Cinnamon Sugar Cruffins
Turn canned dough into a bakery-worthy breakfast! These easy Cinnamon Sugar Cruffins feature flaky, buttery layers and a crackly, caramelized spice coating that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
- Small saucepan
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent roll dough or croissant dough
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoon flour for rolling
Instructions
Prep and Brown the Butter
- Heat the oven to 350°F, and let it fully preheat while you shape the dough. Steady heat is what helps the layers puff instead of slumping.
- In a small saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and keep it moving until the foam turns golden and you catch that toasted, nutty smell. Take it off the heat and let it cool slightly so it is warm and fluid, not scorching hot.
Layer the Dough and Build the Flavor
- Dust your counter with some of the 3 tablespoons of flour for rolling, then open both cans of dough and gently roll them out. If your dough has perforations, press and smooth them until they disappear so the sheet behaves like one piece.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, light brown sugar, and cinnamon until the color looks evenly sandy and the cinnamon isn't clumped.
- Brush a light, even layer of the browned melted butter over one sheet of dough, then sprinkle on half of your sugar mixture. Aim for a thin blanket, you want sparkle and spice, not a heavy drift that leaks out.
- Lay the second sheet of dough directly on top, and lightly press with your fingertips so the layers adhere without flattening all that potential flake.
Shape, Coat, and Bake
- Slice the stacked dough into long strips, then roll each strip up tightly, like a cinnamon roll, so you can see a clear spiral from the side.
- Dip each roll into the remaining browned butter and cinnamon sugar mixture, coating the outside so it bakes into a glossy, caramelized sugar crust.
- Set each roll into a heavily greased muffin tin pastry pan, and angle it so the cut, layered edges face upward. Those exposed layers are what give you the classic cruffin flower on top.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the tops are deeply golden brown and the kitchen smells like toasted butter and warm cinnamon.
- Let them cool slightly, then lift them out while they are still warm, before the caramelized sugar hardens and glues itself to the tin.
Notes
Slice Cleanly: A very sharp knife or pizza cutter will glide through the dough without pressing the layers together. If you notice the strip edges looking squashed, wipe the blade and cut with less downward pressure.
Test the Center: If the outside is perfectly bronzed but you suspect a doughy middle, test the tightest part of the spiral. If it is pale and sticky, put the pan back in for 5 to 10 minutes.
Heavy Greasing: Even a non-stick pan needs heavy greasing here because melted, bubbling sugar turns into caramelized glue.
Cooling Rule: Never let them cool completely in the pan, or the melted sugar will harden and cement the cruffins to the bottom.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.