Flaky Butter Cruffins (Print View)
Flaky, buttery croissant-muffin hybrids with golden layered pastry perfect for breakfast or snacking.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (0.25 oz) instant yeast
03 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1½ teaspoons salt
05 - ¾ cup lukewarm water
06 - ⅓ cup whole milk, lukewarm
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Butter Layer
08 - 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
→ Optional Topping
09 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water, milk, and melted butter, stirring 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 lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
03 - While the dough rises, place the room-temperature butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, beat and roll it into a rectangle roughly 6 x 8 inches. Chill in the refrigerator until firm but still pliable.
04 - On a floured work surface, roll the risen dough into a large rectangle approximately 12 x 20 inches. Spread the butter block evenly over the surface. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, roll back out to the same dimensions, and fold into thirds again.
05 - Wrap the folded dough tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm the butter layers and relax the gluten.
06 - Roll the chilled dough out once more to a rectangle of about 12 x 20 inches. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut the dough lengthwise into 12 even strips.
07 - Take one strip at a time, gently stretch it if needed, and roll it up tightly from one end. Cut the rolled strip down the center lengthwise to expose the interior layers. Twist each half into a spiral and coil it into a greased muffin tin cavity with the layered side facing outward. Repeat with remaining strips.
08 - Cover the muffin tin loosely and let the shaped cruffins rest at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes until visibly puffy and nearly doubled.
09 - 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 throughout.
10 - Allow the cruffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. If desired, roll the warm cruffins in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar until evenly coated. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The layers come out shatteringly crisp even if your folding technique is not perfect, which makes this one of the most forgiving laminated doughs you will ever attempt.
- They look absurdly impressive on a breakfast table but come together with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your kitchen right now.
02 -
- If the butter slab gets too soft while you are working with it, stop everything and put the dough back in the fridge for fifteen minutes because melted butter means lost layers and a dense pastry.
- The dough will fight you on the second roll if you rush it, so give it time to relax and it will stretch without snapping back.
03 -
- Use European style butter with a higher fat content for the lamination layer because it stays pliable longer and creates more distinct, dramatic layers than standard butter.
- A dough scraper is worth its weight in gold here for cutting clean strips and lifting the shaped cruffins without crushing them.