Absolutely delicious Carrot Cake Cruffins are crescent roll dough rolled up with all of the flavors of carrot cake, from the spices to the carrots to candied walnuts. The cruffins are rolled, cut, and baked in a muffin tin before being coated in more sugar and drizzled with a cream cheese glaze. It’s the next best (and unique) way to enjoy all the flavors of a carrot cake! I also have Cinnamon Sugar Cruffins that you will love!
What is a Cruffin?
We all know what a carrot cake is, but what about a carrot cake cruffin? A cruffin is a cross between a croissant and a muffin. However, in this case, I used crescent roll dough in place of croissant dough to make this an easy recipe that anyone can make (no homemade dough required). Then, the spices, shredded carrots, and nuts you would find in the cake are rolled up into these cruffins. I can almost guarantee they will be your new favorite way to enjoy the popular cake.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Dough: I used storebought crescent roll dough that came in sheets (no perforations). But, you could still use the original dough that does have perforations, just pinch the seams together. If you want to make the dough from scratch, I will give you a couple of recipes you could use next.
Butter: Unsalted butter gets rolled up in each cruffin, giving you plenty in every layer of the treat. You will also use butter in the cream cheese glaze.
Sugar and Spices: Granulated sugar is mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg to give you more of the flavor profile of carrot cake. Then, the cruffins are rolled into more sugar after they are baked.
Carrots: Of course, you can’t have carrot cake without carrots. Finely chop shredded carrots to add as a filling.
Nuts: I love nuts in my cake, and my candied walnuts bring this dessert to the next level of deliciousness! Be sure to have a few extra on hand for a topping.
Cream Cheese Drizzle: With cream cheese frosting being a popular choice to spread over carrot cake, I couldn’t forget about that!
Can I Make the Dough From Scratch?
Can I Make the Dough From Scratch?
Sure! If you want to make your own dough for these blueberry cruffins, there are a couple of options. You could check out my from-scratch Cruffin Recipe. Or, use the dough that I make for my Pumpkin Puff Pastry.
Can I Make Cruffins with Puff Pastry Sheets?
Yes! You could use 3 sheets of puff pastry (1 1/2 boxes), thawed according to package instructions, to make 12 cruffins. However, the baking instructions are a little different. If using a puff pastry sheet, follow the instructions for filling, rolling, and cutting. Place in the prepared muffin tin and bake for 24 minutes at 400°F. (Notice the baking time and temperature are different when compared to making the cruffins with crescent roll sheets.)
Mini Carrot Cake Cruffins
I have had quite a few people ask about making miniature cruffins, so I am here to let you know that you can certainly make these into mini carrot cake cruffins. With each sheet of crescent roll dough, instead of making 4 cruffins, you will make 8 (for a total of 24 if using all three sheets of dough). Cut each log in half (like the original), and then cut in half again, for 4 small ‘logs’ of dough. Cut each small log in half lengthwise for a total of 8. Roll as directed and place into the prepared mini muffin tin. Bake for 18 minutes at 350°F. Don’t forget about the cream cheese drizzle and more nuts for garnish!
How to Store Carrot Cake Cruffins
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cruffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to 2-3 days.
More Cruffins
Carrot Cake Cruffins
Ingredients
- 3 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll sheets
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (82.5 g) carrots, shredded and finely chopped (about 1 medium carrot), divided
- ¾ cup (88 g) candied walnuts, finely chopped, divided
Topping
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- ¼ cup (½ stick, 57 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (94 g) confectioners' sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk, or as needed for desired consistency, room temperature
- candied walnuts, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll out each tube of dough to a 12×16-inch rectangle. (We used crescent roll sheets; if you are using perforated crescent roll dough, be sure to pinch the seams to seal.)
- Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter evenly over each sheet of dough.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the mixture evenly over the top of each buttered dough sheet, gently pressing it into the dough.
- Top with ¼ cup each of carrots and walnuts.
- Starting on the long end of the dough sheet, tightly roll it up into a log.
- Cut the log in half, creating two shorter logs.
- Cut each of those shorter logs in half lengthwise, giving you four sections of dough.
- Repeat with the remaining two sheets of dough. You will have 12 sections of dough.
- Working one section of dough at a time with the layered side facing out, roll it tightly into a cinnamon roll shape, tucking in the end piece of dough.
- Place into the prepared muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining 11 sections.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- In the last few minutes of baking, add the granulated sugar to a bowl.
- Remove rolls from the oven and immediately roll each cruffin in the sugar.
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- While the cruffins cool slightly, in a medium bowl, mix together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and 2 tablespoons milk. Add more milk if necessary to thin the glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm cruffins.
- Garnish with candied walnuts. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Can I Make Cruffins with Puff Pastry Sheets?
Yes! You could use 3 sheets of puff pastry (1 1/2 boxes), thawed according to package instructions, to make 12 cruffins. However, the baking instructions are a little different. If using a puff pastry sheet, follow the instructions for filling, rolling, and cutting. Place in the prepared muffin tin and bake for 24 minutes at 400°F. (Notice the baking time and temperature are different when compared to making the cruffins with crescent roll sheets.) If you have other questions please feel free to read the post and see if I’ve answered it! 🙂Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
I’ve been excitedly waiting to make your carrots cake cruffins when I saw them in your kitchen video. Carrot cake is a favorite in our family. I’m curious to know about the texture/softness of the carrots so I am anxiously watching the oven for a taste. Thanks for the recipe.
PS I hope spring is arriving in your neck of the woods soon
How’d they turn out?
I will post a video today… check back to see how they turned out for us! 🙂
My best friend is visiting my new home later this month, she loves alllllll things carrot 🥕 so I will be making these for her. They look delish! I will let you know how I do. You are a triple threat. Funny, smart and can bake, the perfect combo!!!! I am a big fan 🙂
Hi I’m planning to make these to bring to a family function on Saturday. Would they be stay good if I made them Thursday or am I better off making them the morning of? Can’t wait to try these ! Thanks!
You can definitely make them Thursday. I would put them in an airtight container with a piece of bread and they should be perfect for your event!
I made these and for my first time making them I think they turned out pretty well. They ended up being kinda hard and dry tho not sure what I did wrong. They were excellent when heated in the microwave. Made them warmed, soft and fluffy. Any suggestions? Thank you!