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    Serena Lissy » Recipes » Recipes

    Published: Apr 26, 2021 · Modified: Jan 24, 2022 by serena · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Homemade Cronut™

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Half donut, half croissant the Homemade Cronut is a treat that will make you swoon with its buttery layers and Champagne chocolate ganache. Make this Dominique Ansel Cronut Recipe from scratch right in your own kitchen.

    Learn how to make this delicious Dominique Ansel Cronut Recipe at home. It's not as difficult as you may think and it's filled with luscious Champagne Chocolate Ganache.

    The Dominique Ansel Cronut Recipe

    I'm not even sure where to start this post, other than, go to the grocery store, get these ingredients and make this pastry. For those of you that don't know what a cronut is or who Dominique Ansel is, just type any of those words into Google and watch the thousands of results pop up.

    Dominique was classically trained in Paris, a leader of a three star Michelin pastry kitchen in New York, and now the owner of New York's highest rated bakery, Dominique Ansel Bakery. Pretty impressive resume if you ask me. Shoot, just after that bit of knowledge I want to pack my bags and head to New York to figure out how to work there!

    I had heard of the cronut and the stories of hundreds of people waiting outside the bakery on a daily basis for this pastry. I have friends that have actually been to the bakery and every time they speak of that cronut, you can see their eyes glaze over and then extremely happy memories flood their minds, and they just can't stop smiling when speaking about it. When people have a reaction like that to a pastry, there is no doubt you gotta want to try it. Which is exactly what I did....almost.

    This Kind of Specialty Takes a Bit Of Time

    As appealing as flying to New York is just to pick up one of those cronuts, I went the practical route and bought his cookbook, The Secret Recipes. I went straight to the Dominique Ansel Cronut Recipe and figured I could whip up one at home. And boy I'm glad I did.

    Now I don't want to discourage anyone, but this homemade cronut recipe is a three day recipe. If you start it on Friday, you could be eating cronuts with your Sunday paper and coffee, if you plan it right. Now this recipe he gave in the book, isn't the cronut that is in his shop. Do you blame him? I wouldn't give that recipe up either. But he was nice enough to modify it for the home cook. So this recipe is Dominique Ansel's recipe for the Make at Home Cronut™.

    Homemade Cronut Ingredients

    Ingredients in this Homemade Cronut

    • Bread Flour
    • Kosher salt
    • Granulated sugar
    • Instant yeast
    • Water, cold
    • Egg white
    • Unsalted butter
    • Heavy cream

    See the recipe for the Champagne Chocolate Ganache and Glaze ingredients.

    Homemade Cronuts Process Collage How to Make a Cronut

    How to Make A Cronut

    There is nothing difficult about this recipe. But there are a few dos and don'ts about it. First, because the pastry is cream filled, it must be served at room temperature. Second, consume this pastry within 8 hours of frying. (Like that is really going to be a problem for anyone...We consumed 12 within about 2 hours, and remember, I had to photograph these, which took up some of those 2 hours) And third, you, and no one else, is in charge of your rolling pin. Rolling the dough in as perfect of a square as you can get, is important.

    1. Make ganache 2 days in advance and refrigerate.
    2. Make the cronut dough and proof for 2-3 hours.
    3. Punch down and form into a 10-inch square. Place on a sheet pan and cover tightly with plastic. Refrigerate overnight.
    4. Make a 7 inch butter block and refrigerate overnight.
    5. Set the dough on a floured surface and top with the butter block.
    6. Fold to seal in the butter.
    7. Roll into a 20 inch square then fold into a 10 inch square. Refrigerate 1 hour then repeat, cover and refrigerate overnight.
    8. Roll dough and allow to relax before cutting donut shapes.
    9. Proof until tripled in size, then fry.
    10. Inject each pastry with ganache. Roll the sides in sugar and top with chocolate glaze.
    11. Enjoy.

    Cronut FAQ

    What is a Cronut?

    A Cronut will be shaped like a doughnut but the pastry inside is like that of a croissant. It's composed of layers of flaky, buttery dough dipped in sugar, glazed with toppings, and/or filled with a variety of pastry creams. It's a wonderful blend created by Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel.

    What does a Cronut taste like?

    Surprisingly like a croissant, but gives you the pleasure of what it's like eating a custard filled donut.

    How long does a homemade Cronut stay fresh?

    These have a short shelf life and it's best to eat them within 8 hours of making them.

    Is there only one Cronut filling?

    This is where you imagination can run wild. The dough should pretty much always remain the same, but the fillings and the glaze are only limited by your imagination.

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    Looking For More Recipes?

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    I hope you enjoy these homemade cronuts as much as I did. I will definitely be making them again, and again. Give the recipe a try, we would love to hear how you do with it.

