Is cronut dough the same as croissant dough?

They’re very similar, as both involve laminated dough. However, cronuts are deep-fried while croissants are baked.

Are you allowed to sell cronuts?

Legally, the name "Cronut" is trademarked by Dominique Ansel Bakery. You can sell them under a different name.

What makes it a cronut?

A cronut is defined by its hybrid nature croissant-like layers fried like a doughnut and filled or glazed like a pastry.

Does Dominique Ansel still sell cronuts?

Yes, and the flavors rotate monthly at his bakery locations.

Homemade Cronuts: Simple Recipe Guide

Description

A dreamy hybrid of a croissant and a donut, homemade cronuts feature buttery, flaky layers, a creamy ganache filling, and a chocolate glaze. Perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to a next-level pastry experience right from your kitchen.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cronut Pastry Dough:

525g bread flour
6g kosher salt
64g granulated sugar
11g instant yeast
250g cold water
1 large egg white
112g unsalted butter
15g heavy cream

For the Butter Block:

251g unsalted butter

For the Champagne Chocolate Ganache:

26g water
102g champagne
9g unsweetened cocoa powder
115g heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
38g granulated sugar
165g dark chocolate (66% cocoa)

For the Champagne Chocolate Glaze:

200g glazing fondant
50g reserved champagne chocolate ganache

For the Vanilla Sugar Coating:

205g granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean

Instructions

Make the Ganache (2 Days Before):

Mix 26g champagne, water, and cocoa powder to make a paste.
Heat cream and remaining champagne in a pot until boiling. Whisk egg yolks with sugar.
Temper egg yolks with a third of the hot cream, then return to pot and cook to 185°F.
Stir in cocoa paste and pour over chocolate. Let sit 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth.
Reserve 50g for glaze. Refrigerate the rest with plastic wrap touching the surface.

Prepare the Dough:

Mix bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast, water, egg white, butter, and cream in a mixer for 3 minutes.
Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and proof for 2-3 hours until doubled.
Punch down, form into a 10-inch square, cover with plastic, and refrigerate overnight.

Make the Butter Block:

Spread 251g butter into a 7-inch square on parchment paper and chill overnight.

Laminate the Dough (1 Day Before):

Place butter block on rolled dough, fold corners to seal.
Roll into a 20-inch square, fold horizontally and vertically into a 10-inch square.
Refrigerate 1 hour, repeat rolling and folding, then chill overnight.

Shape and Proof the Cronuts (Day Of):

Roll dough into a 15-inch square, chill 1 hour.
Cut 12 rounds with a 3.5″ cutter, then cut centers with 1″ cutter.
Proof on a parchment-lined sheet until tripled in size (about 2 hours).

Fry the Cronuts:

Heat grapeseed oil to 350°F. Fry cronuts in batches, 90 seconds per side.
Drain on paper towels.

Make the Glaze:

Warm fondant in microwave. Add reserved ganache and stir until smooth.

Make the Vanilla Sugar:

Mix granulated sugar with scraped vanilla bean.

Assemble the Cronuts:

Whip ganache until smooth and pipe into each cronut in 4 spots using a Bismarck tip.
Roll sides in vanilla sugar.
Pipe glaze around the top. Let set 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Eat within 8 hours for the best texture. Try flavoring the glaze or filling with citrus zest, espresso, or nut butters for fun variations. Store filled cronuts in a cool place—not the fridge—to preserve flakiness.

Prep Time: 1 hour (plus overnight resting
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Frying
Cuisine: American / French fusion

Nutrition

Calories: ~618
Sugar: ~29g
Sodium: ~214mg
Fat: ~37g
Saturated Fat: ~22g
Unsaturated Fat: ~12g
Trans Fat: ~1g
Carbohydrates: ~65g
Fiber: ~3g
Protein: ~8g
Cholesterol: ~129mg

Keywords: homemade cronuts, cronut recipe, Dominique Ansel cronut, hybrid pastry, croissant donut, fried croissant, ganache filled cronut