There's something magical about biting into a warm, flaky peach cruffins fresh from the oven. These delightful pastries combine the best of croissants and muffins, creating a buttery, layered treat that's perfect for lazy weekend mornings or special brunch gatherings. The sweet peach filling swirled throughout each peach cruffins bite brings a taste of summer to your table, no matter the season.
I've been making peach cruffins for years, and they never fail to impress my family and friends. What I love most about peach cruffins is how simple they are to create, yet they look and taste like something from a fancy bakery. Whether you're a beginner baker or a seasoned pro, these peach cruffins will become your new favorite pastry to whip up for any occasion.
The Sweet Story Behind Peach Cruffins
Cruffins burst onto the baking scene when creative pastry chefs started experimenting with croissant dough, rolling it up and baking it in muffin tins. The result was pure genius; a portable, perfectly portioned treat that captured everyone's hearts. Adding peaches to this already amazing concept takes it to another level entirely.
Peaches bring natural sweetness and a gorgeous golden color that makes these pastries irresistible. The combination of buttery, flaky layers with juicy peach filling creates a textural experience that's simply divine. What makes this peach cruffins recipe stand out is its simplicity; you don't need fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. Using shortcuts like crescent dough or puff pastry means anyone can achieve bakery-quality results at home without spending hours in the kitchen.
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Ingredients
- Crescent dough or puff pastry sheets
- Peach pie filling or peach preserves
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Egg
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Roll out your crescent dough or puff pastry on a lightly floured surface
- Brush melted butter generously over the entire surface
- Mix cinnamon and sugar together, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough
- Spread peach pie filling or preserves in a thin layer across the dough
Shape the Cruffins
- Starting from one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log
- Cut the log into equal portions using a sharp knife
- Twist each portion gently to create a spiral effect
- Place each twisted piece into a greased muffin tin, pressing down slightly
Bake and Glaze
- Brush the tops with beaten egg for a golden finish
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and flaky
- While still warm, brush with additional melted butter
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to create a glaze, then drizzle over cooled cruffins
Equipment For Peach Cruffins
- Standard muffin tin
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Expert Cooking Tips
- Make sure your butter is melted but not too hot; it should be warm enough to spread easily but not so hot that it melts the dough layers
- Don't overfill the muffin cups; the peach cruffins will expand during baking and you don't want overflow
- For extra flaky layers, chill the rolled dough for 15 minutes before cutting and twisting
- Use a serrated knife to cut the rolled log cleanly without squishing the layers
- Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the tin to prevent breaking
- Fresh or frozen peaches work beautifully; just make sure to drain excess liquid
Recipe Variations
- Apple-Peach Combo: Mix diced apples with your peach filling for a double fruit twist on these peach cruffins
- Cream Cheese Filling: Add softened cream cheese mixed with sugar to the peach layer for extra richness
- Almond Peach: Add almond extract to your glaze and sprinkle sliced almonds on top
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free puff pastry for delicious gluten-free cruffins
- Mini Peach Cruffins: Use a mini muffin tin and reduce baking time for bite-sized treats
- Nutella Swirl: Add a thin layer of Nutella along with the peach filling
- Streusel Topping: Skip the glaze and top with a cinnamon streusel before baking
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store peach cruffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat briefly before serving
- Refrigerator: Keep in a sealed container for up to 5 days; warm in the microwave for 15-20 seconds
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cruffins for up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil
- Make Ahead: Prepare and shape the night before, refrigerate, then bake fresh in the morning
- Reheating: Best reheated in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes to restore flakiness
The Secret to Bakery-Perfect Cruffins
Here's what professional bakers know but rarely share: the key to exceptional peach cruffins lies in the quality of your peach filling. If you're using canned peach pie filling, choose one with large fruit pieces and not too much syrup. Even better, make your own by simmering fresh or frozen peaches with sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of cornstarch until thickened. This extra step elevates your peach cruffins from good to absolutely unforgettable.
Another insider secret is the double butter brush technique. Brushing melted butter on the dough before rolling creates those beautiful flaky layers, but brushing again immediately after baking while they're still hot adds an incredible richness and helps the cinnamon sugar stick. This simple trick makes your homemade cruffins taste just like they came from an artisan bakery, with that perfect buttery finish everyone craves.
