Cronut › Other hybrid bakes: cruffins and beyond

Other hybrid bakes: cruffins and beyond

Once bakers worked out that laminated dough can be cooked in many ways, the hybrids multiplied. Here are the best-known ones and how they are made.

Last updated 2 November 2026

Cruffin

A cruffin is made of croissant dough, baked in a muffin tin. Strips of laminated dough are rolled into a spiral, placed in a greased muffin tin and baked until golden and tall. It is often filled with cream or jam and rolled in sugar. It is easier than a croissant doughnut as there is no frying or ring cutting. You can use the dough from our recipe: roll to a 3mm thickness, cut strips 6cm wide, roll them up, and prove them in a tin before baking at about 190°C for 20 to 25 minutes.

Croissant waffle (croffle)

Croissant dough pressed in a hot waffle iron. The butter in the dough crisps in the iron, and the result is crisp outside and soft within. Cut the dough into squares and cook for a few minutes until golden, then top with fruit, syrup or ice cream.

Cragel

A croissant-bagel hybrid: laminated dough shaped into a bagel ring, often boiled briefly and then baked. It is dense and chewy and good with cream cheese.

Pretzel croissant

A croissant dipped briefly in a baking-soda bath before baking so that it browns like a pretzel, then sprinkled with salt. The alkaline dip gives the crust its dark colour and distinctive flavour. Handle baking soda carefully and follow a reliable recipe.

Cronut-style filled discs

Solid discs of laminated dough, fried and then filled with cream. A different treatment of the same idea as the ring. See fillings and glazes.

Doughnut muffins and doughnut-style bakes

Not laminated, but another popular crossover: a muffin batter baked in a doughnut-style pan and rolled in sugar. A quick option for those who do not want to fry.

Which should you try first?

1. Croffle: easiest if you have a waffle iron.
2. Cruffin: needs oven and muffin tin only.
3. Croissant doughnut: needs frying but is the most dramatic.

A note on names

Some of these names are used loosely and a few are trademarks in some countries. If you plan to sell, check the names with the UK Intellectual Property Office. See history and trademark.

More on the basics

All of these start with good laminated dough. Our troubleshooting page helps with the problems you are most likely to meet.

Tips for any laminated hybrid

• Always chill the dough before shaping and again before cooking.
• Use the same dough for several shapes in one baking session, so the effort goes further.
• Check the centre is cooked: croissant dough that looks done outside can be doughy in the middle.
• Eat on the day, or reheat gently in the oven to revive crispness.

Cruffin filling ideas

After baking, push a piping nozzle into the centre and fill with vanilla custard, jam, lemon curd or chocolate spread, then roll the warm cruffin in sugar. For a savoury version, skip the sugar and fill with cheese sauce or sprinkle with herbs and cheese before baking.

Waffle iron tips

Lightly oil the iron, use a small piece of dough so it does not squeeze out, and cook until the steam slows. Wipe off excess butter between batches.

Spotted a mistake or have a question? Get in touch.