guide to making irresistible Cinnamon Cruffins right in your own kitchen. If you’ve ever been torn between a flaky, buttery croissant and a soft, sweet muffin, this recipe is your dream come true. A cruffin is the perfect pastry hybrid, combining the laminated layers of a croissant with the convenient shape of a muffin, all rolled up with a warm, gooey cinnamon-sugar filling.
This recipe will guide you through creating bakery-quality cruffins that are golden brown on the outside, unbelievably flaky within, and bursting with cinnamon spice. We’re covering everything from a quick shortcut method to the art of making them completely from scratch. Get ready to impress everyone with this show-stopping treat.
What Are Cruffins? The Ultimate Pastry Mashup
A cruffin is a delightful pastry invention that merges the best parts of a croissant and a muffin. The magic starts with laminated dough, the same kind used for croissants, which involves folding butter into the dough multiple times to create dozens of thin, flaky layers.
This layered dough is then rolled up, often with a sweet filling like cinnamon sugar, sliced, and baked in a muffin tin. The result is a uniquely shaped pastry with a crispy, caramelized exterior and a tender, airy, and buttery inside. It’s an innovative treat that has captured the hearts of pastry lovers everywhere.
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Cruffin Recipe
- Incredibly Flaky Texture: The laminated dough creates countless buttery layers that shatter with every bite.
- Warm Cinnamon Flavor: A classic cinnamon-sugar swirl makes these cruffins cozy, fragrant, and utterly addictive.
- Two Methods Included: This guide offers both a quick version using store-bought puff pastry and a detailed from-scratch recipe for the ultimate baking project.
- Show-Stopping Appearance: Their unique shape and golden-brown finish make them a stunning addition to any breakfast or brunch spread. They look impressive but are surprisingly manageable to make at home.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Cinnamon Cruffins
Making these pastries requires a few key ingredients. For the best results, use high-quality butter, as it’s the star of the show in laminated dough.
For the Dough (From Scratch)
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for our dough.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps activate the yeast.
- Active Dry Yeast: The leavening agent that gives the cruffins their airy texture.
- Whole Milk: Adds richness and moisture to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll need some for the dough and a separate, high-fat European-style butter block for laminating.
- Salt: Balances the flavors.
For the Filling & Topping
- Brown Sugar: Provides a deep, molasses-like sweetness for the filling.
- Ground Cinnamon: The essential spice that gives these cruffins their classic flavor.
- Melted Butter: For brushing on the dough to help the filling stick.
- Granulated Sugar: For dusting the finished cruffins for that perfect crunchy finish.
How to Make Cinnamon Cruffins (Two Ways!)
We believe everyone should be able to enjoy homemade Cinnamon Cruffins, regardless of their baking experience. That’s why we’re providing two fantastic methods: a quick and easy shortcut using puff pastry and the traditional, deeply rewarding from-scratch version.
Method 1: The Quick & Easy Puff Pastry Cruffins
This version is perfect for a weekend brunch when you’re short on time but still want a spectacular result. It delivers about 80% of the deliciousness in 20% of the time.
- Prepare the Dough: Thaw one sheet of store-bought puff pastry according to package directions. Gently roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle.
- Add the Filling: Brush the pastry with melted butter. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the buttered pastry.
- Roll and Cut: Tightly roll the pastry into a log. Cut the log into 6-8 equal-sized pieces.
- Proof and Bake: Place each piece into a greased muffin tin, cut-side up. Let them rest for 20-30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up.
- Finish: Once slightly cooled, brush the cruffins with more melted butter and roll them in granulated sugar.
For a savory breakfast option, you might also love these ham and cheese crescent rolls.
Method 2: The Ultimate From-Scratch Cinnamon Cruffins
For those who love a baking project, this from-scratch method is incredibly satisfying. Creating your own laminated dough gives you the flakiest, most tender cruffins imaginable.
- Make the Dough: Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add warm milk and melted butter, and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
- Prepare the Butter Block: Place a block of cold, high-fat butter between two sheets of parchment paper and pound it into a flat square. Chill until firm.
- Laminate the Dough: Roll the risen dough into a rectangle twice the size of your butter block. Place the butter in the center and fold the dough over it like a letter. This is your first “turn.”
- Chill and Turn: Roll the dough out into a long rectangle and perform another letter fold. Chill for 30 minutes. Repeat this process two more times for a total of three turns. After the final turn, chill the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Shape the Cruffins: Roll the chilled, laminated dough into a large rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll it into a tight log, then slice into 12 equal pieces.
- Final Proof: Place the pieces in a greased muffin tin. Cover and let them proof for another 1-2 hours, until they are puffy and have risen above the rim of the tin.
