Homemade French Cruller Doughnuts

Nothing beats a fresh doughnut with the perfect texture. And while most doughnut recipes are made with a rich, heavy yeast dough, French crullers boast a more delicate texture.

These spiral-shaped doughnuts start with a choux pastry base, or pâte à choux. Here’s exactly how to make them for your next fancy brunch!

What is a French cruller?

French cruller doughnuts are made with pâte à choux as a base. The choux pastry is made by heating a base of butter, water, milk, sugar, salt and flour, which is then mixed with eggs to create a smooth and shiny mixture. Instead of molding the doughnuts by hand, you pipe the choux pastry into circles, chill them and then deep-fry them. This creates a golden, crispy exterior with a delicate, airy center. Eat them on their own or dunked in a simple vanilla glaze for an extra touch of sweetness.

How to Make French Crullers

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• Oil for deep-fat frying

Glaze:

• 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1: Make the choux pastry base

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In a large saucepan, bring butter, water, milk and sugar to a rolling boil. Add flour and salt all at once and beat until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring vigorously until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball.

Step 2: Mix in the eggs

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Remove from heat; let stand five minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Step 3: Chill the choux pastry

Insert a large star tip in a pastry bag; fill with pastry dough. Refrigerate dough until chilled, at least one hour.

Step 4: Pipe the doughnuts

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Cut parchment paper into eighteen 3-inch squares. Pipe a 3-inch circle on each parchment square.

Step 5: Fry the doughnuts

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In an electric skillet or a deep fryer, heat oil to 375°F. Carefully lower squares, pastry side down, a few at a time, into hot oil (leave parchment on the pastry in the oil). Cook for one minute. Carefully remove paper with metal tongs. Fry until golden brown two to three minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Step 6: Glaze the doughnuts

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In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Dip tops of warm doughnuts into glaze.

How to Store French Crullers

French crullers are best served fresh to maintain the ideal texture, especially once they’re glazed. Leftover crullers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.

Tips for Making French Crullers

What type of oil should you use to fry French crullers?

Frying French crullers in oil is key to creating the ideal texture. Choose an oil for frying with a high smoke point of at least 400° and a neutral taste, such as vegetable oil, avocado oil or canola oil. You don’t want to use an oil with a low smoke point, such as olive oil, coconut oil or flaxseed oil.

How can you make sure French crullers fry up fluffy?

To craft the perfect French cruller shape and texture, use a large enough piping tip to create a tall piped ring of choux pastry. Chilling the dough at least one hour will also help to create a reaction with the hot oil. The oil must be consistently hot enough at 375° so the doughnut doesn’t soak up too much oil and maintains its fluffy, tall shape.

What other types of glaze can you put on French crullers?

While a simple vanilla glaze will add a touch of sweetness to your homemade crullers, there are plenty of other possibilities. Consider making a chocolate glaze, maple glaze or even a fruit topping such as lemon or orange glaze.

How else can you make French crullers?

Frying French crullers will produce the best texture for your doughnuts, but they can also be baked. This will result in a different, firmer exterior texture. To bake crullers, pipe the choux pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 450° for five minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350° to bake for another 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the oven and let the doughnuts sit in the oven with the door cracked for five minutes.