Easy Cruffins with Crescent Roll Dough

Cinnamon sugar cruffins made with crescent roll dough on a wire rack, with one broken open to show the flaky layers.

Easy Cruffins with Crescent Roll Dough

Easy cinnamon sugar cruffins made with canned croissant or crescent roll dough, softened butter and cinnamon sugar. They bake in a muffin tin until golden and flaky, then get rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm.

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5 from 34 votes

Course: Dessert, Snack

Servings: cruffins

Calories: 266

Author: Maretha Corbett

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Equipment

1 12-hole muffin pan

Ingredients

For the cruffins

▢ 5 tablespoons white sugar
▢ 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
▢ 2 cans croissant/crescent roll dough, or enough for 12 rolls - (Jus-Rol in the UK, Pillsbury-style crescent dough in the US)
▢ 6 tablespoons butter, softened - roughly 90g/3 oz

For rolling

▢ 10 tablespoons white sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin well, including the top edges, as the cinnamon sugar can bubble up and stick.
In a small bowl, mix the white sugar, light brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.
5 tablespoons white sugar, 5 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Unroll the dough and cut it into squares along the perforated lines between each pair of triangles. Instead of separating every triangle, keep two triangles joined together to form one rough square.
2 cans croissant/crescent roll dough, or enough for 12 rolls
On a lightly floured surface, gently roll each square into a slightly larger rectangle. Aim for about 30cm x 25cm/12" x 9" if using Jus-Rol dough, but don’t force smaller brands to stretch that far.
Pinch any large perforated gaps closed with your fingertips. It doesn’t need to look perfect, but closing the bigger gaps helps keep the butter and cinnamon sugar inside.
Spread about 1 tablespoon of softened butter over the dough, right up to the edges. The butter should glide over the dough; if it drags or tears, leave it to soften for a few more minutes.
6 tablespoons butter, softened
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter. Try to cover the surface without piling it on too thickly, or it may leak out as the cruffins bake.
Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a fairly tight log. Don’t squeeze it flat; you want the layers to stay visible.
Use a sharp knife to slice the log in half lengthways. You should see the butter and cinnamon-sugar layers running through the middle.
With the cut layers facing upwards, roll each strip into a tight spiral. Tuck the loose end underneath so it doesn’t unravel in the oven.
Place each spiral into the prepared muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the cruffins are puffed, flaky and deep golden on top. The edges should look caramelised and the centres should no longer look pale or doughy.
Leave them in the tin for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and carefully lift them out. Don’t leave them too long, or the sticky sugar can set like edible glue. Delicious glue, but still glue.
Mix the white sugar and cinnamon for rolling. While the cruffins are still warm, roll them in the cinnamon sugar, tap off the excess and leave them on a cooling rack.
10 tablespoons white sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Notes

Brand sizes vary. Use enough dough for 12 croissant/crescent rolls in total.
Roll the dough only slightly larger than it comes out of the can. If it is too thin, it can tear or bake dry.
Use softened butter, not melted or fridge-hard butter.
Remove the cruffins from the tin after 5 minutes, before the sticky sugar sets around the edges.
Best eaten fresh, but they can be refreshed in a 180°C/350°F oven for about 5 minutes.

Nutritional data disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.

Nutrition