Nothing beats a fresh doughnut with the perfect texture. And while most doughnut recipes are made with a rich, heavy yeast dough, French cruller doughnuts boast a more delicate texture. Here’s exactly how to make them for your next fancy brunch or lazy morning!
What is a French cruller doughnut?
French cruller doughnuts are made with a choux pastry base, or pâte à choux. 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.
Ingredients for French Crullers
- Butter
- Water
- 2% milk
- Sugar
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Oil for deep-fat frying
Glaze:
- Confectioners’ sugar
- 2% milk
- Vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1: Make the choux pastry base
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
Remove from heat; let stand 5 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
Cut parchment paper into eighteen 3-inch squares. Pipe a 3-inch circle on each parchment square.
Step 5: Fry the doughnuts
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
In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Dip tops of warm doughnuts into glaze.
How to Store French Cruller Doughnuts
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.
French Cruller Doughnut Tips
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 cruller doughnuts 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 tall shape and fluffy texture.
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 fruity lemon or orange glaze.
How else can you make French cruller doughnuts?
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.
