As the weather turns cooler here in Casablanca this October, I find myself craving bright, sunny flavours to remind me of summer. Peaches are long gone from the markets, but that's what makes this recipe so brilliant-it delivers that sweet, juicy "peach pie" flavour using just a few pantry staples! These Peach Pie Cruffins are my ultimate brunch hack: a "cruffin" (part croissant, part muffin) made incredibly easy using canned crescent dough. They're flaky, filled with a warm cinnamon-peach preserve mixture, and drizzled with a simple, sweet glaze. They are the perfect fast and impressive treat for a cozy Sunday morning.
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Tested in my kitchen: I found that pressing the crescent dough seams together firmly is the most important step. It ensures the dough rectangle is sealed, so the delicious peach filling stays inside during rolling and baking.
A 3-Ingredient (Almost!) Pastry Hack
Let's be honest, making real croissants or laminated dough is a multi-day project. This recipe gives you that delightful, flaky, muffin-shaped treat in about 30 minutes. By using a tube of refrigerated crescent dough, all the hard work is done. You just roll, fill, slice, and bake. It's a simple, cozy recipe that smells absolutely divine and tastes like a miniature peach pie.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Easy: This is a "shortcut" recipe that uses store-bought crescent dough. No yeast, no proofing, no complicated pastry work!
- Fast for Brunch: From a cold fridge to a warm, glazed pastry in about 35 minutes. Perfect for unexpected guests or last-minute cravings.
- Pantry-Staple Comfort: Uses peach preserves, so you can have that delicious summer-pie flavour any time of year.
- Flaky & Delicious: They bake up puffy, golden, and flaky, with a warm, gooey centre.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need for this simple pastry hack. For the full list with precise measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post!
- Crescent Dough: Three 8-ounce cans of refrigerated crescent dough (like Pillsbury or a store brand). Do not use puff pastry; crescent dough has a different, fluffier texture that's perfect here.
- Peach Preserves: You'll want peach preserves or jam (not jelly), as the little bits of fruit in the preserves add great texture. Organic, if possible!
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon gives the peach filling that classic "pie" flavour.
- Glaze: A simple mix of powdered (confectioners') sugar and heavy whipping cream (or milk).
How to Make Peach Pie Cruffins
This process is as simple as making mini cinnamon rolls. We'll work with one can of dough at a time.
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray it generously with non-stick spray. This recipe makes 24, so you'll need two tins or bake in two batches.
Step 2: Make the Filling
In a small bowl, simply mix the peach preserves and the ground cinnamon together until combined.
Step 3: Fill, Roll, and Slice the Dough
Unroll one can of crescent dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press all the perforated seams together to form one solid rectangle.
Spread about one-third (⅓ cup) of the peach-cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough rectangle, leaving a small ¼-inch border on one of the long edges.
Starting from the other long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log (like a jelly roll). Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 8 equal pieces (about 1.5 inches wide each).
Step 4: Bake the Cruffins
Place each slice, spiral-side up, into a prepared muffin cup. Repeat this entire process with the remaining two cans of crescent dough and filling.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. You're looking for the cruffins to be beautifully puffed up and a deep golden brown. The filling will be bubbly.
Step 5: Glaze and Serve
While the cruffins are baking, whisk the powdered sugar and heavy cream together in a small bowl until you have a thick, smooth glaze. If it's too thick, add a tiny splash more cream; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Let the baked cruffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Drizzle the glaze over them while they are still warm. They are best served right away!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Puff Pastry: Puff pastry will result in a much flatter, greasier pastry. This recipe is designed for the specific rise and flaky, bready texture of canned crescent roll dough.
- Overfilling: It's tempting to add a huge layer of jam, but this will cause the cruffins to explode and leak in the oven, creating a sticky, burnt mess.
- Not Sealing Seams: If you don't firmly press the triangle perforations together, the jam will leak out of the log before you even slice it.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Work Quickly: Crescent dough is easiest to handle when it's cold. Don't let it sit out on the counter for too long, or it will become sticky and soft.
- Use Preserves, Not Jelly: Jelly is just gelled juice and will likely melt and disappear. You want the bits of real fruit found in peach preserves or jam.
- Glaze While Warm: Drizzling the glaze over the warm (not piping hot) cruffins helps it set slightly but also melt just a little, creating that perfect finish.
- Dental Floss Trick: For the cleanest slices, slide a piece of unflavoured dental floss under the log, wrap it around, and pull the ends to slice through the dough perfectly without squishing it.
Variations
This recipe is a perfect template for other flavours!
- Different Preserves: Swap the peach for apricot, raspberry, or strawberry preserves.
- Add Cream Cheese: Spread a very thin layer of softened cream cheese onto the dough rectangle before adding the jam for a peaches-and-cream flavour.
- Add Nuts: Sprinkle finely chopped toasted pecans or almonds over the jam before rolling.
- Lemon Glaze: Add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest to the glaze for a bright, citrusy kick.
How to Serve
These Peach Pie Cruffins are a dream for a special breakfast or brunch, served alongside:
- A hot cup of coffee or tea.
- A bowl of fresh fruit.
- A side of scrambled eggs and bacon for a full, sweet-and-savory brunch spread.
Make Ahead and Storage
These are, without a doubt, best enjoyed fresh and warm on the day they are made.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the cruffins in the muffin tin, cover them tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate them overnight. Bake them straight from the fridge in the morning (you may need to add 2-3 minutes to the bake time).
- Storage: Leftovers will get soft. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
- Reheating: Reheat briefly in a 350°F (177°C) oven or an air fryer for 3-5 minutes to revive some of the crispness. (Microwaving will make them soft and doughy).
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
The original instructions I saw for a similar recipe were confusing, mentioning "twisting." After testing, I found that the classic "cinnamon roll" method-rolling the rectangle into a single log and slicing it into rounds-is by far the simplest and most effective way to get that beautiful spiral shape in a standard muffin tin. It's foolproof and gives a perfect result every time.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated Nutrition Per Cruffin (1/24th of recipe): ~170 calories · 2g protein · 23g carbs · 8g fat (This is an approximation and can vary based on the specific brands of crescent dough and preserves used.)
Peach Pie Cruffins Recipe
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Muffin liners
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Group: For the Cruffins
- 3 cans refrigerated crescent dough 8 ounces each
- 1 cup peach preserves organic if possible
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Group: For the Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare your muffin tin with liners.
- Mix peach preserves and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Roll out the crescent dough and press the seams together to form rectangles.
- Spread the peach mixture evenly over each dough rectangle.
- Roll the dough into logs, slice them in half, and twist each piece into a spiral.
- Place the twists into the muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
- Whisk powdered sugar and heavy cream to make a glaze, then drizzle over the warm cruffins.
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I use my own homemade dough instead of crescent rolls?
Yes, but it will be a much longer process! This recipe is specifically designed as a quick "hack" using the convenience of store-bought canned crescent dough, as recommended by brands like Pillsbury.
Why did all my jam leak out in the oven?
This usually happens for two reasons: you didn't firmly seal the seams of the crescent dough, or you used too much filling. A thin, even layer is all you need.
Can I make these in a mini-muffin tin?
Yes! Slice the log into 24 thinner rounds (instead of 8 thick ones per log) and place them in a mini-muffin tin. Bake time will be shorter, likely 12-15 minutes.
