Strawberry Glazed French Crullers (Printable)
Light, airy French crullers with a sweet, tangy strawberry glaze — an elegant breakfast or dessert pastry.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cruller Dough (Pâte à Choux)
01 - 1 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 4 large eggs
→ Frying
07 - Vegetable oil, for frying (enough to fill a deep pot with 2 inches of oil)
→ Strawberry Glaze
08 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 3–4 fresh strawberries, hulled
10 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice
11 - 1–2 teaspoons milk, as needed for consistency
# How To Cook:
01 - Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip, approximately 1/2 inch wide opening.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally until the butter has fully melted.
03 - Add the flour all at once to the boiling liquid. Stir vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the dough to cool for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated before adding the next. Continue until the batter is smooth, glossy, and holds its shape when piped.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag. Pipe 3-inch diameter rings onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
07 - Place the piped crullers in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until they are firm enough to be lifted intact with a spatula.
08 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot to 350°F. Using a spatula, carefully lift each frozen cruller and lower it into the hot oil. Fry in batches of 3 to 4, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes per side until puffed and deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels.
09 - Place the hulled strawberries in a bowl with the lemon juice and mash thoroughly with a fork until very juicy. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to strain out the seeds, reserving the liquid.
10 - In a bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the strained strawberry juice. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick yet pourable and dips smoothly off a spoon.
11 - Once the crullers have cooled completely, dip the top of each cruller into the glaze. Place them glaze-side up on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set for about 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The cruller interior stays custardy and hollow while the outside shatters like the best pastry shop version you have ever tried.
- That strawberry glaze turns a classic French technique into something playful and bright without requiring any specialty ingredients.
02 -
- Oil temperature is everything: if it drops below 340 degrees the crullers absorb grease and sink, and if it climbs above 375 they burn outside while raw inside.
- Freezing the piped rings before frying is not optional because soft dough collapses the instant it hits the oil and you end up with flat chewy disks instead of puffed beauties.
03 -
- Stir a tablespoon of freeze dried strawberry powder into the glaze alongside the fresh juice for an intense berry punch that turns the color a gorgeous deep pink.
- Test your oil with a small scrap of dough before committing a whole cruller: if it sizzles and floats within seconds you are ready to fry.