These Vegan Cruffins are the perfect combination of a croissant and a muffin. Made with a quick and easy rough puff pastry dough, these cruffins are flaky, buttery, and filled with a rich vegan cannoli filling. If you’re craving a decadent, yet simple dessert that’s both vegan and dairy-free, these cruffins will be your new favorite treat. They’re perfect for any occasion, from a breakfast treat to a sweet dessert paired with coffee.

Full Recipe: 

Ingredients

For the Cruffin Dough:

• 2 1/4 cups (315 g) bread flour

• 3/4 cup (180 g) cold vegan butter, cubed

• 1/2 cup (120 mL) warm dairy-free milk (like soy or oat milk)

• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

• 7 g active dry yeast

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup (120 g) vegan chocolate chips

For the Vegan Egg Wash:

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp dairy-free milk

For the Cannoli Filling:

• 2 cups (480 mL) heavy vegan cream

• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

• 6 tbsp (60 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature

• 1/2 cup (120 g) vegan chocolate chips

Directions

1. Make the Dough:

   • Start by blooming the yeast in warm dairy-free milk with sugar. Let it sit for 10-12 minutes until frothy.

   • In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and salt. Add the cubed cold vegan butter and rub it into the flour with your hands until you have visible chunks of butter.

   • Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until it forms a shaggy dough. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is slightly smooth, and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

2. Lamination:

   • Roll out the dough to 12–16 inches long. Sprinkle the dough with chocolate chips and fold it into thirds (like a letter). Repeat this folding process 3 more times, then chill for another 30 minutes.

3. Shape the Cruffins:

   • Roll out the dough to 12×9 inches and cut it into strips (1.5 inches wide for large cruffins, or 1 inch for smaller ones). Roll each strip like a cinnamon roll and place it in a greased muffin tin. Let the dough proof until double in size, about 1 hour.

4. Bake the Cruffins:

   • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the cruffins with the vegan egg wash (maple syrup + dairy-free milk) and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

5. Prepare the Cannoli Filling:

   • Whisk the vegan heavy cream, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, then remove from heat. Stir in vegan cream cheese until smooth. Chill the filling for 30 minutes before folding in chocolate chips.

6. Fill the Cruffins:

   • Once the cruffins are baked and slightly cooled, make a small hole in the center of each cruffin. Pipe the cannoli filling into each one and serve immediately.

Nutrients (per serving, estimated)

• Calories: 332 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 35g

• Protein: 5g

• Fat: 19g

  • Saturated Fat: 10g

• Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g

• Monounsaturated Fat: 6g

  • Trans Fat: 1g

• Cholesterol: 32mg

• Sodium: 143mg

• Potassium: 199mg

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 14g

• Vitamin A: 345 IU

• Vitamin C: 1mg

• Calcium: 89mg

• Iron: 2mg

The Fusion of a Croissant and Muffin: What Makes a Cruffin?

The concept of the cruffin is a brilliant fusion of two beloved pastries: the croissant and the muffin. Croissants are known for their buttery, flaky layers, created by the process of lamination, where layers of butter and dough are folded together multiple times to create thin, delicate layers. Muffins, on the other hand, are soft, moist, and often made in a muffin tin, resulting in a denser texture than croissants. The cruffin marries the two, combining the flaky, buttery layers of a croissant with the shape and structure of a muffin.

To make a perfect cruffin, the dough is prepared similarly to croissant dough but with a simplified approach known as rough puff pastry. This method still creates layers, but it doesn’t require the multiple hours of folding and resting typically needed for traditional croissant dough. The result is a pastry with a crisp, flaky exterior and a soft, tender interior—perfect for holding a rich filling like the vegan cannoli cream.

Creating the Perfect Vegan Puff Pastry Dough

The dough used for vegan cruffins is a simplified version of traditional puff pastry, often referred to as rough puff pastry. Instead of spending hours folding butter into the dough to create thin layers, rough puff pastry uses a similar technique but is quicker and more accessible for home bakers. This dough is made with basic ingredients: bread flour, vegan butter, and warm dairy-free milk. The milk activates the yeast, while the vegan butter gives the dough its richness and helps to form the layers that create the flaky texture.

When making this dough, it’s crucial to keep the butter cold and visible in the dough. This results in pockets of butter that will create layers as the dough is rolled out and folded. Once the dough is prepared, it needs time to chill in the refrigerator, which helps to firm up the butter and ensures the dough remains flaky during baking. The rolling and folding process is a key step in creating the cruffin’s signature layered structure, and while it’s simpler than the traditional croissant method, it still gives the dough that delightful flakiness.

