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–+ servings
Three cronuts on a serving plate with a cup of milk.
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5 from 7 votes

Cheater Cronuts

These Cheater Cronuts are a cross between a doughnut and a croissant. It takes New York bakeries days to make but you can make them homemade in minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cronuts
Servings: 8
Calories: 198kcal
Author: Emily Walker

Ingredients

  • vegetable oil (enough to fill a deep fryer or large sauce pan)
  • 2 cans crescent rolls or sheets

Options for coating:

Options for fillings:

  • vanilla pudding
  • caramel
  • raspberry preserves

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees or in a saucepan over the stove on medium. Open crescent roll cans and roll out.
    Ingredients for cronuts.
  • Pinch together the diagonal lines so you have 4 rectangles if using crescent rolls. If using crescent sheets, this step isn't necessary.
    Rolled out crescent dough sheet for cronuts.
  • For square shaped cronuts, stack all 4 rectangles on top of each other then cut in half so you have 8 squares. Cut a hole in the middle of each square to make 8 square cronuts.
    Stack of four crescent dough halves for cronuts.
  • For donut shaped cronuts, use a donut cutter or cookie cutter to cut the dough into the shape of donuts. First cut the large circle, then a small circle in the center for a traditional circular cronut.
    Cut outs of dough for cronuts.
  • Once the oil has reached 350 degrees, carefully place the cronut dough into the fryer. Fry until it is nice and golden on the first side then flip and fry the other side. Remove from oil and place them on a rack or paper towels to drain excess grease. 
    Two cronuts frying in oil in a deep fryer
  • Let them cool at least five minutes before adding filling or coatings. See ideas for fillings and toppings in post above.
    Plain cronuts cooling on a rack
  • If you have a kitchen tool that you can use to inject pastries with fillings you can make 4 holes along the bottom and add filling. If you want to take the easy route, just cut the cronut in half and pipe the filling into the sides using a plastic baggie with a hole cut out of one corner.
    Cronuts surrounded by toppings including raspberry filling, chocolate, and sprinkles
  • You can toss the cronut in sugar or top with chocolate sauce. Pictured here: A raspberry filled cronut tossed in powdered sugar, a plain cronut with vanilla glaze and sprinkles, a pudding filled cronut with chocolate topping.
    Close up of cronuts cut in half showing raspberry, plain, and vanilla filling

Notes

  • Use a donut cutter to make a donut shape, or just leave them as a rectangle.  You can also use a rolling pin to get the dough in a perfect shape. Use a little bit of all purpose flour to create a better work surface.
  • Fry cronuts in canola oil that is 350 degrees. Use a food thermometer to test the oil. 
  • After the cronuts are fried, lay them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or a sheet pan with parchment paper to add your toppings.
  • Store leftovers tightly covered. You can pop them in the freezer for another day!
  • Nutrition does not include fillings or toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 444mg | Sugar: 6g | Iron: 1mg