Easy Gluten Free Cruffins are my shortcut to morning happiness. If you’ve ever woken up craving a warm bakery treat, only to remember gluten hates you back, this recipe is your new best friend. I’m talking crispy edges, flaky layers, and that sweet cinnamon swirl that perfumes the whole kitchen. The best part is you don’t need a pastry degree or fancy tools. Just a muffin tin, a simple dough or good store-bought puff pastry, and a few minutes of rolling fun. Let’s make brunch easy, cozy, and a little bit magical.
Allergen Information
Before we dive in, here’s what to know if you’re feeding a crowd with mixed needs. These cruffins are naturally gluten free, and you can easily adapt them for dairy free too. Use a trusted gluten free flour blend that includes xanthan gum if you’re making the dough from scratch. If you’re using a store-bought gluten free puff pastry, always check the label for shared facility notes and egg washing suggestions.
For dairy free, swap in a high quality plant-based butter that’s firm and not overly soft. Egg wash is optional, so you can skip it if eggs are an issue. Nut free is simple too, just avoid nutty fillings like hazelnut spread and reach for jam or cinnamon sugar instead. I love how flexible these treats are, which is exactly why I keep coming back to my Deliciously Easy Gluten Free Cruffins Recipes when friends come over.
If you’re living dairy free full-time, you might also like these bright, cozy bakes on the site: dairy free lemon scones that pair perfectly with coffee.
Ingredient Notes
There are two simple ways to tackle cruffins: roll with a store-bought gluten free puff pastry, or make a quick “rough puff” dough at home. Both are doable and both taste incredible. If you’re new to laminated doughs, the quick dough below is more forgiving and still gives you those flaky layers we all want.
Dough options
- Store-bought gluten free puff pastry: Thaw in the fridge until pliable but still cool. Brands vary widely, so pick one you trust and check ingredients for dairy if needed.
- Quick gluten free rough puff (makes 12 cruffins):
– 2 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– 1 teaspoon fine salt
– 1 cup cold unsalted butter, in 1/2 inch cubes
– 3/4 to 1 cup ice-cold water
– 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
Whisk dry ingredients. Toss in cold butter. Pinch cubes into flats the size of coins. Stir in cold water and lemon juice a little at a time until it just comes together. Pat into a rectangle, wrap, and chill 30 minutes. Roll into a long rectangle, fold like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat 3 more times, chilling if the butter softens. You’ll see specks and streaks of butter and that’s perfect.
Filling ideas
- Classic cinnamon sugar: 1/2 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus 4 tablespoons softened butter.
- Vanilla sugar: Sugar plus a scraped vanilla bean or a teaspoon of vanilla paste.
- Chocolate swirl: Thin layer of chocolate spread or small chocolate chips.
- Jam and cardamom: A thin smear of jam with a pinch of cardamom.
Once your dough is ready, roll into a 9×18 inch rectangle. Spread with a thin layer of softened butter, sprinkle filling, then roll up from the long side into a tight log. Slice the log in half lengthwise to expose layers, then twist each half and coil into a muffin cup. This simple shaping is why I’m so hooked on Deliciously Easy Gluten Free Cruffins Recipes for weekend brunch.
Want more cozy baking inspo? These gluten free cinnamon rolls use a similar roll-and-bake method and are always a crowd pleaser.
What is a Cruffin?
A cruffin is a mashup of a croissant and a muffin. You take laminated dough with buttery layers, roll it up, twist it, and bake it in a muffin tin so it rises tall and gets crisp around the edges. The inside stays soft and slightly chewy, and the spirals catch cinnamon sugar like they were made for it. That mix of flaky and fluffy is everything you love about a croissant, without the all-day fuss of traditional lamination. With gluten free dough, cruffins are especially friendly because the muffin tin gives support as they rise.
A quick peek at the appeal
Cruffins bake faster than croissants, look impressive without much effort, and single servings travel well. They also freeze beautifully. Warm one in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes and it tastes like it just came out of the bakery. For me, this is the sweet spot of “minimal work, maximum wow.”
Tips For Success
Here’s what I’ve learned after many batches, including a few funny fails that we happily ate anyway. Use cold butter and cold dough. Warm butter smears and melts out instead of puffing the layers. Light hands are your friend. Pressing too hard can flatten the lamination and make the cruffins dense.
