Canned Crescent Dough Cruffins Recipe: Flaky Homemade Pastry in Minutes

An epicurean adventure to: The United States

Here’s an easy, do-it-yourself recipe for cinnamon-sugar Cruffins made with canned croissant or crescent dough. It’s a convenient shortcut that still delivers flaky, buttery flavour and attractive, muffin-shaped results.

If you’re new to Cruffins: think of them as a croissant-muffin hybrid. They combine the layered, buttery texture of a croissant with the shape and convenience of a muffin. This recipe uses a classic cinnamon-sugar and butter filling, but it’s a flexible base you can adapt with sweet fillings like Nutella, jam, pastry cream or dried fruit — and even savoury options such as garlic butter and cheese.

Follow the step-by-step instructions below, illustrated with photos.

Although cruffins became closely associated with American bakeries, they were first created at Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne, Australia in July 2013. The pastry gained widespread attention in the United States after pastry chef Ry Stephen of Mr. Holmes Bakehouse trademarked the name in 2014. So while many think of Cruffins as a U.S. trend, their origin traces back to Australia.

What’s to love about this recipe

• Quick and fun to make — just over half an hour from start to finish.
• Ready-made canned croissant or crescent dough keeps the process simple; no laminating required.
• A versatile base recipe you can customise with sweet or savoury fillings.
• Uses five basic ingredients.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities.

Canned croissant or crescent dough

Canned croissant or crescent dough comes in pre-cut triangles that are easy to roll and shape. Brands vary by country — for example, Jus-Rol in the UK or Pillsbury in the US. If canned dough isn’t available where you live, you can use sheets of croissant dough from a bakery or substitute puff pastry. Puff pastry will yield a lighter, flakier result rather than the richer, layered croissant texture, but it still works well for a Cruffin-style treat.

Butter

Either salted or unsalted butter works. Use softened, spreadable butter so you can cover the dough without tearing it.

The sugars

The filling combines light brown sugar and white granulated sugar. Light brown sugar adds a gentle caramel note; using only brown sugar can make the filling heavier. For the outer coating, white sugar mixes best with cinnamon — it adheres well and looks appealing.

Ground cinnamon

Adjust the cinnamon amount to taste — spices are forgiving and can be tailored to your preference.

Please read

Sizes and perforation patterns vary between brands of canned dough, so quantities and dimensions may differ:

• To make 12 Cruffins, use enough cans or dough sheets to yield 12 croissants. Some cans contain six rolls each, so check your brand.
• Look for pairs of triangles that form squares along the perforations — this is the easiest shape to work with for this method.
• If your dough pieces are smaller than shown in the photos, simply adjust the amount of butter and sugar to suit. This recipe is forgiving and adapts well to small variations.
• If cutting from unperforated sheets, aim for roughly 30cm x 25cm (12″ x 9″) rectangles per Cruffin, or roll only slightly thinner than the original dough.

Step-by-step guide:

Make the Cruffins

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

2. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin with butter, oil or nonstick spray.

3. In a small bowl, combine white sugar, light brown sugar and ground cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.

4. Unroll the dough and cut along perforated lines so two triangles remain connected to form a square.

5. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll each square into a slightly larger rectangle.

6. Aim for roughly 30cm x 25cm (12″ x 9″), if using similarly sized dough to that shown. If your brand’s squares are smaller, roll only a little thinner than the original dough.

7. Pinch any large perforations closed with your fingertips; perfection isn’t necessary.

8. Spread about one tablespoon of softened butter evenly over the dough, right to the edges.

9. Sprinkle two tablespoons (or to taste) of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the buttered surface.

10. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log.

11. Carefully slice the log lengthwise down the middle to reveal layered strips.

12. You should now have two long halves showing multiple layers.

15. Place each spiral into the prepared muffin tin. Repeat until all 12 holes are filled.

16. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until the tops are deep golden, puffy and flaky.

17. Let cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and remove the Cruffins to a cooling rack.

Finishing touches

18. Mix white sugar and ground cinnamon in a bowl for rolling.

19. While still warm, roll each Cruffin in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, shake off excess, then place on a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm with coffee or tea.

More filling ideas

Spread on the dough before rolling:

• Nutella
• Chopped nuts and chocolate chips
• Jam
• Dried fruits (raisins, chopped apricots) with cinnamon sugar
• Lemon zest and sugar
• Caramel sauce and pecans
• Garlic butter (for savoury)
• Garlic butter and Cheddar
• Cheese and ham
• Cheese and bacon
• Cheese and onion

Piping into baked, plain Cruffins

Use a straw or small corer to make a hole, then pipe in fillings such as:

• Nutella or Nutella with jam
• Crème pâtissière (pastry cream) or thick custard
• Mascarpone cream
• Marshmallow fluff
• Brandy cream
• Lemon curd
• Cream cheese or Chantilly cream
• Dulce de leche

Can I make these into mini Cruffins?

Yes — use a mini muffin pan and cut the rolled dough in half before slicing lengthways to create smaller spirals.

What can I do with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture?

Use it to bake cookies, sprinkle over porridge or fresh fruit, flavour popcorn, or top pancakes and French toast. Store the extra in an airtight container for future use.

Storage

Cruffins are best fresh, but you can store them as follows:

Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in the oven or microwave to refresh.

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for longer storage, though texture may become slightly denser.

Freezing: Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze in a bag for 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Reheating: Warm in a preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F for about 5 minutes, or microwave for 10–15 seconds.