Savor these Caramel Cruffins with layers of flaky, buttery pastry, rolled with luscious caramel sauce, and baked to golden perfection.
Imagine the flaky, buttery layers of a croissant combined with the sweet, rich taste of caramel, all in the convenient shape of a muffin. That’s what you get with Caramel Cruffins!
This easy cruffin recipe is a joy to both make and eat, with its spiraled layers of dough generously filled with gooey caramel.
Perfect for a cozy morning treat, an afternoon snack, or a dessert at your next gathering, Caramel Cruffins are sure to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.
Caramel Cruffins are a delightful and easy way to bring a touch of bakery-style sophistication to your home kitchen.
Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting, this recipe is a great way to explore the wonderful world of pastries.
The combination of flaky pastry and sweet caramel is irresistible, and the individual serving size makes them perfect for sharing.
So, roll up your sleeves, get your dough ready, and let’s create some delicious Caramel Cruffins that everyone will love!
Common Questions About Caramel Cruffins
Can I Make Cruffins Without a Muffin Pan?
A muffin pan is ideal for giving cruffins their shape, but you can use a cupcake tin as an alternative. Just remember, the shape might be slightly different.
How Can I Prevent the Caramel from Leaking?
Be cautious with the amount of caramel you spread. Too much caramel can seep out during baking. Placing the muffin tin on a baking sheet can help catch any drips.
Can These Be Made Ahead of Time?
Caramel Cruffins are best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare the dough a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap.
Storage
I love how simple these are to make. No homemade dough necessary! Get a roll of crescent rolls and we’re off to the races!
Refrigerator
Refrigerate any leftover cruffins in a covered container. They can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Freezer
You can freeze baked cruffins in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature and reheat before serving.
Tips
There are just a couple of things to think about in this easy recipe. Don’t worry, it’s super simple!
- Don’t Overfill: Use just enough caramel to flavor without overwhelming the dough.
- Roll Tightly: Ensure the dough is rolled tightly to maintain the cruffin’s shape.
- Even Baking: Rotate the muffin tin halfway through baking for even browning.
- Sugar Coating: Roll the baked cruffins in sugar while they’re still warm for an extra sweet touch.
- Let Them Cool: Allow the cruffins to cool slightly before removing them from the tin to maintain their shape.
Ingredients
Warm cruffins here we come! It really doesn’t get much more simple than this easy cruffins recipe.
- Crescent roll dough or croissant dough
- Caramel topping (thicker than sauce)
- Granulated sugar
- Optional: cinnamon or vanilla cream for added flavor
How to Make Caramel Cruffins
I’ve got some really easy steps for here for making amazingly delicious cruffins. The caramel tastes so amazing when combined with that crescent roll dough!
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Lightly grease 8 wells of a muffin tin. Set aside.
- Using a small rolling pin, roll out each sheet of the crescent roll dough until you have 2 larger rectangles that are slightly larger than what you started with and the perforated portions are blended back together.
- Spread a thin layer of the caramel onto the rolled crescent roll sheets.
- Starting on the long end of the rectangle, roll up the dough into a log.
- Cut the dough in half, giving you shorter logs.
- Then cut each of those logs in half, lengthwise – exposing the inner layers of the logs. This will be messy and the filling will seep out – this is fine.
- Repeat with the second sheet. When you are finished – you should have 4 pieces out of each sheet.
- Take each piece and wrap it around your fingers to form the shape of a muffin, with the layered side out. This will give the best chance of all those layers being visible when they are baked. You can gently stretch the dough during this process.
- Place each rolled piece in the greased muffin tin.
- Sprinkle the tops of each cruffin with a little bit of the granulated sugar.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes – rotating halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and immediately remove the cruffins from the pan, one by one, by gently releasing any parts that are stuck using a butter knife or thin object.
- Roll each cruffin in the granulated sugar and place them on a plate or cooling rack to come to room temperature.
- Store at room temperature in an open container. Closing them into an airtight container will make them sweat and the sugar will become moist and they will lose the texture that makes them great.
Special Recipe Notes
Take caution when spreading the caramel. Using too much caramel will cause the caramel to bubble out and onto the pan while baking as the caramel thins when it heats up.