FAQ
What is a cruffin made of?
A cruffin is made of laminated dough, typically croissant dough or puff pastry, that's rolled with various fillings and baked in a muffin tin. The peach cruffins version uses flaky pastry dough brushed with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and filled with sweet peach preserves or pie filling. The dough is rolled into a log, cut into portions, twisted, and placed into muffin cups where it bakes into a beautifully layered pastry. The result combines the buttery, flaky texture of a croissant with the convenient shape of a muffin.
What's the difference between a peach cobbler and a peach pie?
A peach cobbler features a thick biscuit or cake-like topping over sweetened peaches, creating a rustic dessert that's spooned out rather than sliced. Peach pie, on the other hand, has a structured pastry crust on both the bottom and top, encasing the peach filling completely. When making peach cruffins, you're actually using techniques closer to pie-making; rolling pastry dough with peach filling to create those gorgeous flaky layers. Cobblers are more casual and forgiving, while pies require more precision in crust preparation, much like these elegant cruffins do.
Is peach crumble a thing?
Yes, peach crumble is absolutely a thing and it's delicious! A peach crumble consists of fresh or canned peaches topped with a streusel-like mixture of butter, flour, sugar, and often oats or nuts that bakes into a crispy, crumbly topping. While peach cruffins are individual pastries with rolled layers, a crumble is a baked fruit dessert served in scoops. You can actually combine these concepts by topping your peach cruffins with a small amount of crumble mixture before baking for added texture and sweetness. Both desserts celebrate the wonderful flavor of peaches in different, equally delightful ways.
What kind of peach is best for cobbler?
Freestone peaches are considered the best choice for cobblers and baking because the flesh separates easily from the pit, making them simple to slice and prepare. Yellow peaches offer a classic sweet flavor that works beautifully in peach cruffins and other baked goods, while white peaches provide a more delicate, floral sweetness. For the best results in your peach cruffins, choose ripe but firm peaches that hold their shape when cooked. If using fresh peaches, slightly firmer fruit prevents your filling from becoming too watery during baking, ensuring your pastry stays perfectly flaky and delicious.
Sweet Endings and New Beginnings
Now that you've mastered these incredible peach cruffins, why not explore more creative pastry combinations? The Simple Apple Butter Cruffins Recipe takes the same delicious technique but swaps peaches for rich, spiced apple butter that's perfect for fall mornings. The warm spices and deep caramel notes of apple butter create a completely different but equally amazing flavor profile.
If you're looking for another yeasted pastry to add to your baking repertoire, try making Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls. While these take a bit more time than our quick peach cruffins, they're an excellent way to use leftover sourdough starter and create tender, tangy-sweet rolls. Both recipes will expand your pastry-making skills and give you even more reasons to gather loved ones around your table for fresh-from-the-oven treats. Keep experimenting with different fillings and flavors; that's how you'll discover your own signature peach cruffins variation that everyone will beg you to make again and again.
From my kitchen, with heart.
Megan Riley ❤️
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Peach Cruffins
Peach Cruffins
Equipment
- 1 Muffin tin greased or liner-ready
- 1 Pastry brush for butter
- 1 bowl mixing
- 1 Knife to cut dough
- 1 rolling surface lightly floured if needed
Ingredients
- 3 cans refrigerated crescent dough each can ~8 oz
- 1 cup peach pie filling or peach preserves well-drained if needed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, for brushing
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon divided or all in sugar mix
- 0.5 cup powdered sugar optional — for glaze or dusting
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream to mix into glaze if using
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional, for glaze or filling boost
- salt pinch, optional, to balance sweetness
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C); prepare muffin tin.
- Mix peach filling and cinnamon (and optional vanilla).
- Unroll crescent dough, press seams to form solid rectangles.
- Brush dough with melted butter; sprinkle evenly with sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Spread peach mixture evenly, leaving small border.
- Roll from long side into logs; cut and twist/coil into muffin shapes.
- Place spirals into muffin cups, coil-side up.
- Bake ~18–22 minutes until golden and puffed.
- (Optional) Whisk powdered sugar and heavy cream (and vanilla) to make glaze; drizzle over warm cruffins.
- Cool slightly, then remove; serve warm.
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