In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and whisk together. Set aside.
Add the water and butter to a saucepan. 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.
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 so that each cruller is on a small piece of parchment.
Prepare the 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.
Line a baking sheet with rack and set aside. Fill a wide deep skillet 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 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 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 in the glaze 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!
Notes
*To make this recipe non-alcoholic substitute the rum with 3 tbsp of milk and add 1 tsp of rum extract