    The Cronut™

    Learn how to make a Dominique Ansel Cronut at home.
    4.92 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Resting Time: 2 days
    Total Time: 2 days 40 minutes
    Servings: 12 Cronuts
    Calories: 618kcal
    Author: Serena

    Ingredients

    • At Home Cronut™ Pastry

    Pastry Dough

    • 525 grams Bread Flour
    • 6 grams kosher salt
    • 64 grams granulated sugar
    • 11 grams instant yeast
    • 250 grams water cold
    • 1 large egg white
    • 112 grams unsalted butter
    • 15 grams heavy cream

    Butter Block

    • 251 grams unsalted butter

    Champagne Chocolate Ganache

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

    Champagne Chocolate Glaze

    • 200 grams glazing fondant
    • 50 grams champagne chocolate ganache

    Vanilla Sugar

    • 205 Grams granulated sugar
    • 1 vanilla bean

    Instructions

    • Two days before make ganache and refrigerate.

    Champagne Chocolate Ganache

    • Combine the water, 26 grams of champagne, and the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Mix to a smooth paste.
    • Combine the cream and the remaining 76 grams champagne in a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
    • Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together in a small bowl. Stream one- third of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly until fully blended, to temper them. Whisk the tempered yolks into the remaining hot cream. Return the pot to medium heat.
    • Keep whisking! Continue to cook the custard over medium heat until it reaches 185°. The custard will turn pale yellow and thicken so that it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder paste until fully incorporated.
    • Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Strain the custard through a small sieve over the chocolate. Let stand for 30 seconds.
    • Whisk the chocolate and custard until smooth. When finished the ganache will have the consistency of yogurt. Reserve 50 grams for the glaze. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the ganache, to prevent a skin from foaming. Refrigerate.

    Make At Home Cronut™ Pastry Dough

    • Combine the bread four, salt, sugar, yeast, water, egg whites, butter and cream in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until just combined, about 3 minutes. When finished the dough will be rough and have very little gluten development.
    • Lightly grease a medium bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the dough to prevent a skin from forming. Proof the dough in a warm spot until doubled in size, 2-3 hours.
    • Remove the plastic wrap and punch down the dough by folding the edges into the center, releasing as much of the gas as possible. On a piece of parchment paper, shape into a 10 inch square. Transfer to a sheet pan, still on the parchment paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

    Make the Butter Block

    • Draw a 7 inch square on a piece of parchment paper with a pencil. Flip the parchment over so the butter doesn't come in contact with the pencil marks. Place the butter in the center of the square and spread it evenly with an offset spatula to fill the square. Refrigerate overnight.

    One Day Before

    • Remove the butter from the refrigerator.
    • Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place the dough on a floured work surface. Using the rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 10 inch square about 1 inch thick. Arrange the butter block in the center of the dough so it looks like a diamond in the center of the square. Pull the corners of the dough up and over to the center of the butter block. Pinch the seams of dough together to seal the butter inside. You should have a square a little larger than the butter block.
    • Very lightly dust the work surface with flour to ensure the dough doesn't stick. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough from the center. When finished, you should have a 20 inch square about ¼ inch thick.
    • Fold the dough in half horizontally, so you are left with a rectangle. Then fold the dough vertically. You should now have a 10 inch square of dough with 4 layers. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
    • Repeat the last steps of rolling out the dough to a 20 inch square about ¼ inch thick, then fold dough in half horizontally, and vertically to get back to the 10 inch square. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

    The Day Of

    • On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 15 inch square about ½ inch thick. Transfer the dough to a half sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to relax dough.
    • Using a 3 ½ inch ring cutter, cut 12 rounds. Cut out the center of each round with a 1 inch ring cutter to create the donut shape.
    • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour. Place the pastries on the pan, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Lightly spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick spray and lay it on top of pastries. Proof in a warm spot until tripled in size, about 2 hours.
    • Heat grapeseed oil in a large pot until it reaches 350°. Use a deep frying thermometer to verify that the oil is at the right temperature. Line a platter with several layers of paper towels for draining the pastries.
    • Gently place 3 or 4 of them at a time into the hot oil. Fry for about 90 seconds on each side, flipping once, until golden brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels.
    • Check to make sure oil is at right temperature, and continue frying.

    Make the Glaze

    • Warm the fondant in a small bowl in the microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring between intervals. When the fondant is slightly warm, about 20 seconds, add ganache and stir until fully blended.

    Make Flavored Sugar

    • Combine the sugar and its flavoring into a small bowl.

