Hot Buttered Rum Glazed Cruller

In Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, there are no less than three different kinds of donuts present at the Van Tassel feast. This glazed cruller takes its inspiration from a popular autumn beverage – hot buttered rum. The Van Tassel table actually featured a Dutch style “crisp and crumbling cruller” – but I can’t resist a tender, airy French style cruller. Especially when it’s piping hot and dipped in a buttery, spiced, rum-spiked glaze! I’m sure Ichabod Crane wouldn’t be able to resist one of these hot buttered rum glazed crullers!

How to Make Hot Buttered Rum Glazed Crullers

Make the choux paste

French crullers are made from choux paste: a cooked dough. To make the choux paste add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a saucepan add the water and butter. Bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling and the butter has fully melted add the flour mixture all at once. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon and continue to cook until the mixture forms into a smooth ball.

Remove from the heat and transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let the dough cool down to room temperature. Fit the stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

Once the dough is cool begin to beat it with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs one at a time beating each time until the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. The dough will begin to look separated but keep beating and it will come together. The finished dough is smooth and sticky. If the dough is still warm, let it cool down completely before piping.

Pipe the crullers

Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Transfer the choux paste to the pastry bag. Roll out a sheet of parchment paper and secure it to the counter. Begin to pipe out the crullers onto the parchment paper in circles 2 inches in diameter. Once the crullers are piped out cut the parchment paper up so that each cruller is on a small piece of parchment. 

Make the hot buttered rum glaze

In a mixing bowl whisk together the icing sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the melted butter and rum and whisk until the glaze is smooth with no lumps. Cover the glaze with cling film and set aside.

Fry the crullers

Line a baking sheet with rack and set aside. Fill a wide, deep skillet or large pot with vegetable oil about 2 inches deep. Heat over medium high until the oil reaches 350 deg F. Turn the heat down so that you can maintain the temperature.  

To fry the crullers, pick up a cruller on parchment and slide the whole thing, including the parchment, into the oil. Tip the parchment so that the oil runs on top of the paper and under the cruller dough. After about 10 seconds use tongs to gently tug the parchment paper out from under the cruller. Fry 3 to 4 crullers per batch.

Fry the crullers for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the crullers over and fry for another 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and golden brown on both sides. Transfer the crullers to the rack-lined baking sheet to drain. 

Glaze the Hot Buttered Rum Glazed Crullers

Glaze the crullers while still hot as soon as you can pick them up. If the glaze has hardened, then you can warm it gently in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Drop each hot cruller into the glaze topside down and let sit for a few seconds. This will allow the glaze to melt. Twist the cruller so the whole top is covered then transfer the glazed cruller to a rack.

These crullers are best served the same day they are made and taste even better while still warm!