Light and delicate, these Homemade French Crullers are perfect for a simple breakfast or afternoon sweet treat!
Donuts are a favorite treat around here! Whether you’re craving lemon, pumpkin, or even something a little healthier, we’ve got you covered!
You can skip the donut store run this coming weekend. These Homemade French Crullers are better than anything you can find on the pastry counter. They are super light and delicate. They are deliciously crispy on the outside and so light and airy on the inside. Then dipped in a delicious vanilla glaze, making them perfect for every weekend!
What exactly are French Crullers?
French Crullers are a little different than an American donuts. Instead of a yeast dough, they are made with pate a choux dough. This dough is typically made with very simple staple ingredients like butter, milk, and flour. When the dough is fried, it rises and keeps that delicious airy quality from the steam.
How to Make Homemade French Crullers
Ingredients Needed: scroll down for full recipe with exact measurements
- Whole Milk
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
- Flour
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Confectioners Sugar
- Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Can I Air Fry French Crullers?
If frying feels a little intimidating, you can use your air fryer instead! Once you have your dough made and placed in the piping bag with the star tip, pipe your round circles of dough onto parchment squares. Place as many squares as you can in the basket of your air fryer, ensuring they do not touch. Air fry at 375 degrees for about 6-8 minutes or until the edges have turned golden brown. Repeat with your remaining crullers.
Can they be made in advance?
French Crullers taste best when you eat them the day they are made. Who can honestly pass up a fresh, hot donut? But leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for about two days.
You can also refrigerate or even freeze the raw crullers and then transfer the frozen donuts directly to the hot oil. You might need to cook them for 1 more minute, but they are easier to handle.
More Breakfast Recipes to Love:
- Jumbo Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Monkey Bread Muffins
- Banana Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
- Cinnabon Style Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
French Crullers
Description
Light and delicate, these Homemade French Crullers are perfect for a simple breakfast or afternoon sweet treat!
Ingredients
French Crullers:
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 5 tablepoons butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- vegetable oil for frying
Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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In a small pot over medium heat combine the milk, water, sugar, salt and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat.
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Add all the flour at once and vigorously stir until combined. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring vigorously for 2 more minutes or until the dough is shiny and smooth and a light film is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat again.
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Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until the dough is slightly warm.
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Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and add 2 eggs to the bowl of dough. Beat on medium speed until the eggs have fully incorporated.
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Add the third egg and beat to incorporate. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the egg white and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until fully incorporated.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
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Lightly grease some parchment paper. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a circle of dough onto the greased parchment paper connecting the ends.
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Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot. Once it reaches 360 degrees transfer the cruller to the hot oil with the help of a slotted spoon. Fry each cruller for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Let the crullers cool down completely.
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In a small bowl combine all the glaze ingredients. Once the crullers have cooled off dip each one in the glaze. Set to dry in a rack.
