Baking

Raspberry Cruffins: Flaky, Tart, Dangerous

2 min

Keep the raspberries frozen and toss them with the cornstarch and lemon zest at the last second, because the moment they thaw they start bleeding pink into the pastry and the layers go soggy. You're brushing each puff sheet with melted butter, scattering brown sugar, then rolling it into a tight log before slicing it into six fat spirals. Pack those cut-side up in a muffin tin so the layers stand vertically and fan open as they bake. The warm sugar roll at the end is non-negotiable for the crackly shell.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Cruffins are a croissant-muffin hybrid, and the story usually credits Melbourne baker Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie around 2013, with a San Francisco bakery later trademarking the name stateside. This puff-pastry shortcut is the home cook's cheat version. Laminating real croissant dough takes a day; rolling thawed puff pastry takes twenty minutes and gets you most of the way there.

Cruffins are the love child of a croissant and a muffin. These are berry perfection.

Flaky, buttery layers. Tart juicy raspberries. Golden crunchy top. No laminating. Just puff pastry and 40 minutes. Your brunch guests will think you’re a pastry chef.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Preheat and Prep

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 6-cup muffin tin.

In a bowl, gently toss raspberries with ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest (don’t crush berries).

2 2

Roll and Fill Pastry

Roll each puff pastry sheet slightly into a 10×12-inch rectangle.

Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Scatter raspberry mixture evenly over both sheets.

3 3

Roll and Cut

Roll each sheet tightly into a log. Slice each log into 3 equal pieces.

Place each piece cut-side up into a muffin cup.

4 4

Bake

Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

5 5

Coat and Serve

Mix granulated and coarse sugar. Roll warm cruffins in sugar.

Serve warm. These vanish fast. Make extra.

Summary

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20-25 minutes | Total Time: 35-40 minutes

Yield: 6 cruffins

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Best Fresh:

Cruffins are best the day they’re made. Reheat in oven for crispiness.

Reheat:

Oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. Microwave for 15 seconds but less crispy.

Pro Tip:

Use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer. Less bleeding into the dough.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

20-25 minutes

Total

35-40 minutes

Yield

6 cruffins

Ingredients

Makes 6 cruffins.

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (thawed)
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (don’t thaw if frozen)
¼ cup granulated sugar (for filling)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon zest
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar

For Topping:

¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp coarse sugar (turbinado)

Instructions

1
Preheat and Prep. Preheat and Prep. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 6-cup muffin tin. In a bowl, gently toss raspberries with ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest (don’t crush berries). 2 2
2
Roll and Fill Pastry. Roll and Fill Pastry. Roll each puff pastry sheet slightly into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Scatter raspberry mixture evenly over both sheets. 3 3
3
Roll and Cut. Roll and Cut. Roll each sheet tightly into a log. Slice each log into 3 equal pieces. Place each piece cut-side up into a muffin cup. 4 4
4
Bake. Bake. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. 5 5
5
Coat and Serve. Coat and Serve. Mix granulated and coarse sugar. Roll warm cruffins in sugar. Serve warm. These vanish fast. Make extra
6
Best Fresh:. Best Fresh:. Cruffins are best the day they’re made. Reheat in oven for crispiness
7
Reheat:. Reheat:. Oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. Microwave for 15 seconds but less crispy

Swaps & Substitutions

Puff pastry → all-butter puff browns better and tastes less waxy than the vegetable-shortening kind; either works, but check it's fully thawed and still cold
Fresh raspberries → fine to use, but pat them dry and expect more pink bleed; frozen-from-solid actually holds the spiral cleaner
Raspberries → blackberries or chopped strawberries swap in one-for-one; bump the cornstarch to 1.5 tbsp for juicier berries
Unsalted butter → salted butter is okay here; just skip any added pinch of salt, the difference is small
Cornstarch → arrowroot or tapioca starch work at the same amount to thicken the berry juice
Turbinado/coarse sugar → regular granulated for the roll is fine, you just lose the crackle; demerara is the best stand-in

Questions & Answers

Why did mine come out soggy in the middle?

Usually thawed berries or under-baking. Use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer and leave them in until golden and bubbly, closer to 25 minutes. The cornstarch needs the full bake to set the juice.

Can I make these ahead?

You can assemble the rolls, sit them cut-side up in the tin, and refrigerate a few hours before baking. They're at their best within an hour of coming out, so I'd hold off on the sugar roll until just before serving.

My spirals unraveled in the oven. What happened?

The log wasn't rolled tight enough, or there was too much butter pooling at the seam. Roll firmly, brush butter to a thin even film, and press the final seam down before you slice.

How do I store leftovers?

Keep them loosely covered at room temperature for a day; the fridge softens the pastry. Reheat at 350F for 5 to 7 minutes to bring back the crisp, then re-roll in sugar if you like.

Can I use a regular 12-cup muffin tin?

Yes, but this recipe fills 6 cups. Grease only the ones you use, and don't crowd them, the cruffins need room to puff and fan open sideways.

Raspberry Cruffins: Flaky, Tart, Dangerous