Easy Croffle Hack From Grocery Store Frozen Croissants
Make Korean cafe style croffles at home with this easy hack! Defrost frozen mini croissants, brush in an egg wash, and stick in a Belgian waffle maker. Top with fresh whipped cream and fruit, and you’ve got yourself a fancy sweet treat! *Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
What are Croffles?
First there were cronuts, then there were cruffins… and now, the croffle! A croffle is a cross between a croissant and a waffle: a croissant waffle. It’s as simple as sticking an unbaked croissant into a waffle maker, et voila! A croffle is born. Like croissants, the croffle has a nice crispy outside and flaky insides, although being pressed in a waffle iron gives it a little denser chew. In fact, the waffle press accentuates the croissant’s surface area, making for an extra crispy snack! Or dessert. Or breakfast.
Korean Cafe Croffles
While I have no idea who invented the first croffle, it can’t be denied that croffles have really gained popularity from South Korea’s cafe culture. I’m seeing endless photos and videos on social media of decadent croffles from Korean cafes. While I haven’t been to Korea in over ten years, Korean cafe culture is popular enough that they’ve been popping up around southern California and Seattle too. You can always find a coffee and a cute sweet snack when you pop into a Korean cafe. I actually had a croffle at Korean cafe the last time I went down to LA to visit my family. I’ve also seen croffles at Korean owned cafes in Seattle as well.
What’s the hallmark of a Korean cafe croffle? One thing I’m seeing all over social media (and real life) is how cutely the croffles are decorated! Elegant swirls of whipped cream, chopped fruits or crushed cookies, and a drizzle of something sweet on top. These croffles are a work of art!
Easy No-Bake Croffle Hack
Despite how fancy they look, making croffles at home is way easier than you think! Although it is a lifelong goal of mine to one day make croissants from scratch, today is just not that day.
And here’s where the hack comes in: use frozen croissants! I personally like the 8 pack of frozen mini croissants from Trader Joe’s, as they taste great and fit perfectly in my Belgian waffle maker. I defrost them in the fridge overnight, brush them in an egg wash, and stick four of them in my waffle maker at a time. It only takes 3 minutes to cook!
Can I Use Ingredient Substitutions?
While I encourage you to feel free and switch up the croffle toppings, unfortunately there aren’t really any good substitutions for the frozen croissants themselves. Obviously, if you have unbaked croissant dough for whatever reason, use that! But other similar pastry doughs like crescent rolls won’t really work. You can still get the look and softness of a croffle with crescent roll dough, but it won’t have the same flaky layers as using real croissant dough.
Likewise, puff pastry dough also does not make a great substitute as puff pastry dough does not have yeast and would be hard and crispy.
Croffle Toppings
Ready to take your croffles to the next level, a la Korean cafes? Get your toppings ready! Here are some ideas:
- fresh whipped cream
- fresh berries
- jam
- sliced bananas
- crushed Oreos
- cinnamon sugar
- cream cheese
- kinako or injeolmi powder
- matcha
- honey
- Nutella
- peanut butter
- chocolate chips
- maple syrup
- edible flower petals
- chopped nuts
You could make a savory croffle as well with toppings like bacon, ham, brie, or other soft cheeses.
If you want a pretty swirl of fresh whipped cream like in my photos, simply use a piping bag and a star tip. But really, once you throw all the other toppings on there, even a spooned blob will look good!
These croffles are SO EASY and so fast, they would be great for hosting a brunch party or special breakfast!
More Delicious Breakfast Hacks
Love this easy waffle hack? Check out my other super easy recipe ideas!
Easy Croffle Recipe Hack
Ingredients
For Croffles
- 1 package frozen mini croissants, Trader Joe's brand recommended
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
For Toppings
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- chopped fruit or cookies, optional
- honey, maple syrup, or melted chocolate, optional
Equipment
- Belgian waffle maker
Instructions
- The night before serving, put your frozen croissants in the fridge to defrost.
- In the morning, mix one egg with one tablespoon of heavy cream. Brush the defrosted croissants with the egg wash.
- Place croissants in your Belgian waffle maker. My four quadrant waffle maker can cook four croissants at once. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until croissants are a deep golden brown.
- For the toppings, use an electric mixer to beat heavy cream and sugar to stiff peaks to make whipped cream. Top each croffle with whipped cream and chopped fruit or cookies of choice. Optional: drizzle honey, maple syrup, or melted chocolate on top.
- Serve croffles immediately. Leftover croffles can be kept without the toppings in an airtight container at room temperature.