I like to place the muffin tin on a baking sheet to catch any drips. You can also use a deep-well muffin tin to minimize the mess.
To clean any baked-on caramel – soak it in soapy water, overnight.
Kitchen Supplies You’ll Need for Caramel Cruffins
Pretty soon you’ll enjoy the sweet, deep golden brown caramel cruffins. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is!
- Muffin pan or cupcake tin
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife
- Small bowl (for caramel)
- Baking sheet (to catch drips)
- Cooling rack
What to Serve With Caramel Cruffins
You’ll get a five-star review from the family any time you serve these. It’s hard to believe such a tasty treat can come from such simple ingredients!
- A cup of coffee or hot tea
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert
- Fresh fruit for a sweet breakfast
- A glass of cold milk for a delightful treat
Why You Should Make Caramel Cruffins
These are a great option for a sweet breakfast or just for a tasty snack any time of the day. You could also serve them as dessert after dinner!
- Unique Treat: A creative twist on traditional pastries.
- Versatile: Great for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.
- Easy to Make: Simple steps, especially with store-bought dough.
- Delicious Flavor: The perfect combination of caramel and pastry.
- Fun to Share: Impress your friends and family with this unique pastry.
Variations and Add-Ins for Caramel Cruffins
That caramel sauce is hard to resist! I love how it crisps up on the edges of the dough. Let me know in the comments how your creation turned out!
- Chocolate Chips: Add them to the dough for a chocolatey twist.
- Nutty Flavor: Mix in chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts.
- Fruity Fun: Top with fresh berries or a dollop of fruit jam.
- Spice It Up: Add cinnamon or nutmeg to the sugar coating for a spiced version.
- Cream Filling: Fill the baked cruffins with vanilla cream or custard.
If you love this easy cruffin recipe, you’re going to love these other cruffin recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
More Great Crescent Dough Recipes
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Caramel Cruffins
Ingredients
- 2 tubes crescent roll dough
- ¼ cup caramel topping up to – ½ cup – the stuff that is thicker than a sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Lightly grease 8 wells of a muffin tin. Set aside.
- Using a small rolling pin, roll out each sheet of the crescent roll dough until you have 2 larger rectangles that are slightly larger than what you started with and the perforated portions are blended back together.
- Spread a thin layer of the caramel onto the rolled crescent roll sheets.
- Starting on the long end of the rectangle, roll up the dough into a log.
- Cut the dough in half, giving you shorter logs.
- Then cut each of those logs in half, lengthwise – exposing the inner layers of the logs. This will be messy and the filling will seep out – this is fine.
- Repeat with the second sheet. When you are finished – you should have 4 pieces out of each sheet.
- Take each piece and wrap it around your fingers to form the shape of a muffin, with the layered side out. This will give the best chance of all those layers being visible when they are baked. You can gently stretch the dough during this process.
- Place each rolled piece in the greased muffin tin.
- Sprinkle the tops of each cruffin with a little bit of the granulated sugar.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes – rotating halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and immediately remove the cruffins from the pan, one by one, by gently releasing any parts that are stuck using a butter knife or thin object.
- Roll each cruffin in the granulated sugar and place them on a plate or cooling rack to come to room temperature.
- Store at room temperature in an open container. Closing them into an airtight container will make them sweat and the sugar will become moist and they will lose the texture that makes them great.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Carolyn Powers says
Can I get the recipe made with puff pastry please
Gina Kleinworth says
We used puff pastry for the original cruffins – found here https://www.kleinworthco.com/easy-cruffin-recipe/
MrsRoche says
Can you clarify something for me please? In the body of your blog, you say “Let Them Cool: Allow the cruffins to cool slightly before removing them from the tin to maintain their shape.” But in the recipe part #13, it says to “immediately” remove them from the pan. Which is the best option? Thank you. These sound delicious.
Gina Kleinworth says
With the moisture from the caramel they can be more difficult to remove. I would let them cool for maybe 1-2 minutes before removing. They will still be quite hot – you don’t want them cooled to the point where the sugar won’t stick.