Description

This Strawberry Vanilla Bean Cronut recipe combines flaky layers of buttery puff pastry with a luscious vanilla bean whipped cream and sweet strawberry jam filling. Fried to golden perfection and dusted with cinnamon sugar, these homemade cronuts offer a delightful treat inspired by French and American pastry techniques, perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a special breakfast.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough and Frying

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)

Filling

1/2 cup strawberry jam or preserves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean (split and scraped) or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons powdered sugar (plus more for dusting)

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the dough layers: On a lightly floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet and roll it out slightly to smooth any creases. Fold the pastry in thirds like a letter, then roll it out again to flatten it. Repeat this folding and rolling process three times to build flaky layers. Chill the folded dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to relax the gluten and firm up the layers.
Cut out the cronuts: After chilling, roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out donut shapes, then use a smaller cutter to remove the centers, forming donut holes. Gather and re-roll scraps once if needed to cut additional cronuts.
Heat and fry: Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C). Carefully fry 2–3 cronuts at a time for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and puffed. Use a slotted spoon to remove and drain the cronuts on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Make the vanilla bean whipped cream: While the cronuts cool, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla bean seeds or vanilla bean paste, and powdered sugar until soft peaks form, creating a light, fragrant filling.
Fill the cronuts: Once the cronuts have cooled enough to handle, slice them horizontally or use a piping bag to fill the centers with strawberry jam and then the vanilla bean whipped cream.
Coat and serve: Toss the warm cronuts gently in cinnamon sugar or dust them with additional powdered sugar for a bakery-style finish. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

For convenience, you can substitute homemade filling with pre-made vanilla pastry cream or store-bought whipped cream.
To replicate a bakery look, pipe the strawberry filling into the center and garnish with fresh sliced strawberries on top.
Store unfilled cronuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day; fill immediately before serving to maintain crispness and texture.

Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 20 minutes chilling)
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Frying
Cuisine: French-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cronut
Calories: 410
Sugar: 22g
Sodium: 180mg
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Unsaturated Fat: 16g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 40mg