Flaky Buttery Cruffins (Printable)
A croissant-muffin hybrid with flaky buttery layers, perfect for breakfast or an indulgent treat.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
03 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
05 - ¾ cup lukewarm water
06 - ⅓ cup whole milk, lukewarm
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Butter Layer
08 - ⅔ cup (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
→ Optional Topping
09 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
# How-To:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water, milk, and melted butter, then stir until a shaggy dough comes together.
02 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
03 - While the dough rises, place the room-temperature butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to beat and shape it into a rectangle roughly 6 x 8 inches. Refrigerate just until firm but still pliable.
04 - On a floured work surface, roll the risen dough into a large rectangle about 12 x 20 inches. Lay the butter block evenly over the dough surface, then fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Give it a quarter turn, roll back out to the same dimensions, and fold into thirds again. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
05 - Roll the chilled dough once more into a 12 x 20-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut the dough lengthwise into 12 even strips approximately 1 inch wide.
06 - Take one strip at a time, gently stretching if needed, and roll it up tightly from end to end. Slice the rolled spiral down the center lengthwise to expose the buttery layers. Twist each half into a loose spiral and coil it into a greased muffin tin cup with the cut layers facing outward.
07 - Cover the muffin tin loosely with plastic wrap and let the shaped cruffins rest at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes until visibly puffy and nearly doubled.
08 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the cruffins on the center rack for 18 to 22 minutes until deeply golden brown and well risen. Rotate the tin halfway through for even browning.
09 - Let the cruffins cool in the tin for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn them out. If desired, roll the warm cruffins in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The flaky layers unravel like a croissant but the muffin shape means you can eat it with one hand while holding coffee in the other.
- Once you nail the lamination technique, you will feel genuinely unstoppable in the kitchen and your friends will request these for every brunch.
02 -
- If the butter starts leaking out during folding, stop immediately and refrigerate the dough for fifteen minutes because warm butter ruins lamination faster than anything else.
- The dough should feel cool to the touch throughout the folding process, so work quickly and confidently rather than lingering over each step.
03 -
- Use a ruler when rolling out the butter slab because uneven thickness means some layers will burst through while others stay doughy and dense.
- The overnight rest in the refrigerator after lamination actually improves the flavor and makes the dough easier to handle, so never feel rushed to bake the same day.