Flaky, buttery pastries tossed in sugar, filled with creamy Nutella, dipped in a fresh strawberry glaze, and topped with a homemade chocolate covered strawberry

Happy Valentine’s Day friends! Whether you are celebrating with a significant other, a friend, or your dog, I have the ultimate recipe for you!

Take your Valentine’s Day game to the next level this year with these chocolate covered strawberry croissant donuts (cronuts) filled with Nutella. Yes, you heard me right. I combined the greatest desserts of all time to make sure that you and your sweetheart have an extra special holiday!

My husband and I decided to have date night in this year as opposed to going out. This is mostly due to the fact that I am nine months pregnant, so the thought of doing most anything else is completely unappealing. I also could go into labor at any time so we figured we would play it safe and stay close to home.

Being that this is our last Valentine’s Day alone, I wanted to make him something memorable. And we all know that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach so I knew I needed to create an extraordinary dessert.

Every year I make him chocolate covered strawberries, or some version thereof. Our first year together I made them in crepe form, last year I went with the classic, and this year cronuts. I definitely won’t be able to one-up this next year, but it’s worth it.

This recipe is near and dear to my heart as it has been over a year in the making, so I hope you enjoy!

It has been a while since I shared a croissant donut recipe with you all, and since they are always one of my biggest hits, I figured it was time to visit them once again!

Cronuts, while quite possibly the most delicious culinary invention since pb&j, are not the easiest thing in the world to make. They aren’t impossible, nor should they intimidate you, they just take time. I’ve broken down the process into very detailed steps for you.

If you are having a hard time visualizing some of the steps, you can see pictures of me doing them here: LINK. Just note that the method and measurement I used this time are slightly different than in the PB&J recipe.

Honestly, what better way to show someone how much you care this Valentine’s Day than with a heartfelt, homemade, dessert?

The pastries are perfectly buttery and flaky, just look at those gorgeous layers! I filled them with thick, creamy Nutella because A) I’m kind of on a Nutella kick and B) Nutella and strawberries are soulmates.

Next, I dunked them in the prettiest, soft-pink, fresh strawberry glaze. The homemade chocolate covered strawberry is truly the cherry- or should I say strawberry- on top!

These croissant donuts are sure to “wow” that special someone this holiday. Make them for a romantic breakfast, bring them to a holiday party, or surprise someone who may not have a Valentine this year. Just whatever you do, spread some love (and deliciousness).

Once again, Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m “cronuts” about you all!

Recipe

*Makes 8-9 croissant donuts

Croissant Donut Ingredients

150 g (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) water, boiling
150 g (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) milk
75 g (1/3 cup + 2 1/4 teaspoons) granulated sugar
10 g (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast
500 g (3 3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons) bread flour
17 g (1 tablespoon) kosher salt
240 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, very cold

Nutella (for filling)

Croissant Donut Directions

1. Pour the milk and boiling water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir in the yeast and sugar and let dissolve. Let the mixture sit until frothy, approximately 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to the yeast mixture until dough comes together in a ball (approximately 2 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Knead the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a ball. Dust the ball with flour, put it into an oiled bowl, and refrigerate it for 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, make the butter block. Mix butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 20 seconds to make it easier to work with. Scrape the butter onto parchment paper and use a rolling pin to bash butter into a 9-by-4-inch rectangle. Place the butter block back in the fridge to stiffen up again.

5. Tip the dough out onto the lightly floured work surface and roll it into 10-by-8-inch rectangle. Place the butter block in the center of the dough. Stretch and fold the two longer sides over the butter block, like a letter, and pinch the edges to seal in the butter. Place the dough into a plastic bag and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.

6. Return the dough to the floured work surface and position it so that a short side is facing you and the flap is on the right (like a book). Roll the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and top third down to cover the bottom third (again like a letter). Turn the block 90 degrees so that the flap is on the right (again like a book). Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes. This is called a “turn”.

7. For the second turn, return the dough to the floured work surface and position it like a book. Roll the dough into a 22-by-9-inch rectangle. Repeat this process twice more (rolling, folding, turning, freezing) for a grand total of four turns. After the final turn, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

8. The next day, roll out the dough until it is 1/2-inch thick. Use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie-cutter to cut out the donuts. Use a 1-inch cookie-cutter to cut out the donut holes. Place pastries on a cookie sheet, 2-inches apart (to allow for spreading), cover with a plastic bag, and allow them to rise for 3 hours (donuts should double in size). *Note: A warm, humid environment is best for rising. To create this I put my pastries into a large trash bag, blow in warm air (like a balloon), and tie off the end*

9. Once donuts have doubled in size, heat 3 inches of oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 degrees F. Using a spoon with openings, gently place the donuts into the oil (no more than three at a time). Allow the donuts to brown before flipping (approximately 1 1/2 minutes each side). Place the donuts onto a bed of paper towels and dab to absorb as much oil as possible. When you are done, toss in the donut holes and fry for 1 minute.

10. Once cool enough to handle, dip pastries in sugar, covering completely and allow them to cool.

11. Use a pastry bag fitted with a long narrow tip to pipe Nutella into donuts. The easiest way to do this is to poke 4-5 holes into the bottom of the donut and pipe the Nutella in.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

8-10 small strawberries
4-5 ounces dark chocolate
2 ounces milk chocolate

1. Melt dark chocolate.

2. Holding the strawberries by the stem, dip them into the melted dark chocolate, letting the excess drip off.

3. Fill two piping bags, one with melted milk chocolate and one with melted dark chocolate. Cut a small hole in the tip of each and drizzle over dipped strawberries.

4. Place strawberries on parchment paper and allow the chocolate to set.

Strawberry Glaze

156 grams (1 1/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons strawberry puree (use fresh strawberries)
1 tablespoon strawberry jelly
1 teaspoon light corn syrup (optional)
2 teaspoons milk

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the powdered sugar, pureed strawberries, jelly, and corn syrup until well combined. Add in the milk and beat until smooth.

2. Dip donuts into glaze, top with homemade chocolate covered strawberry, and allow glaze harden. Pastries are best eaten the day they are made.