I did something deliciously outrageous.
Again.
Maybe “terribly wonderful” fits better — you decide.
Guys — puff pastry doughnuts. Puff pastry! They’re ridiculously simple, yet flaky and sensational. I almost called these cronuts, but they’re not really cronuts; still, the flavor and texture are strikingly similar.
I made these while testing recipes for Eddie’s birthday dessert. He always gets a “real” birthday dessert and a blog-test dessert in advance — this was his blog dessert, and he loved it so much he’s even asked for it as his actual birthday treat. He’s a cookies-and-cream fanatic: it’s his go-to ice cream and he’ll grab any cookies-and-cream doughnut he sees. We’ve even battled over one a time or two.
What’s shocking is how embarrassingly easy these are. I was so tempted to eat a couple before writing this because they’re that good.
The method is straightforward: store-bought puff pastry, thaw, cut into rounds, and fry. I didn’t have typical frying oil on hand and used coconut oil — yes, they fry up beautifully in coconut oil. That doesn’t make them healthy, but it does make them delicious.
After frying, the finishing touch elevates them: a creamy vanilla glaze and a generous sprinkling of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies. The crunch of the cookies against the flaky, buttery layers of puff pastry is heavenly — the texture and sweetness might bring you to tears. I certainly wanted another doughnut right away.
Cookies and Cream Puff Pastry Doughnuts
Yield:
12 doughnuts
1 hr
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Ingredients
- coconut, vegetable or canola oil for frying
- 4 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 heaping cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (like Oreos)
Instructions
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Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil over medium-low heat in a large pot fitted with a candy thermometer. Maintain the oil at about 350°F (175°C).
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Unfold the puff pastry sheets and slice each sheet into thirds along the seams. Brush one side of each cut piece with beaten egg, stack three pieces together, brushing between layers so they stick. Repeat until you have four stacked rectangles.
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Use a biscuit or doughnut cutter to cut rounds from the stacked pastry; you should get about three doughnuts from each stack. Cut a hole in the center of each with an apple corer or similar tool. Save and fry any scraps if you like.
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Fry 2 to 3 doughnuts at a time so the oil temperature stays steady. Fry until golden and puffed, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
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To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, milk and vanilla extract. Stir for several minutes until smooth. Adjust consistency with more milk (1 tablespoon at a time) if too thick, or more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) if too thin.
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Dip each warm doughnut in the glaze, then sprinkle generously with crushed cookies. Serve immediately for the best texture.
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Note: if you prefer, skip stacking the pastry sheets — you’ll still have tasty doughnuts, though they won’t be as tall and flaky.
Did you make this recipe?
I appreciate you so much!
The layers — flaky, buttery, and irresistibly good.