A few days ago I made a batch of croissants with all purpose flour. They were good, but not as good as the croissants I made with bread flour. So, I decided to turn the leftover dough into something else… Cronuts!
These are Lemon Sugar Cronuts with a Pink Cream Cheese Glaze. The all purpose flour made the croissant dough perfect for a doughnut! The buttery layers had a nice soft texture in the inside with a crispy shell on the outside.
I used Erin McDowell’s croissant recipe just like my croissant loaf. But I just substituted all purpose flour for the bread flour. You go through the same process. The difference is how you proceed after the dough rests in the refrigerator overnight after all of the folds. Here is the Link to Erin’s page and how to complete all of the folds of the dough with pictures. Make sure to click on the Link before you try the recipe.
The next day, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter or just use 2 sizes of circle cookie cutters to make the doughnut shape. Place them on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap to allow them to rise. This takes about 1-2 hours depending on how warm your home is.
Once they rise, heat oil in a pan. It doesn’t have to be too deep and fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath. Immediately roll them in sugar with lemon zest mixed in.
After they are all done and cooled, use a spoon to drizzle cream cheese frosting on them.
I made the frosting pink because of the Bake Off that The Polka Dotter had to support Breast Cancer Awareness for the month of October. And I won for best Sweet Food Photography!
These Cronuts were so good that my son had me make another batch the following weekend! So definitely give these a try!
Lemon Sugar Cronuts with Pink Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp yeast + 1 tsp
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp butter + 1 tsp, softened
- 1 2/3 cups cold milk
- oil for frying
Butter Block + Finish
- 4 sticks butter
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
Lemon Sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
Pink Cream Cheese Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 of a block)
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 2-4 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Dough
- Add all ingredients for the dough in a standing mixer. With a dough hook attachment, mix dough. After blended raise the speed, and let the hook knead the dough for 3 additional minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Butter Block
- Let the butter soften, but not to room temperature. Add flour and mix until incorporated. Cut a piece of parchment paper about half the size of a baking sheet. Spoon butter into one half of the paper. Shape it into a rectangle. Cover the butter with the other half of the paper and fold edges under to seal. Refrigerate until firm, but still pliable. Perform the “lock in”. Make the three folds, and refrigerate overnight.The next day, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter or just use 2 sizes of circle cookie cutters to make the doughnut shape. Place them on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap to allow them to rise for about 1-2 hours.
Heat oil in a pan. Fry each doughnut until browned on both sides. Drain on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath.
Lemon Sugar
- Mix sugar and lemon zest in a bowl. Spread out on a baking sheet. Roll each doughnut in the lemon sugar until fully coated.
Pink Cream Cheese Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze flows and can be poured. Add additional milk if needed. Use a spoon to add the glaze to the Cronuts.
