Strawberry Glazed French Crullers

The smell of frying dough and mashed strawberries takes me straight back to a rainy Saturday when I accidentally perfected pate a choux after three failed attempts, and the kitchen looked like a flour bomb had gone off but those crullers were transcendent.

I made a double batch for my neighbors holiday brunch last December and watched a plate of twenty disappear in under fifteen minutes while someone actually clapped.

Ingredients

• Water and butter: The foundation of your pate a choux, and the butter needs to be cold and cubed so it melts evenly into the water without separating.
• Granulated sugar and salt: Just enough sugar to give the dough a subtle sweetness and salt to keep everything balanced.
• All purpose flour: Added all at once so the starch gelatinizes properly, which is what gives crullers their signature airy interior.
• Large eggs: Added one at a time after the dough cools slightly, and each egg must be fully incorporated before the next goes in or the batter will break.
• Vegetable oil: You need a neutral oil with a high smoke point for clean frying, so save your olive oil for another night.
• Powdered sugar: Sifted to keep the glaze silky, because even one tiny lump will ruin the smooth finish you want.
• Fresh strawberries: Hulled and mashed with lemon juice, these give the glaze its vivid pink color and a tartness that cuts through the fried dough beautifully.
• Lemon juice: Brightens the strawberry flavor and balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar.
• Milk: Added gradually to thin the glaze to the right consistency, and you will know it when you see it coat the back of a spoon.

Instructions

Set up your station:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and fit a piping bag with a large star tip about half an inch wide so your crullers have those beautiful ridges that catch the glaze.

Build the dough base:

Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and the mixture looks uniform.

Add flour and stir hard:

Pour in all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball, which takes about one to two minutes.

Let it rest:

Remove the pan from heat and let the dough cool for five minutes so the eggs do not scramble when you add them.

Incorporate the eggs:

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the batter is smooth, glossy, and falls slowly from the spoon in a thick ribbon.

Pipe the rings:

Transfer the batter to your piping bag and pipe three inch rings onto the parchment paper, spacing them apart because they will puff during freezing.

Freeze until firm:

Slide the baking sheets into the freezer for twenty minutes or until the crullers are firm enough to lift with a spatula without losing their shape.

Fry to golden perfection:

Heat oil in a deep heavy pot to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and fry the crullers in small batches for two to three minutes per side until puffed and deeply golden, then drain on a wire rack.

Make the strawberry glaze:

Mash the hulled strawberries with lemon juice in a bowl until juicy, then strain out the seeds and reserve that gorgeous pink liquid.

Finish with glaze:

Mix powdered sugar with two to three tablespoons of strawberry juice and enough milk to create a thick but pourable glaze, then dip each cooled cruller and let them set on a rack for ten minutes.

Save

The moment I dipped that first golden cruller into the pink glaze and watched it drip slowly down the ridges, I knew this recipe was going to be in my rotation forever.

Getting That Perfect Hollow Center

The magic of a cruller is that crisp shell with nothing but air inside, and that comes down to moisture turning into steam in the hot oil, so do not skip the rest time after adding flour and never rush the egg incorporation.

Choosing the Right Oil Temperature

I learned the hard way that crullers fried too dark on the outside stay raw inside, so aim for 350 degrees Fahrenheit and resist the urge to crank the heat, because patience here is the difference between a hollow beauty and a greasy lump.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

These are absolutely best the day they are made, but if you must store them, keep the unglazed crullers in an airtight container at room temperature and re crisp them in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for about five minutes before glazing fresh.

• Glazed crullers will keep for a few hours but the glaze softens the crust over time.
• Freeze unglazed fried crullers for up to one month and reheat straight from frozen.
• Always glaze just before serving for the best texture contrast.

Save

Make these once and you will find yourself looking for excuses to pipe out another batch, because nothing beats watching someone bite into a cruller you made from scratch.

Common Questions

→ Can I bake French crullers instead of frying them?

Traditional French crullers rely on deep frying to achieve their signature puffed, airy texture and crisp exterior. While baking is possible at 400°F for about 20–25 minutes, the results will be denser and less authentic. Frying at 350°F ensures the rapid steam expansion that creates the classic hollow center.

→ Why is my pâte à choux dough too runny to pipe?

Runny choux dough usually means the eggs were added before the flour mixture cooled sufficiently, or too many eggs were incorporated. Let the dough cool for a full 5 minutes before adding eggs one at a time. The batter should be smooth, glossy, and hold its shape when piped — if it spreads flat, it needs less egg or more mixing.

→ How do I get the perfect round shape for crullers?

Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe 3-inch rings onto parchment paper. Freezing the piped crullers for 20 minutes before frying helps them hold their shape. When transferring to the oil, use a spatula and gently slide them in. The frozen dough firms up enough to maintain a clean, round profile during frying.

→ Can I make the strawberry glaze ahead of time?

Yes, the strawberry glaze can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stir well before using, and add a few drops of milk if it has thickened too much. For the best flavor and color, use ripe, in-season strawberries.

→ What oil temperature is best for frying crullers?

Maintain the oil at 350°F (175°C) throughout frying. Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer for accuracy. If the oil is too hot, the crullers brown before cooking through; too cool and they absorb excess grease and become heavy. Fry in small batches to prevent temperature drops.

→ How should I store leftover crullers?

Crullers are best eaten the same day they are made. If storing, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. To restore some crispness, reheat in a warm oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes. Avoid refrigerating, as moisture will make the glaze sticky and the pastry soggy.