My homemade chocolate crullers are even better than anything I’ve bought at a donut shop. This easy recipe removes the guesswork for a crisp, airy cruller topped with a luscious chocolate glaze. With just 10 simple ingredients, I can have chocolate dipped French crullers ready in around 2 hours, a surprisingly easy treat for breakfast or dessert!
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Chocolate Dipped French Cruller
Whenever I buy donuts, I always go for a chocolate French cruller (or two). But making them at home is easier than you might think. My chocolate cruller donuts use a classic choux pastry dough, just like churros, piped into those signature ridged rings and fried to golden perfection. The rich chocolate glaze on top really takes them over the top and makes them irresistible.
As a bonus, my kids love that they look just like monster truck tires!
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Watch the Oil Temperature
For the best chocolate dipped crullers, always keep your oil between 350–370°F. If it’s too cool, the crullers soak up oil and get greasy; too hot, and they’ll burn before cooking through. I use a deep-fry thermometer to keep it steady, and test with a scrap of dough. It should sizzle gently without browning too quickly. This step helps you get that perfect light, crisp texture every time!
Chocolate Crullers Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Frying Thermometer
- Piping Tip Set
Ingredients
For the Crullers
- ½ cup milk room temperature
- ½ cup water room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg white room temperature
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 1 ounce semisweet chocolate
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1-2 teaspoons hot water
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt together. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture starts to boil.½ cup milk, ½ cup water, ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add all of the flour to the butter mixture at once, and mix until well combined.1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- Return the saucepan to the stovetop and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring vigorously the entire time. The mixture will form a ball and begin to pull away from the side of the saucepan.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer). Set aside for 15 minutes to cool.
- Once the dough has cooled, turn the mixer to medium speed and add the eggs. Beat on medium speed until the eggs have been fully incorporated. Add the egg white and beat again until fully incorporated.3 large eggs, 1 large egg white
- Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- While the dough chills, cut out 15 3×3-inch squares of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Fill a Dutch oven with about 3-4 inches of oil. Heat to 350-370°F.Vegetable oil
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Hold the pastry bag vertically over one of the parchment squares and pipe an even circle of dough, just making the ends meet. Repeat until all dough is piped.
- Fry the crullers in batches of 3-4 at a time. Gently place a cruller, along with the parchment paper square, onto a slotted spoon. Lower it into the hot oil. Cook for 1 minute, flip the cruller over, and use tongs to remove the paper. Fry for approximately 6 minutes, turning to ensure even cooking, until golden brown.
- Remove the crullers from the oil and place on a wire rack to let any excess oil drip off. Let the crullers cool before glazing.
- Once the crullers are cool, make the glaze. Heat the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl for about 40-60 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth. Stir the sifted powdered sugar into the melted butter and chocolate, adding small amounts of hot water until the glaze is thinned as desired.1 ounce semisweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1-2 teaspoons hot water, ½ cup powdered sugar
- Working 1 cruller at a time, dunk the cruller into the glaze, allow any additional glaze to drip off, and place onto a wire rack. Top with sprinkles, serve, and enjoy!½ cup rainbow sprinkles
Notes
- Use a large star piping tip like Ateco #828 or Wilton #8B.
- Check the oil temperature before frying the dough! The oil should be between 350-370°F at all times. Let it return to temperature between batches.
- When frying the crullers, cook just a couple at a time. If the pan is overcrowded, the oil temperature will decrease too much.
- Let the crullers cool for 10-15 minutes before adding the glaze. They can still be warm, but if they’re too hot, the glaze will melt off.
- Have fun with the sprinkles! I like to use sprinkles based on the holidays – pink and white for Valentine’s Day, black and orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, etc.
How to Make Chocolate Crullers Step-by-Step
Gather your Ingredients: Gather up everything you need to begin. Bring everything to room temperature so the dough comes together cleanly.
Melt the Butter: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine ½ cup of room-temperature milk, ½ cup of room-temperature water, ½ cup of room-temperature unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture starts to boil.
Stir in the Flour: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour to the butter mixture at once, and mix until well combined.
Cook the Dough: Return the saucepan to the stovetop and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring vigorously the entire time. The mixture will form a ball and begin to pull away from the side of the saucepan.
Add the Eggs: Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer). Set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Once the dough has cooled, turn the mixer to medium speed and add 3 large room-temperature eggs. Beat on medium speed until the eggs have been fully incorporated. Add 1 large room-temperature egg white and beat again until fully incorporated.
Chill the Dough: Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Pipe the Crullers: While the dough chills, cut out 15 3×3-inch squares of parchment paper. Set aside. Fill a Dutch oven with about 3-4 inches of vegetable oil. Heat to 350-370°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Hold the pastry bag vertically over one of the parchment squares and pipe an even circle of dough, just making the ends meet. Repeat until all the dough is piped.
Fry the Crullers: Fry the crullers in batches of 3-4 at a time. Gently place a cruller, along with the parchment paper square, onto a slotted spoon. Lower it into the hot oil. Cook for 1 minute, flip the cruller over, and use tongs to remove the paper. Fry for approximately 6 minutes, turning to ensure even cooking, until golden brown. Remove the crullers from the oil and place them on a wire rack to let any excess oil drip off. Let the crullers cool before glazing.
Glaze the Crullers: Once the crullers are cool, make the glaze. Heat 1 ounce of semisweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl for about 40-60 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth. Stir ½ cup of sifted powdered sugar into the melted butter and chocolate, adding small amounts of hot water until the glaze is thinned as desired (about 1-2 teaspoons total) Working 1 cruller at a time, dunk the cruller into the glaze, allow any additional glaze to drip off, and place onto a wire rack. Top with ½ cup of rainbow sprinkles, serve, and enjoy!
How to Store
Like most donuts, these chocolate crullers are best enjoyed fresh. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
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