Strawberry Glazed French Crullers

The summer my neighbor brought over a flat of strawberries that could have filled a bathtub, I stood in my kitchen wondering what on earth to do with them all. Jam felt obvious, shortcakes felt done. That is when a faded cookbook fell open to a page on pate a choux, and something clicked. What if I married the delicate crunch of a French cruller with a glaze made from those impossibly red, sun warmed berries? Three batches later, I had my answer: pure, swoon worthy magic.

I made these for a brunch potluck thinking they would be a nice side, but they stole the entire show. People kept walking past the egg casserole and the fruit salad to grab seconds, then thirds. My friend David, who never comments on food, cornered me by the coffee station to ask, very seriously, if I could teach him. That reaction alone was worth every splattered oil drop on my stove.

Ingredients

• Water (1 cup, 240 ml): The foundation of your pate a choux, it creates the steam that puffs these crullers into their signature airy shape.
• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, 115 g, cubed): Cold cubes melt evenly into the water; unsalted lets you control the flavor balance.
• Granulated sugar (1 tablespoon, 12 g): Just a touch to help browning without making the dough sweet on its own.
• Salt (1/4 teaspoon): Essential for waking up every other flavor in the dough.
• All purpose flour (1 cup, 125 g): Measure by spooning into the cup and leveling off for accuracy, because pate a choux is sensitive to too much flour.
• Large eggs (4): Added one at a time after the dough cools, they provide structure and that gorgeous puff.
• Vegetable oil (for frying): You need about 2 inches of depth in your pot, and a neutral oil keeps the cruller flavor clean.
• Powdered sugar (1 cup, 120 g, sifted): Sifting is nonnegotiable here, unless you want lumpy glaze.
• Fresh strawberries (3 to 4, hulled): The riper and more fragrant, the better your glaze will taste.
• Lemon juice (2 teaspoons): Brightens the berry flavor and keeps the glaze from being cloying.
• Milk (1 to 2 teaspoons, as needed): Only if your glaze needs thinning, add it a drop at a time.

Instructions

Set up your station:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and fit a piping bag with a large star tip, roughly half an inch wide. Doing this now saves you from scrambling with sticky hands later.

Start the dough base:

Combine the water, cubed butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let it come to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally so the butter melts before the water fully boils.

Add the flour in one go:

Pour all the flour in at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls cleanly from the sides and forms a smooth ball. You will hear soft crackling and see a thin film on the pan bottom, which means it is done.

Cool before adding eggs:

Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough sit for about 5 minutes so the eggs do not scramble when they hit it. You want it warm but not hot to the touch.

Beat in the eggs one by one:

Add each egg separately, stirring or mixing thoroughly before adding the next, until the batter turns glossy, smooth, and falls in a thick ribbon from the spoon. This patience is what gives crullers their hollow, pillowy interior.

Pipe the rings:

Transfer the batter to your prepared piping bag and pipe 3 inch rings onto the parchment, leaving space between each one. Do not worry about perfection, they puff and forgive small wobbles.

Freeze until firm:

Slide the trays into the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until the crullers are firm enough to lift cleanly with a spatula. This step is the secret to keeping their shape in hot oil.

Fry in batches:

Heat oil in a deep heavy pot to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then gently lower each cruller in using a spatula. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and puffed, turning once, 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. Stir it into the sifted powdered sugar along with a splash of milk if needed for a thick but pourable consistency.

Dip and set:

Once the crullers have cooled, dip the tops into the glaze and place them back on the wire rack. Let them sit for about 10 minutes until the glaze sets into a beautiful, slightly matte shell.

Pin to board

The moment I placed a finished cruller on a plate and watched the pink glaze catch the morning light, I felt like I had created something that belonged in a shop window on a quiet street in Lyon. It stopped being just a way to use up extra berries and became the dish I now volunteer to bring everywhere.

What Nobody Tells You About Pate a Choux

The dough will look wrong after the first egg. It will separate and look curdled and you will be convinced you ruined it. Keep stirring. By the third or fourth egg, it transforms into something silky and beautiful, and you will feel like a wizard. Trust the process, because pate a choux rewards stubbornness.

Getting the Oil Temperature Right

A candy or deep fry thermometer is your best friend here, not guesswork. If the oil runs too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks through and you get a doughy center. Too cold and you get greasy, heavy rings. I keep my burner on medium and adjust in tiny increments, and I always test with a small scrap of dough first.

Serving and Storing These Beauties

These crullers are at their absolute best within a few hours of being made, when the exterior still shatters and the glaze has that fresh snap. If you must store them overnight, a brief warm up in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 5 minutes brings back some of the crunch, though the glaze may soften.

• Serve alongside strong coffee or a chilled glass of rose for a truly lovely pairing.
• Freeze dried strawberry powder folded into the glaze intensifies the berry flavor without thinning it out.
• Always remember that the joy is in making them, not in making them perfect.

Pin to board

Every time I make these, someone asks if they are difficult, and I always laugh and say no, they just require a little faith. Once you hear that first crackle in the oil and watch the dough bloom, you will be hooked.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I bake these 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 (200°C) for about 20–25 minutes, the results won't be quite as light or golden. Frying at 350°F (175°C) gives the most authentic result.

→ Why is my pâte à choux dough not smooth and glossy?

The key to smooth choux pastry is adding the eggs one at a time and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Make sure to let the flour mixture cool for about 5 minutes before adding the eggs, as heat can scramble them. The final batter should fall slowly from a spoon in a thick ribbon.

→ How do I get the ring shape for crullers?

Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (about 1/2 inch wide). Pipe 3-inch rings onto parchment paper, applying even pressure and connecting the ends smoothly. Freezing the piped rings for 20 minutes firms them up, making them much easier to transfer into the hot oil without losing their shape.

→ Can I make the strawberry glaze ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the glaze up to a day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, let it come to room temperature and stir well. You may need to add a small splash of milk to adjust the consistency, as it can thicken when chilled.

→ What's the best oil temperature for frying crullers?

Maintain the oil at 350°F (175°C) throughout frying. Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature closely. If the oil is too hot, the crullers will brown too quickly while remaining raw inside. If too cool, they'll absorb excess oil and become greasy rather than crisp.

→ How should I store leftover crullers?

Crullers are best enjoyed the same day they're made. If you need to store them, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. To re-crisp, place them in a warm oven (300°F/150°C) for about 5 minutes. The glaze may soften during storage but will set again upon cooling.