    Assemble the Make at Home Cronut

    • Transfer the ganache to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Whip on high speed until the ganache is smooth.
    • Cut the tip of a piping bag to snugly fit the Bismarck tip. Using a rubber spatula, place 2 large scoops of ganache in a piping bag so that it is one third full.
    • Place each pastry so that the flatter side is facing up. Inject the ganache through the top of the pastry in four different spots, evenly spaced.
    • Place the pastry on its side and roll in the sugar coating the outside edges.
    • If the glaze has cooled, microwave it for a few seconds until warm. Cut the tip of a piping bag to snugly fit a #803 tip. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the glaze to the bag.
    • Pipe a ring of glaze around the top of each pastry, making sure to cover all the holes created from the filling. Keep in mind the glaze will continue to spread slightly as it cools. Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    Recipe Source: SerenaLissy.com
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database via Spoonacular API, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators. While this information can be helpful in estimating the nutritional information of a recipe, it is by no means accurate or official and is not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
     
    All images and content are copyright protected. Do not use our images without prior permission.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cronut | Calories: 618kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 986IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @SerenaLissy or tag #serenalissy!

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. What that means is if you click on one of our affiliate links, they may toss a few pennies our way for a commission.

    Three Cronuts made from the Dominique Ansel Cronut Recipe from Scratch

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ziba says

      May 16, 2022 at 2:16 am

      Hi. I cooked this croissant, but it was a problem. When frying the croissant, its layers separated. Can you help me? Thank you.

      Reply
      • serena says

        May 16, 2022 at 11:45 am

        I'm guessing there might have been an issue with your butter. High water content and lower fat content tend to result in hard butter, not pliable, and your layers can tear.

        Reply
    2. Shrryl says

      September 29, 2021 at 9:32 am

      4 stars
      Thank youI really wanted this recipe with specific instructions.

      Reply
      • serena says

        September 29, 2021 at 2:23 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    3. Tara says

      August 07, 2021 at 10:50 am

      5 stars
      One of my favorites when we went to NYC! Your cronut looks absolutely amazing. I especially love that champagne chocolate ganache.

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 08, 2021 at 7:03 am

        Thanks Tara! We still grab one everytime we go to NYC 🙂

        Reply
    4. Anjali says

      August 07, 2021 at 10:46 am

      5 stars
      I love cronuts but never knew I could make them at home! Can't wait to try this recipe soon!

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 08, 2021 at 7:04 am

        It's time consuming, but not difficult. Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
        • Chris says

          August 11, 2021 at 12:45 pm

          Can I make this recipe without the chocolate ganache inside?

          Reply
          • serena says

            August 16, 2021 at 5:39 pm

            Yes, you can. Leave it out completely or you could replace it with something like pastry cream or your favorite jelly filling.

            Reply
    5. Andrea says

      August 07, 2021 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      This cronut looks so light and fluffy. The chocolate champagne ganache sounds amazing and goes perfectly with the cronut. Can't wait to make these.

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 08, 2021 at 7:04 am

        Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    6. Amanda Dixon says

      August 07, 2021 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      These are delicious! They came out so wonderfully delicate, and the Champagne chocolate was the perfect finishing touch.

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 08, 2021 at 7:04 am

        Thanks Amanda!

        Reply
    7. Tania says

      April 28, 2021 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing!
      The recipe is well written and easy to follow. This was more steps than I’m used to, but the result is totally worth it!
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • serena says

        April 28, 2021 at 12:14 pm

        Definitely a lot of steps, but so worth it in the end 🙂

        Reply
    8. Andrea says

      April 28, 2021 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      Oh My Deliciousness! These looking absolutely amazing!! I cannot wait to make these cronuts.

      Reply
      • serena says

        April 28, 2021 at 11:57 am

        Thanks so much Andrea!

        Reply
    9. Lindsay says

      April 28, 2021 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      wow! this looks amazing! there's a little spot near my house that serve cronuts so I'm lucky I can get one whenever the mood strikes. but your chocolate filling has me tempted to try to make this myself!

      Reply
      • serena says

        April 28, 2021 at 11:57 am

        I'm kinda glad I don't live by a place that makes these. I'd be there all the time!

        Reply
    10. Jamie says

      April 28, 2021 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      Wow!! Look at those flakey layers! This looks just like the ones in New York too! I'm so excited to make this over the weekend.

      Reply
      • serena says

        April 28, 2021 at 11:17 am

        They were so delicious and a bit dangerous since we ate them all!

        Reply
    11. Emily Liao says

      April 28, 2021 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      Didn't realize how easy it was to make a cronut! They turned out perfectly.

      Reply
      • serena says

        April 28, 2021 at 11:15 am

        I was so surprised how easy they were as well. The hardest part is the waiting!

        Reply
    12. Djollo Aaron says

      July 15, 2019 at 8:45 am

      Hello Serena i’m I did the dough and the butter block. Waiting some days and I will try to make them. I been trying so many recipes yesterday and I couldn’t find the right one that was flacky with layers inside. Most of them didn’t cook enough inside.

      Reply
    13. Landen says

      September 03, 2015 at 9:52 am

      This looks incredible! I need to try these!

      Reply
      • serena says

        September 03, 2015 at 2:04 pm

        They were so good! Took quite a bit of time, but worth it!

        Reply

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