Chocolate Cruffins

Chocolate Cruffins - fancy looking yet easy dessert idea to impress your family and friends. A few simple steps yield a moist and chocolaty vegan dessert perfect for any occasion. 

Also try my Raisin Stuffed Cruffins.

The Fanciest Muffins - Chocolate Cruffins

I'm at it again. I'm making Cruffins or let's just say the cutest and most beautiful muffins...or cupcakes...or croissants. Who cares?

Given that, these whimsical sweet treats are delicious and easy to make, they're worth to be shared over and over again.

Jump to:

• The Fanciest Muffins - Chocolate Cruffins
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💭 Top tip
• 🍽 Storing
• 📖 Variations
• Substitutions
• 🍽 Similar Recipes
• Recipe

🥘 Ingredients

This vegan Chocolate Cruffin recipe doesn't require complicated ingredients. Here's what you'll need:

• plant milk - I used almond milk. I haven't tested this recipe with a different plant milk, but I think soy or oat milk will work here as well.
• yeast - to help the dough rise
• flour - I used all-purpose flour. Whole wheat pastry flour can also be used
• olive oil- for moisture. I tried this recipe with vegan butter, but it didn't yield the same good results
• Maple syrup - for sweetness. Agave can be used instead
• applesauce - for binding the ingredients together. Used as a "vegan egg"
• powdered sugar
• full fat coconut milk - to create that creamy-dreamy frosting. You'll only use the solid part, so make sure the can is nice and cold. It's best to refrigerate the can with a coconut milk for at least 2 hours
• Hu Chocolate gems - the only plant-based chocolate "chips" that I recommend. Sugar-free, Oil-free and Soy-free. Enter the code IRYNA15 for 15% off on all Hu Kitchen products.

🔪 Instructions

Although Chocolate Cruffins might seem complicated, there're actually really easy to make.

1. Proof the yeast 

In a large bowl combine warm (105-115 F) almond milk and active dry yeast. Let is sit for 10 minutes.

2. Combine milk-yeast and remaining liquid ingredients

Whisk in apple sauce, olive oil and Maple syrup to a bowl with milk and yeast.

3. Combine wet and dry ingredients

In another large bowl mix together flour and salt and stir in wet ingredients. Knead the dough by hands until it is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a dough with a clean kitchen towel and place the bowl in a warm place until it doubles in size. This should take about 40-60 minutes.

4. Prepare vegan chocolate frosting

Scoop out the solid part of coconut milk and add it to a small pot. Add Hu Chocolate gems and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Whisk until chocolate melts.

Remove from the heat, transfer the frosting to a heatproof bowl and let it cool on a counter. After that, place in a refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.

5. Divide the dough and roll it out

After your dough has doubled, divide it into 6 even size balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a rectangle (or oval) approximately 5 by 15 inches long. Brush the rectangle with some olive oil.

Starting from the short end, roll the dough into a log. Now, roll out the log until it’s about 10 inches long.

6. Shape the log into a Cruffin

Now, comes the easy part. Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut the log lengthwise into 2 smaller logs. Roll each log into a spiral and place into a muffin cavity. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

Note: this is the photo of making Raisin-Filled Cruffins. The process of shaping Chocolate Cruffins is the same, so I didn't take new pictures.

7. Let the dough rest and bake

After you fill out all muffin cavities, let the unbaked Chocolate Cruffins rest in a warm place for 30 minutes. After that, bake in a preheated to 350 F oven for 30 minutes.

Immediately, remove Cruffins on a cooling rack and let them cool for 15 minutes.

8. Fill cruffins with Chocolate Ganache

Using a pairing knife, slice a small section of the center of the cupcake, being careful not to slice through the bottom. The bigger the opening - the more frosting you can fill.

Remove the frosting from the fridge and using a hand whisk or spatula, whisk until it’s thick and suitable for piping.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a round tip, fill each opening with firmed ganache.

Finish off by dusting Chocolate Cruffins with some powdered sugar. Voila!

💭 Top tip

When cutting an opening in cruffins, try to make it as bigger as you can. That way you'll be able to fit more chocolate ganache inside.

🍽 Storing

These delicious Chocolate Cruffins will keep well on a counter for 1 or 2 days.

You can also freeze them. Just wrap them up tightly in a parchment paper or freezer-friendly bag and store in a freezer for up 1 month.

📖 Variations

Dried fruit. My original recipe had raisins inside. This one doesn't, however I'm sure these cruffins will be even juicer if you add raisins, dried cranberries or ever unsweetened dried cherries, mm! Use a maximum of 2 tablespoons per piece of dough.

Chocolate Chips. You can make these Cruffins even more chocolaty if you add Hu Chocolate gems inside the dough. As with the dried fruits, use a maximum of 2 tablespoon per piece of dough.

Substitutions

If you don't have chocolate chips for the frosting, you can use my other Vegan Chocolate Frosting with cacao powder recipe. It's just as easy and perfect for cruffins.

🍽 Similar Recipes

• Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins

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