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When you break through that sweet, sugary glaze on a Strawberry Glazed French Cruller, you know you’re in for something special. First, your teeth hit a delicate crunch. Then the outside gives way, and you find that inside is unbelievably airy and soft, with a nice honeycomb look. The strawberry coating brings a sweet, fruity hit, while the pastry underneath is gently rich and eggy. Each bite is a fun mix of crispy and creamy.
This all started during a warm summer when the garden turned out way more strawberries than we could eat raw. The first batch of these crullers went so fast—my teen grabbed extras for school, the neighbor who says she hates donuts ate a bunch, and even my skeptical mother-in-law wanted the how-to after tasting them at family brunch.
Essential Choux Know-How
Choux dough is basically butter, flour, and eggs coming together in a magical way that makes light, airy pastries—all thanks to steam. The super moist dough puffs up while frying, giving you that crisp outside and soft inside. Forget proofing or yeast—this dough’s ready to go and easy for anyone wanting quick homemade treats.
Staples for Awesome Pastry
- Neutral Oil: Keeps the fry clean and light, so nothing turns greasy or heavy.
- Large Eggs: Not only hold the dough together, but release steam to help things puff up.
- All-Purpose Flour: Brings balance so your crullers are sturdy but stay fluffy.
- Whole Milk: Makes the dough richer and helps the inside come out smooth.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Layers in a lovely scent and brings out the berry flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Gives that classic pastry melt-in-your-mouth vibe.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Pump up the berry flavor and make any sugar dust sparkle.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens things up without being too much.
- Fresh Strawberries: Bring bright flavor and give the glaze its gorgeous color.
How To Nail Your Crullers
- Making Awesome Choux:
- Start by boiling your milk, butter, water, sugar, and salt together. Toss in the flour, stir good and hard until you have a smooth mix. Move the dough to a bowl, beat until it’s not blazing hot, then add your eggs one at a time till the whole thing’s glossy and squeezable.
- Piping and Frying:
- Pipe the dough into circle shapes on little parchment pieces. Heat oil up to 350°F. Slip the dough circles into the oil, parchment up. Peel the parchment off right away. Let them fry until golden, flip over halfway through cooking.
- Getting That Strawberry Glaze:
- Blend your fresh strawberries until liquid, then strain so it’s nice and smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until you’ve got a thick, pourable glaze.
- Finishing Up:
- Dunk cooled crullers into your glaze. Before it sets, sprinkle on some freeze-dried strawberry sugar.
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Fun Ways To Serve
Stack them on a pretty plate or cake stand for brunch and wow your guests. They go great with a mug of coffee or even some sparkling rosé if you’re feeling fancy. Toss on some extra strawberries and maybe a little mint for nice color. For dessert, put them next to vanilla ice cream—cold ice cream and warm pastry are a killer combo.
Tasty Variations
Try raspberries instead of strawberries if you want a little zing. When it gets chilly out, coat them in apple cider glaze dusted with cinnamon sugar. For fans of citrus, lemon or orange glaze works awesome—fresh zest makes it pop. Feeling decadent? Drizzle some dark chocolate on top for a chocolate-strawberry party.
How To Keep Them Good
For the best experience, eat these within a few hours of frying. Storing for later? Pop them in an airtight box—they’ll hold up about one day at room temp. Want to freshen leftovers? A couple minutes in a 325°F oven does the trick. You can even pipe your dough circles onto parchment and leave them out for a couple hours before frying.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I bake these French crullers instead of frying them?
- Sure, bake them at 425°F for about 10 minutes, then drop the heat to 350°F and bake another 15 minutes or so. They won't have the exact same texture, but they'll still turn out tasty.
- → Can I make the dough ahead of time?
- Yup, you can stash the dough in the fridge in your piping bag for up to a day. Just let it warm up on the counter for 20 minutes before piping and frying.
- → What can I use instead of fresh strawberries for the glaze?
- You can totally swap in strawberry jam or preserves—just use a couple tablespoons, and strain out any seeds if you want it smooth.
- → Why did my crullers deflate after frying?
- Usually, that's because your oil wasn't hot enough or the pastries needed more time. Try to keep your oil at 370°F, and make sure both sides get golden and set.
- → Can I freeze these French crullers?
- They taste best fresh, but you can freeze any unglazed ones for up to a month. Pop them out, let them sit to thaw, and rewarm in a 350°F oven for a few minutes before glazing.