The Vegan Cannoli Filling: A Sweet and Creamy Touch

What sets these Vegan Cruffins apart from other pastries is the rich, creamy cannoli filling that takes the place of the typical cruffin filling. Traditional cannoli filling is made with ricotta cheese and sugar, flavored with vanilla and sometimes chocolate chips. For a vegan version, the filling is made using vegan heavy cream, cornstarch, and vegan cream cheese. The result is a smooth, creamy filling that mimics the classic ricotta-based filling while being completely dairy-free.

The cream is thickened on the stove with cornstarch, which gives it a velvety, pudding-like consistency. The addition of vanilla extract enhances the flavor, while the vegan cream cheese adds richness and depth. Once the filling is cooked and chilled, vegan chocolate chips are folded in, adding a touch of sweetness and texture. The final step is to pipe this luscious filling into the freshly baked cruffins, creating a warm, gooey center that contrasts beautifully with the flaky, crisp exterior of the dough.

Lamination: The Key to Flaky Layers

The process of lamination is what makes these cruffins so irresistibly flaky. Lamination involves folding layers of fat (in this case, vegan butter) into the dough to create thin sheets of dough and butter that puff up when baked. This results in the signature light, crispy texture that is characteristic of croissants and cruffins alike. While traditional puff pastry involves multiple rounds of rolling, folding, and resting, rough puff pastry simplifies this process by reducing the number of folds, making it more accessible while still achieving that delightful texture.

Laminating the dough also gives the cruffins their unique ability to hold a filling without becoming soggy. The flaky layers form a pocket, allowing the rich, vegan cannoli filling to stay intact and melt in the center of each cruffin. This process, while simplified, still provides the luxurious mouthfeel that makes croissants so enjoyable.

Shaping the Cruffins: How to Get That Perfect Muffin Shape

To form the cruffins, the dough is rolled out into a rectangle and then cut into strips, which are then rolled up like a cinnamon roll. These rolls are placed in a greased muffin tin, where they proof until doubled in size. This step is important as it allows the dough to rise and become light and airy before baking. The proofing time also ensures that the yeast has had enough time to activate and create the rise that gives the cruffins their perfect texture.

The rolling of the dough strips is where the magic happens. As each strip is rolled up, the layers of dough and butter are stacked on top of each other, and when baked, these layers puff up to create the signature cruffin shape: tall and spiraled with layers of flakiness. When the cruffins are baked, they should turn golden brown, with the layers visibly separated and crisped on the edges. The result is a muffin-shaped pastry that is as visually appealing as it is delicious.

Baking the Cruffins: Perfecting the Golden Brown Exterior

The key to perfecting the cruffins lies in the baking process. Preheating the oven to 400°F ensures that the cruffins bake quickly and evenly, allowing them to become golden brown and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and tender on the inside. The vegan egg wash, made from a mixture of maple syrup and dairy-free milk, is brushed over the top of the cruffins before baking. This gives the cruffins a shiny, golden finish, making them even more irresistible.

During baking, the dough puffs up beautifully, and the sweet smell of baking pastries fills the air. The result is a perfectly baked cruffin with a crisp, golden exterior and a warm, gooey cannoli filling that is the perfect complement to the flaky layers of the dough.

Serving and Enjoying Your Vegan Cruffins

Vegan Cruffins are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, when the chocolate filling is warm and gooey. The contrast between the crispy outer layers and the soft, sweet filling makes each bite a delightful experience. These cruffins can be served on their own as a sweet breakfast treat, a decadent snack, or a dessert to accompany your favorite coffee or tea. They are also perfect for sharing at a brunch gathering or as a special addition to a dessert table.

For extra indulgence, serve the cruffins with a drizzle of melted vegan chocolate or a dusting of powdered sugar. If you’re looking for a fun twist, you can even experiment with different fillings, such as fruit preserves or nut butters, to create unique flavor variations. The versatility of this recipe makes it easy to customize to suit your personal taste, while still delivering that signature flaky texture and melt-in-your-mouth filling.

Conclusion

Vegan Cruffins are an irresistible dessert that combines the best features of a croissant and a muffin, with the added indulgence of a rich vegan cannoli filling. The use of rough puff pastry ensures a flaky, buttery texture that perfectly complements the creamy, gooey center. Whether you’re enjoying them as a breakfast treat, an afternoon snack, or a special dessert, these cruffins are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Their simplicity in preparation, coupled with their decadent taste, makes them a perfect choice for both novice and experienced bakers alike. Vegan Cruffins offer a delightful, dairy-free twist on a classic pastry, and once you try them, they’ll likely become a staple in your dessert repertoire.