Traditional Dutch American 1800s Cruller recipe | Sleepy Hollow

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Step into the past of Dutch-American traditions

In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving paints a vivid picture of life in a Dutch-American village, complete with crumbling crullers. These deep-fried pastries, with golden corkscrew curls and delicate texture, evoke a time when such treats were hand-shaped and fried to perfection. While today’s crullers are often seen as doughnut-like confections, the original Dutch cruller was a different delight altogether—crisp, tender, and sure to crumble at the touch. Join us as we recreate this classic pastry, bringing a taste of Irving’s world to your kitchen.

“There was the doughty doughnut, the tender oly koek, and the crisp and crumbling cruller…”

-The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

What is a Cruller?

Today, the word “cruller” typically refers to a type of twisted doughnut. However, in Washington Irving’s time, a cruller was a deep-fried pastry shaped into corkscrew curls or love knots. The term “cruller” comes from the Dutch word krullen, meaning “to curl.”

Origins

Corkscrew Curls or Love Knots?

There are two traditional designs for the “crumbling cruller” found in The Sensible Cook, though neither is like the doughnut-style cruller we know today!

One design, common in Holland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, involves shaping the pastry into love knots. To make these, the dough is cut into elongated diamonds, then sliced down the middle so that the dough can be pulled through itself, creating the knot.

The other type of cruller, which we chose to make for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, is a corkscrew curl. This version is made by cutting the dough into strips, and then wrapping it around the handle of a wooden spoon before frying it in hot oil. True to the “crumbling” description, these crullers are crispy and delicate, so handle them with care!

Dutch-American Crullers

Bryton Taylor; Food in Literature
Step into the past with the Dutch-American tradition of crisp, golden crullers.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 9 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons cream optional

Instructions
 

  • Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and mix until combined.
  • Gradually add the flour bit by bit.
  • If the dough is too stiff, add the cream. Roll the dough to 1/6 inch thick, then cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide.
  • Twist each strip around the handle of a wooden spoon to form a curl, then gently slide it off into hot oil.
  • Fry until golden brown, then remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
  • Finish with a dusting of icing sugar, if desired.

Notes

For easier handling, we found it helpful to place the dough in the freezer for 2 minutes to help the crullers maintain their shape when dropped into the oil.
Tried this recipe?Many recipes are adapted from historical cookbooks so share your own tips & tweaks below to help others! 📝 Include ingredients or steps you modified and let everyone know how it turned out. Just remember, keep the conversation as warm and welcoming as Mrs. Weasley’s kitchen, please. ❤️

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2 Comments

  1. Hi,

    Thanks for providing this recipe. I have been looking for a source to get the crullers that I used to buy from the Buddha Bakers on Staten Island back in the late 60s. I guess I’ll have to make them myself.

    One Question: In the recipe when you list the ingredients, should “1⅔ flour” read 1⅔ cups flour?

    Thanks in advance

    Reply