- Bake: Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
- Coat in Sugar: Let cool for a few minutes before brushing with melted butter and rolling in cinnamon sugar. Enjoy these fresh, perhaps alongside a savory hash brown breakfast bowl to complete your brunch.
Expert Tips for Bakery-Worthy Cruffins
- Keep Everything Cold: When making laminated dough, cold ingredients are your best friend. Cold butter creates steam in the oven, which is what separates the dough into distinct, flaky layers. If the butter gets too warm, it will melt into the dough.
- Don’t Overproof: Keep a close eye on your cruffins during the final proof. If they overproof, they can collapse in the oven. They should be visibly puffy and airy but still have some tension.
- Use a Good Muffin Tin: A standard-sized, non-stick muffin tin works best to ensure the cruffins bake evenly and are easy to remove.
- Be Patient with Lamination: The chilling periods between turns are crucial. Don’t rush this process! It allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and preventing tearing. For another recipe that proves patience pays off, try this white chicken lasagna soup.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Cruffins
Cruffins are best enjoyed the day they are made, ideally while still slightly warm. However, you can store them if you have leftovers.
- Storage: Store leftover cruffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator, as it can cause them to dry out.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze baked and cooled cruffins (before the final sugar coating). Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to one month.
- Reheating: To bring a cruffin back to its flaky glory, reheat it in an oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes. This will re-crisp the exterior and warm the inside beautifully. After reheating, you can brush with butter and roll in sugar.
While a muffin tin is ideal for the classic cruffin shape, you can bake them freestanding on a baking sheet. They will spread more and resemble a spiral bun. Alternatively, you can use large, oven-safe ramekins.
Absolutely! This guide includes a quick and easy method using store-bought puff pastry. It’s a fantastic shortcut that gives you a delicious, flaky cruffin with minimal effort.
Store homemade cruffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For best results, reheat them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes to restore their crispiness.
A cruffin is made from laminated dough, the same type of layered, butter-rich dough used for croissants. It’s then filled, rolled, sliced, and baked in a muffin tin to give it its unique shape.
The main difference is the shape and baking method. Both are made from laminated dough, but a croissant is rolled into its signature crescent shape and baked on a sheet pan, while a cruffin is rolled into a log, sliced, and baked in a muffin tin.
While a muffin tin is ideal for the classic cruffin shape, you can bake them freestanding on a baking sheet. They will spread more and resemble a spiral bun. Alternatively, you can use large, oven-safe ramekins.
Absolutely! This guide includes a quick and easy method using store-bought puff pastry. It’s a fantastic shortcut that gives you a delicious, flaky cruffin with minimal effort.
Store homemade cruffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For best results, reheat them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes to restore their crispiness.
A cruffin is made from laminated dough, the same type of layered, butter-rich dough used for croissants. It’s then filled, rolled, sliced, and baked in a muffin tin to give it its unique shape.
The main difference is the shape and baking method. Both are made from laminated dough, but a croissant is rolled into its signature crescent shape and baked on a sheet pan, while a cruffin is rolled into a log, sliced, and baked in a muffin tin.
The Perfect Pastry Awaits
Whether you choose the quick puff pastry method or the rewarding from-scratch journey, these homemade Cinnamon Cruffins are guaranteed to be a hit. The aroma of baking cinnamon and butter alone is worth the effort, and the final product is a truly special treat perfect for sharing with loved ones. We hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you make them, please leave a comment below or share a photo of your creations on Pinterest. Happy baking!
Cinnamon Cruffins Recipe
Cinnamon Cruffins: The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Croissant-Muffin Hybrid
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk and melted butter. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes (or with a dough hook for 5-7 minutes) until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, prepare the butter block. Place the 3 sticks of cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound with a rolling pin to flatten and shape it into an 8x8 inch square. Refrigerate until firm.
- Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a floured surface to a 16x8 inch rectangle. Place the chilled butter block on one half of the dough. Fold the other half over the butter and pinch the seams to seal. This is the first 'turn'.
- Roll the dough into a long rectangle again, about 24x8 inches. Perform a letter fold (folding in thirds). Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process two more times for a total of three turns. After the final turn, chill the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- On a floured surface, roll the final chilled dough into a large rectangle (approx. 12x18 inches). Brush with melted butter. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the dough.
- Tightly roll the dough into a log from the long side. Trim the ends and slice the log into 12 equal pieces.
- Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Place each dough slice into a cup, cut-side up. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm spot for 1-2 hours, until they are puffy and have risen over the top of the tin.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the cruffins for 20-25 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- While the cruffins are still warm, brush them with the remaining melted butter and generously roll them in granulated sugar. Serve immediately for the best experience.
Notes
These cruffins are best served the same day they are baked for optimal texture and freshness.
