Description
This French Crullers recipe features light and airy choux pastry dough, fried to golden perfection and coated with a smooth, sweet vanilla glaze. Perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these classic French-American donuts are an irresistible treat best enjoyed fresh.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 1 cup water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a smooth ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Incorporate the Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract to flavor the dough.
- Pipe the Crullers: Transfer the dough to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 3-inch rings onto parchment paper squares. Freeze the piped dough for 20 to 30 minutes to help retain their shape during frying.
- Heat the Oil: In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 350°F (175°C) for frying.
- Fry the Crullers: Carefully lower the crullers, parchment side up, into the hot oil. After a few seconds, use tongs to remove the parchment paper. Fry 2 to 3 crullers at a time for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and puffed. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make the Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk or water, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze the Crullers: Dip the cooled crullers into the glaze and place them on a wire rack to allow excess glaze to drip off and set.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, let the crullers cool in a warm oven for a few minutes after frying.
- Enhance the glaze with lemon zest or maple extract to add unique flavors.
- Crullers are best enjoyed fresh on the same day they are made.
