Buttery Sourdough Almond Cruffins

My weekend baking habit has turned into these Sourdough Almond Cruffins – a dreamy mix of crispy sourdough layers wrapped with nutty almond frangipane inside. The first batch I took out got everyone in the house running to the kitchen from the amazing smell of butter and toasted almonds. They've now become our family's regular Sunday morning treat.

I came up with this during a big snowstorm when we couldn't drive to get our usual bakery treats. I mixed my sourdough starter with a butter-folding method and ended up with something I liked better than what we normally bought. Now my daughter asks for these whenever we have a special breakfast.

What You'll Need

• All purpose flour: Makes the main structure and body of your pastry
• Salt: Brings out every flavor and cuts through the richness
• Cold salted butter: The key to getting those awesome flaky bits when folded right
• Sourdough discard: Gives a fancy flavor twist and slight tang to your pastries
• Almond flour: Creates that smooth nutty filling everyone loves
• Granulated sugar: Adds just enough sweetness without going overboard
• Eggs: Holds your filling together while the wash makes them shine
• Almond extract: Boosts the nutty flavor punch – don't go cheap on this one
• Vanilla extract: Adds warm background notes that tie everything together
• Slivered almonds: Gives that nice crunch and pretty look on top

How To Make Them

Mix your wet stuff:

Stir your sourdough discard and water in a bowl until smooth. This makes sure your starter gets all through the dough evenly.

Get your butter-flour mix ready:

In another bigger bowl, mix flour and salt well. Add your cold grated butter and lightly toss until butter bits get coated. This stops them from sticking together which would mess up your layers.

Start your dough:

Make a hole in the middle of your flour mix and pour in your starter mixture. Mix softly with a fork until it looks shaggy, then finish with your hands. Work fast so the butter stays cold. You want it to stick together but still see butter pieces.

First cool-down:

Wrap your dough block in plastic and stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This helps the dough relax and firms up the butter again for those flaky bits later.

Start layering with book fold:

Roll on a really floured surface into an 18×8 inch flat piece. Do a book fold by bringing the short edges to meet in the middle, then fold in half like closing a book. Wrap and chill another 30 minutes. This starts your first set of layers.

Finish layering with letter folds:

Do 2 or 3 more folds by rolling into a 24×8 inch piece then folding like a letter going in an envelope. Cool 30 minutes between each. These folds make tons of thin layers for that amazing texture.

Get dough ready for final chill:

Put strips of parchment between the folds of your final folded dough so it won't stick during the last cooling. Chill at least an hour to let the dough rest and butter firm up.

Make your almond filling:

Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy. It should spread easily but not run everywhere. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit of milk.

Put cruffins together:

Roll out cold dough, spread filling all over, then cut into 8 long strips. Roll each strip into a spiral and put in a buttered muffin tin. The tighter you roll, the prettier your layers will look.

Finish up and bake:

Brush with beaten egg and throw plenty of slivered almonds on top. Bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes until they're really golden brown. The darker color makes them crispy and tasty.

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For me, the almond filling really makes these special. I found this classic French filling during my pastry learning days and changed it lots of times since. Something awesome happens when that almond cream bakes inside the pastry – it gets almost custardy and fills every layer with rich flavor. My husband says he'd eat it straight with a spoon if I didn't stop him.

Prep Ahead Ideas

What's great about these is how you can break up the work. You can make the pastry dough up to three days early and keep it in the fridge. If you want to plan even further ahead, wrap the folded dough really well and freeze it for up to a month. The almond filling can be made two days before you need it. Having these parts ready means you can quickly put together fresh cruffins whenever you want them.

Fixing Layer Problems

Getting good layers depends on keeping everything cold. If your butter starts to melt while rolling, you'll lose those separate layers. When this happens, put the dough back in the fridge right away for 15 minutes. Try to work in a cool kitchen and use a marble surface if you have one. If your dough keeps bouncing back when you roll it, let it sit for 10 minutes to relax. You need patience to get perfect layers.

Different Ways To Make Them

The almond filling is traditional, but you can switch things up easily. Try using chocolate hazelnut spread instead or add some fruit jam with the almond cream. For a non-sweet version, skip the sugar and extracts and add herbs, cheese and ham. During Christmas, try adding orange zest and a bit of cardamom to the filling. The pastry base stays the same, so you can get creative.

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These cruffins take some effort but they're totally worth all the steps – you'll thank yourself when you taste them.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I make these cruffins without sourdough discard?

You bet! The recipe mentions you can swap in a ready-made puff pastry sheet instead of making sourdough puff pastry from scratch. This cuts down your prep time but still gives you tasty almond cruffins.

→ How important is the lamination process?

Lamination makes or breaks your cruffins. The book and letter folding patterns create hundreds of butter spots that puff up while baking, giving you that must-have texture. Don't skip the cooling breaks between folds.

→ Can I prepare the dough in advance?

For sure! You can make the laminated dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Want to plan further ahead? Freeze it for up to a month. Just let it thaw in your fridge overnight before you roll, fill, and bake it.

→ What can I substitute for almond flour?

If you're out of almond flour, try hazelnut flour for a different but yummy flavor. Got nut allergies? Go with a frangipane-style mix using sunflower seed flour instead, though it'll taste a bit different.

→ Why didn't my cruffins rise as much as expected?

A few things might be going on: your butter probably melted into the dough (keep everything cold), you might've worked the dough too much (touch it as little as possible), or your oven ran cool (grab an oven thermometer to check). Also, good folding with plenty of cooling time between steps really matters.

→ How should I store leftover cruffins?

Let them cool completely, then put them in an airtight container. They'll last 1-2 days at room temp. Need more time? Pop them in the fridge for up to 4 days. To get them crispy again, warm them in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. You can even freeze them for a month and thaw overnight before warming.