Pin it
Flaky buttery croissant meets crispy donut in this amazing Strawberry Vanilla Bean Cronut. Every bite gives you tender layers packed with rich vanilla bean cream and sweet strawberry jam. It's the perfect mix of textures and flavors that'll make your taste buds dance.
I came up with this when I wanted something fancy but doable for having friends over on weekends. After trying different kinds of shrimp and playing around with butter amounts, I landed on this version. My hubby says they're the tastiest scampi he's ever had, and now our friends always ask me to make them whenever they come over.
Key Ingredients You'll Need
- Cronut Dough: Mix of bread and all-purpose flours gives you sturdy yet soft results
- Butter Block: Go for European-style butter since it's fattier and makes better layers
- Strawberry Jam: Using real berries gives you the brightest flavor and color
- Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream: Real vanilla beans add those pretty specks and amazing flavor
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: These make a super flavorful sugar coating that looks beautiful
Adding just a bit of chicken powder really makes a difference when you want that takeout taste at home. Don't worry if you don't have any - mushroom powder works just as well and adds that same deep flavor without changing how the dish tastes overall.
How To Make Your Cronuts
- Step 1: Mix Your Base Dough (Day 1)
- Throw flours, yeast, egg whites, and water into your stand mixer. Work it until it's smooth and stretchy. Let it double in size, then stick it in the fridge overnight so the flavor gets better and the gluten relaxes.
- Step 2: Get Your Butter Ready (Day 2)
- Take softened butter and shape it into an 8-inch square between two sheets of parchment. Chill until it's firm but still bendable. You want the butter cold but not too hard to work with.
- Step 3: Make Your Layers (Day 2)
- Roll your dough into a rectangle twice as big as your butter square. Put the butter in the middle, fold the sides over it, and seal the edges. Roll it out, fold it, turn it, and do this folding thing two more times with cooling breaks in between.
- Step 4: Shape And Rise (Day 3)
- Roll your layered dough until it's ½-inch thick. Cut out donut shapes using two different sized circular cutters. Let them puff up until they're visibly bigger.
- Step 5: Fry Them Up (Day 3)
- Fry in oil at 350°F until they're golden, flipping once. After cooling, roll them in strawberry sugar and fill with cream and jam using a special Bismarck tip.
Pin it
My first try at cronuts taught me a big lesson about watching temperatures. I tried to hurry things up and ended up with butter melting into my dough, which ruined all those pretty layers. Now I'm super careful about keeping everything at the right temperature so the butter stays solid but workable, giving me those perfect flaky results.
Keeping The Right Temperature
You've gotta watch temperatures the whole time you're making these. Keep your butter solid but still flexible during the layering process. Try to keep your dough around 60°F so the butter won't break apart when it's too cold or melt when it's too warm. The right oil temperature helps the layers puff up and gives you that golden brown outside.
Pin it
How To Fill Them Perfectly
A Bismarck tip lets you put filling inside without messing up the structure. Start with vanilla cream since it's thicker, then add your jam. Use two tablespoons of cream and one tablespoon of jam for each cronut. Pipe from three spots spaced evenly around to get the filling spread out just right.
Try These Different Flavors
Switch things up with seasonal combos like blueberry-lavender in summer, apple-cinnamon in fall, chocolate-orange in winter, or lemon-raspberry in spring. You can also try plant-based butter if you don't eat animal products or gluten-free flour mixes if wheat bothers your stomach.
Planning Your Baking Days
Map out your three days carefully. Start Friday night if you want them ready for Sunday morning. Make your fillings during the waiting periods. Write down a schedule for each step. You'll need about an hour of hands-on time each day.
Pin it
Smart Tricks For Success
- Weigh your ingredients instead of using measuring cups
- Keep your oil between 345°F and 355°F when frying
- Let them cool all the way before adding filling or your cream will melt
- Use a good deep-fry thermometer to check temperatures
- Make sure you have enough fridge space during the resting times
Frequently Asked Questions
- → What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
- Don’t worry, you can still make the dough by hand! Mix the dry and wet ingredients in a bowl, stir with a wooden spoon, and knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth. The dough will start sticky, so fold and scrape with a bench tool. Just avoid adding too much extra flour so your donuts stay soft. It's more work, but you’ll get there!
- → Why does the dough need chilling during folding?
- Chilling keeps the butter firm and layers intact. It also relaxes the dough so it’s easier to roll out. If the butter gets soft or leaks while working, pop it back in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cold dough is key to getting those perfect flaky layers you want.
- → Can I fry these donuts using other methods?
- Yes, though the results might differ. Air-frying works by lightly oil-spraying and cooking at 350°F for around 6 minutes, but don’t expect the same puffiness. Baking is also possible—just brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F for about 16 minutes. Neither will match actual fried donuts in terms of crispy texture, but they’ll still taste amazing!
- → How do I keep the donuts from soaking up too much oil?
- It’s all about oil temperature. Stick to 375°F while frying and don’t overcrowd the pot. Chilled, well-proofed dough helps too. Let the donuts rest on paper towels after frying to soak up extra oil. Serve them fresh for the best bite!
- → What are substitutes for freeze-dried strawberries?
- No freeze-dried strawberries? No problem! Mix granulated sugar with a little strawberry gelatin powder, or crush strawberry candy into fine dust for a similar vibe. Or get creative by swapping with vanilla sugar and a touch of food coloring. Jam options can include store-bought spreads in any fruit flavor you love.