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Ingredients for Churro cruffins

Churro cruffins

Flaky, spiral-shaped pastries baked in muffin tins, coated in cinnamon sugar and optionally filled with dulce de leche or pastry cream. These churro-inspired cruffins blend the texture of laminated dough with the sweet crunch of a classic churro.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g sheet puff pastry (all-butter preferred) thawed if frozen
  • 75 g unsalted butter softened (plus extra for greasing or brushing)
  • 1 count large egg for egg wash
  • 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash
  • 150 g granulated sugar for coating
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon for coating
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 200 g dulce de leche or pastry cream (optional) for filling
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional, for filling or glaze
  • 2 tablespoons warm water if thinning dulce de leche or glaze
  • nonstick cooking spray or extra butter for greasing
  • icing sugar (powdered sugar) optional dusting
  • neutral oil (optional) light brush to help sugar adhere
  • 1 count muffin tin 12-cup
  • extra butter for greasing softened

Equipment

  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • Rolling Pin
  • sharp serrated knife
  • Mixing bowls
  • Pastry brush
  • small piping bag with long nozzle (optional)
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Oven

Method
 

  1. Prepare the muffin tin by thoroughly greasing 12 cavities with nonstick spray or softened butter and place paper liners if using.
  2. Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl and mix until homogeneous; set aside.
  3. Whisk the large egg with 1 tablespoon milk to make an egg wash and set aside.
  4. Unfold or roll the puff pastry into a large rectangle. If necessary, join two sheets by overlapping a small edge and pressing with softened butter to create one long strip; chill briefly if the dough becomes too soft.
  5. Spread 75 g softened unsalted butter evenly across the pastry surface, leaving a small border along one long edge.
  6. Starting from the long side opposite the bare border, roll the pastry into a tight log and seal the seam.
  7. Slice the rolled log into 12 equal spirals with a sharp serrated knife; chill briefly if the log is too soft.
  8. Place each spiral into a prepared muffin cavity, pressing gently so the layers stand upright and form the cruffin shape.
  9. Brush each cruffin with egg wash to promote even browning.
  10. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 18–22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until deep golden and flaky.
  11. Immediately brush hot cruffins with melted butter or a thin neutral oil, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.
  12. If filling, cool pastries for 10 minutes, then pipe 1–2 tablespoons of dulce de leche or pastry cream into the center of each using a long nozzle.
  13. Dust with optional icing sugar to taste once slightly cooled, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

This recipe uses puff pastry for convenience; croissant dough produces a richer, airier result but requires more time.
Adjust sugar and cinnamon levels to taste; start with the listed amounts and tweak for sweetness or spice preference.