Cronuts are tender, flaky pastries that combine the buttery layers of a croissant with the familiar shape and fry of a donut. They’re surprisingly simple to make at home and taste incredible fresh from the fryer.
A Cronut is a croissant-donut hybrid. The original version famously takes days to perfect and draws long bakery lines. If you’re like me and you don’t want to wait in a pre-dawn queue, this copycat version lets you enjoy cronuts at home — quickly and without fuss. I’ve adapted simple shortcuts that keep the signature flaky layers and deliver stellar flavor. This recipe is fast, approachable, and perfect for weekend breakfasts or special brunches.
We make these for holidays and slow mornings. They’re one of the best homemade donuts I’ve made — and the best part is you can enjoy them in your pajamas.
❤️Why I Love These Doughnuts❤️
- Affordable: You can make a whole batch for a fraction of the cost of boutique bakery cronuts.
- Texture: Using layered dough gives a light, flaky interior with a tender, slightly chewy bite.
- Glaze: A simple vanilla glaze adds balanced sweetness and a pretty finish.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Crescent sheets: These are usually found near the refrigerated biscuits. Puff pastry will also work, but crescent sheets tend to produce a moister, flakier result.
- Vanilla pudding: Use refrigerated or shelf-stable pudding for an easy, creamy filling.
- Powdered sugar: Adjust the amount to reach your desired sweetness and glaze consistency.
Vegetable Oil
Fry in a neutral oil with a high smoke point. The original cronuts use grapeseed oil; vegetable, canola, or peanut oil are good, affordable alternatives.
How to Make Cronuts At Home
- Prep: Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep pan and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Shape the dough: Fold the crescent sheet over itself twice (once each direction) to create layered dough. Cut 3″ circles with a biscuit cutter or cup, then cut 1″ circles from the centers to form the hole and reserve the scraps for holes.
- Fry: Fry cronuts in small batches, about 60–90 seconds per side, until golden brown. Donuts should float when done.
- Drain and cool: Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool slightly before glazing.
- Fill and glaze: Split cooled cronuts and pipe in vanilla pudding if desired. Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk (add more milk as needed) for the glaze, then drizzle over the tops and let set.
Leftovers
These cronuts are best the day they’re made. Reheat briefly in a low oven if needed, but they lose some flakiness over time.
️Krystle’s Tips️
- Use a biscuit cutter or small glass for consistent shapes. Use a pastry tip or the back of a small piping nozzle to cut the center hole.
- Monitor oil temperature: Use a deep-fry thermometer and keep oil around 350°F. Fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady. If oil is too hot, cronuts burn outside and stay raw inside; too cold and they absorb oil and become greasy.
- Reuse oil: Strain and store cooled oil for future frying of similar items.
- Save scraps: Roll scraps into cronut holes (sometimes called “crobits”) and fry them for about a minute—delicious little treats.
Fry In Batches
Fry only a few at a time: Keeping the oil temperature steady gives the best, least-greasy results.
❔Frequently Asked Questions❔
Yes. Air fry at 350°F for 6–8 minutes, flipping once, to achieve a lighter, lower-oil version.
Cronuts will float to the surface and should be golden brown all over when cooked through.
More Breakfast Ideas
Hashbrown Casserole With Ham
Mexican Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast Quesadilla
📖 Recipe
Easy Cronuts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Packages Pillsbury uncut crescent sheets
- 1 Vanilla pudding cup (for filling, optional)
- 2 Cups Powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon Milk (plus extra as needed)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Fill a deep pan with about 2 inches of oil and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Fold a crescent sheet in half one way and then the other to create layers. Cut 3″ circles with a biscuit cutter or cup. Cut 1″ circles from the centers and save them as holes.
- Gather scraps, roll, and cut additional cronut shapes or holes.
- Fry cronuts in small batches for about 60–90 seconds per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and cool slightly.
Glaze & filling
- Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk until the glaze reaches a drizzling consistency.
- Split a cooled cronut and pipe in about 2 tablespoons of vanilla pudding if using, then replace the top.
- Drizzle with glaze and allow it to set before serving.
Notes
Ingredient Notes
- Crescent sheets: If you can’t find them, puff pastry works as a substitute, though results vary slightly.
- Vanilla pudding: Both refrigerated and shelf-stable pudding cups work well for a quick filling.
- Powdered sugar: Add more or less to reach the sweetness and texture you prefer for the glaze.
- Vegetable oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying.
Pro Tips
- Use a biscuit cutter: It creates even cronuts; use a pastry tip to form the small center holes.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer: Keep the oil at 350°F to avoid burned exteriors or greasy interiors. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
- Fry in small batches: This prevents the oil from cooling too much and ensures even frying.
- Reuse oil: Strain and store cooled oil to fry similar foods later.
- Save scraps: Roll leftover dough into holes and fry them for bite-sized treats.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 24 g
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Protein: 1 g
