"Cruffin – The Croissant‑Muffin Hybrid That Went Viral"

by MeltIn March 2026 0 comments

The croissant‑muffin hybrid that broke the internet – flaky, buttery, and stuffed with your favourite filling. Here's how to make café‑style cruffins at home.

Cruffin – a portmanteau of croissant and muffin – was born in Melbourne and quickly became a global pastry sensation. Imagine the layered, buttery flakiness of a croissant, baked in a muffin tin for a tall, ruffled shape, then filled with pastry cream, jam, or chocolate. The result? A pastry that's crisp on the outside, tender inside, and utterly addictive.

This recipe uses shop‑bought puff pastry as a shortcut, so you can skip the all‑day lamination process. With a clever rolling and folding technique, you'll get those beautiful, distinct layers that make cruffins so special.

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🥐 Ingredients

For the cruffins

• 2 sheets all‑butter puff pastry (approx. 320 g each), thawed
• 50 g unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar (for sprinkling)

For the filling (choose one)

• Pastry cream: 300 ml milk, 3 egg yolks, 60 g sugar, 20 g cornflour, 1 tsp vanilla
• OR: 200 g Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread
• OR: 200 g lemon curd or fruit jam

For the sugar coating

• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

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👩‍🍳 Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Preheat & prepare: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly grease a 6‑hole muffin tin (or 12‑hole for smaller cruffins).
2. Roll the pastry: On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a large rectangle, about 40 x 30 cm. Brush the surface generously with melted butter.
3. Fold and cut: Fold the pastry in half lengthwise, then brush again with butter. Cut the folded pastry into 6 even strips (about 5 cm wide).
4. Create the ruffles: Take one strip and gently stretch it slightly. Starting from one end, roll the strip into a tight coil, tucking the end underneath. Place the coil into a muffin cup, with the swirl facing up.
5. Repeat: Repeat with the remaining strips (you should get 6 large cruffins). If using two pastry sheets, you'll have enough for 12 smaller cruffins.
6. Chill: Refrigerate the filled muffin tin for 15–20 minutes – this helps the pastry hold its shape during baking.
7. Bake: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cruffins are puffed, golden, and deeply browned. They should sound hollow when tapped.
8. Cool & coat: Remove from the tin and let cool for 5 minutes. While still warm, brush lightly with melted butter, then roll each cruffin in the caster sugar (mixed with cinnamon if using) until fully coated.
9. Fill: Once completely cooled, use a piping bag with a long nozzle to inject your chosen filling into the centre of each cruffin. Fill until you feel resistance – about 2–3 tablespoons per cruffin.
10. Serve: Enjoy immediately – they're best fresh, but will keep for a day in an airtight container.

💡 Pro tip: For the iconic Melbourne café look, dust your finished cruffins with a little extra icing sugar and serve with a side of jam or chocolate sauce for dipping.

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❓ Tips & Variations

• Make‑ahead: Unbaked cruffins can be frozen for up to 2 months – bake straight from frozen, adding 5–10 minutes to the baking time.
• Flavour combinations: Try matcha custard, salted caramel, raspberry jam, or even savoury fillings like cheese and ham.
• No piping bag? Use a small knife to cut a hole in the top and spoon in the filling, then replace the "lid".
• Double the batch: These disappear quickly – make a double batch and freeze the extras!

Flaky, buttery, and stuffed with goodness – the cruffin is the ultimate breakfast treat.