Airy & Magical French Crullers Recipe: Pastry Cloud Delight

Delicate pastry rings with a golden exterior and soft crullers recipe interior promise a bakery-worthy treat that melts in your mouth.

These airy donuts whisper elegance with each bite.

Crisp on the outside and cloud-like within, they boast a delightful contrast of textures.

Light as a feather and glazed to perfection, French crullers elevate any breakfast or dessert spread.

Crafted with simple ingredients, these pastries turn an ordinary morning into a decadent experience.

Prepare to indulge in a classic French pastry that will transport you to a Parisian café with its delicate charm.

Let’s dive into creating these irresistible rings that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 190 kcal

Servings: 12

French Crullers Ingredient Rundown

• Water: Provides the foundation for creating a light, airy choux pastry texture.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps create a smooth, silky dough structure.
• Sugar: Enhances flavor and helps with golden browning.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out the deeper flavor notes.

• All-Purpose Flour: Creates the essential structure for the delicate cruller, ensuring a perfect rise and tender interior.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients, add moisture, and help create the signature puffy, light texture of classic French crullers.

• Powdered Sugar or Honey Glaze: Delivers a sweet finishing layer that complements the pastry's delicate texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Introduces a warm, aromatic depth to the overall flavor profile.

Tools for Making Light & Airy French Crullers

• Saucepan: Essential for heating water, butter, sugar, and salt to create the base of the crullers.
• Wooden Spoon: Perfect for stirring the mixture and forming the dough into a smooth ball.
• Whisk: Helps incorporate eggs into the dough smoothly and prevent lumps.
• Piping Bag: Crucial for shaping the classic ridged cruller design with a star tip.
• Star Tip: Creates the signature beautiful ridged pattern on the crullers.
• Baking Sheet: Provides a surface for piping and frying the pastry.
• Slotted Spoon or Spider: Great for safely removing crullers from hot oil.
• Deep Fryer or Heavy-Bottom Pot: Necessary for frying the crullers evenly and safely.
• Candy/Frying Thermometer: Ensures oil is at the perfect temperature for crispy, golden crullers.

How to Pipe, Fry & Glaze French Crullers

• Boil Liquid Base

Heat water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until it starts bubbling softly, creating a smooth foundation for your delicious pastry.

• Create Dough Ball

Dump flour into the warm liquid and stir energetically with a wooden spoon. Keep mixing until the mixture transforms into a unified, glossy dough that cleanly separates from the pan’s sides.

• Rest and Cool

Take the pan off the heat and let the dough relax and cool down for 5 minutes, allowing it to prepare for the next magical transformation.

• Whip in Eggs

Crack eggs into the dough one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Ensure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next, creating a silky, smooth texture.

• Pipe and Shape

Transfer the creamy dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Carefully pipe elegant rings onto parchment-lined baking sheets, creating those classic cruller curves.

• Fry to Golden Perfection

Gently lower the delicate rings into hot oil, watching them puff and turn a beautiful golden brown. Flip once to ensure even, gorgeous coloring.

• Glaze with Sweetness

Once cooled, dip each cruller into a light, glossy glaze that will add a stunning shine and extra touch of sweetness.

Pro Tips to Elevate French Crullers

• Dough Temperature Perfection: Let the dough cool slightly before adding eggs to prevent scrambling, ensuring a smooth and silky choux pastry texture.
• Piping Pro Tips: Use a star-tipped pastry bag for classic ridged crullers, and pipe directly onto parchment paper squares for easy transfer to hot oil.
• Gluten-Free Twist: Swap wheat flour with a gluten-free blend of rice flour and cornstarch for celiac-friendly crullers that maintain the signature light and airy texture.
• Flavor Adventure: Experiment with infused glazes like lavender honey, maple bourbon, or matcha white chocolate to elevate the classic crullers with unexpected taste combinations.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Pipe the raw choux pastry onto parchment squares and freeze unbaked crullers for up to 2 weeks, allowing spontaneous fresh-fried treats anytime.

Cruller Serving Suggestions with Style

• Elegant Dessert Plate: Arrange crullers on a white porcelain platter with delicate mint leaves scattered around for a sophisticated presentation.
• Sweet Breakfast Companion: Pair these light, airy pastries with fresh berries and a steaming cup of French press coffee for a delightful morning treat.
• Decadent Dessert Upgrade: Drizzle warm chocolate or vanilla glaze over the crullers, then sprinkle with toasted almonds or powdered sugar for an extra touch of indulgence.
• Party Perfect Platter: Create a stunning dessert display by arranging crullers in a circular pattern, interspersed with fresh edible flowers and a variety of dipping sauces like caramel or raspberry coulis.

How to Keep French Crullers Fluffy Overnight

• Smart Cooling Strategy: Allow the dough to cool completely before handling, preventing potential burns and ensuring proper texture formation.
• Refrigeration Magic: Store finished crullers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, keeping them crisp and delectable.
• Freezing Techniques: Wrap individual crullers in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags for storage up to 3 weeks. Thaw at room temperature and quickly refresh in a warm oven for renewed crispness.
• Glaze Genius: Apply powdered sugar or honey glaze just before serving to maintain maximum crispiness and prevent soggy textures. Freshly glazed crullers deliver the most delightful eating experience.

Fluffy French Crullers Recipe

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4.7 from 35 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

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Description

Delightful french crullers showcase light, airy pastry with elegant choux technique from France. Rich vanilla glaze and delicate ring shape make these treats irresistible for pastry enthusiasts who crave elegant dessert experiences.

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Ingredients

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• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 6 tbsps (90 mL) unsalted butter
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder (optional, for extra puff)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 23 tbsps (340 mL) milk (adjust for consistency)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

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Instructions

1. Mixture Preparation: Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan, simmering gently until ingredients meld smoothly.
2. Dough Formation: Rapidly incorporate flour, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture transforms into a cohesive, smooth dough ball that cleanly separates from the pan’s interior.
3. Cooling Phase: Remove from heat and allow dough to rest for five minutes, stabilizing its consistency and texture.
4. Egg Integration: Energetically beat eggs into the cooled dough, one at a time, ensuring thorough incorporation and creating a glossy, elastic texture.
5. Piping and Shaping: Fill a piping bag with star-shaped nozzle and carefully craft uniform circular shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
6. Oil Preparation: Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 375°F, maintaining consistent temperature for optimal frying.
7. Frying Process: Gently submerge dough rings into hot oil, allowing them to transform into golden, puffy pastries, turning once to ensure even browning.
8. Draining Technique: Extract crullers using a slotted spoon, positioning on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
9. Glaze Finishing: Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to create a smooth, glossy coating, then delicately drizzle or dip warm crullers to complete the pastry.

Notes

• Maintain Precise Temperature: Keep oil consistently at 375°F to prevent soggy or burnt crullers, using a reliable kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
• Handle Dough Carefully: Mix flour vigorously but gently to avoid overworking, which can make crullers dense instead of light and airy.
• Control Moisture Balance: Add eggs gradually and completely incorporate each one to create a smooth, elastic dough that ensures perfect texture.
• Glaze Strategically: Apply glaze while crullers are still warm to help it adhere smoothly and create a glossy, even coating without becoming too thick.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 190
• Sugar: 12 g
• Sodium: 50 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 75 mg