Shaping cruffins without stress
- Chill if sticky: If the dough fights you, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Flour lightly: Dust the counter and rolling pin with gluten free flour as needed.
- Twist gently: Don’t wring the dough. Twist just enough to show the layers.
- Fill thinly: A thin, even layer bakes better than a thick one that leaks.
Baking and finishing
Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease a standard muffin tin. Bake cruffins 18 to 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden with deep brown edges. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then lift out and roll warm cruffins in cinnamon sugar or dust with powdered sugar. If you like glaze, whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and a pinch of salt, then drizzle.
“I served these to my brunch group and one friend honestly didn’t believe they were gluten free. Crisp edges, soft middles, and the whole kitchen smelled like a bakery.”
For even more cozy creations, check out the site’s gluten free recipe collection for breakfast, dinner, and dessert ideas. I keep this rotation going with my Deliciously Easy Gluten Free Cruffins Recipes when I want guaranteed smiles.
Other Recipes
If cruffins got you in the baking mood, I’ve got a few more you’ll enjoy. These are easy to make, kid friendly, and perfect for sharing. My top seasonal pick is this creamy, crustless spin on a classic pie that saves time and mess: gluten free crustless pumpkin pie. For weeknights, I reach for cozy soup and a side salad so dinner practically serves itself. And if you’re planning a brunch table, cruffins pair perfectly with citrus, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon.
If you want to go savory for the same muffin-tin ease, try a batch bake with veggies and eggs. Or make a double batch of cruffins and freeze half. They thaw fast and toast like a dream. For snacking, I keep a stash of granola bars on hand, and for parties, a simple dip plus slices of fruit rounds everything out. Honestly, this is the kind of kitchen rhythm I can keep even on a busy week.
Common Questions
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. The rough puff dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored chilled. You can also assemble cruffins, freeze unbaked in the tin, then bake from frozen adding 3 to 5 minutes.
What if I can’t find gluten free puff pastry?
Make the quick rough puff dough in the Ingredient Notes. It’s reliable, flaky, and you control the ingredients.
Do cruffins stay crisp?
They’re crispiest the day they’re baked. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for 1 day, or freeze and rewarm in the oven to revive the edges.
How do I keep the filling from leaking?
Use a thin, even layer. Avoid large chocolate chunks. Chill the rolled log 10 minutes before slicing and twisting if your kitchen is warm.
Can I make them dairy free?
Yes. Use a firm plant-based butter and skip the egg wash. Brush tops with a little dairy free milk if you want extra color. For more ideas, these are great alongside savory mains like gluten free meatballs for a fun breakfast-for-dinner combo.
Ready to Bake and Share?
I hope you feel ready to roll with these Deliciously Easy Gluten Free Cruffins Recipes. Keep your dough cold, your filling light, and your twists gentle and you’ll get tall, flaky spirals every time. If you want to nerd out on more techniques, this guide to Buttery Flaky Gluten Free Cruffins is super helpful, and I also love the approach in Gluten Free Cruffins by Back Porch Paleo. If you’re building a brunch menu, round things out with soup or a sweet bake like gluten free lasagna soup for comfort on the side. Now go preheat that oven and treat yourself.
Gluten Free Cruffins
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2.5 cups gluten free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum Use a trusted blend.
- 1 tablespoon sugar For sweetness in dough.
- 1 teaspoon fine salt Enhances flavor.
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, in 1/2 inch cubes Must be cold for flaky layers.
- 3/4-1 cup ice-cold water Adjust as needed.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar For flavor and dough stability.
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup sugar For cinnamon sugar mixture.
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon Seasoning for filling.
- 4 tablespoons softened butter To spread on the dough.
Instructions
Preparation of Dough
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add cold butter cubes and pinch them into flat pieces.
- Gradually stir in cold water and lemon juice until the dough comes together.
- Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll the chilled dough into a long rectangle, fold like a letter, rotate, and repeat three more times, chilling if the butter softens.
Assembly and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a standard muffin tin.
- Roll the dough into a 9×18 inch rectangle and spread a thin layer of softened butter.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the buttered dough.
- Roll up from the long side into a tight log and slice in half lengthwise.
- Twist each half and coil into muffin cups.
- Bake cruffins for 18 to 22 minutes or until puffed and golden.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before rolling warm cruffins in cinnamon sugar.
