Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins

I'll be honest with you, I didn't think anything could top my regular Sunday morning cinnamon rolls until I made these Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins last October.

Amy came downstairs while they were baking and asked if we were having "fall in a muffin pan" for breakfast. She wasn't wrong! The smell of brown butter mixed with pumpkin spice and cinnamon sugar coating the kitchen was absolutely incredible.

What I love most about these cruffins is how they look fancy but come together with simple ingredients. I've made them with both homemade sourdough puff pastry (when I'm feeling ambitious on a Saturday) and store-bought puff pastry (when it's a busy Tuesday morning). Both versions turn out beautifully flaky and golden.

Bradley, my 14-year-old who usually grabs a granola bar and runs out the door, actually sat down at the table for these. John took one bite and declared them "better than anything from that fancy bakery downtown." High praise from my biggest fan!

If you're looking for more fall breakfast ideas, you'll want to check out my Perfect Homemade Pancake Recipe that pairs wonderfully with these cruffins for a special weekend brunch.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cruffins
• What You'll Need For Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins
• How To Make Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins
• Storage & Reheating Your Cruffins
• Tips For Perfect Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins
• Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Conclusion
• Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins

Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cruffins

• Flaky and buttery texture that melts in your mouth with every bite
• Rich brown butter filling adds a nutty, caramelized flavor to the pumpkin spice
• Perfect for fall mornings when you want something special without too much fuss
• Uses sourdough discard so nothing goes to waste (or use store-bought puff pastry!)
• Makes your kitchen smell amazing with warm spices and butter
• Great for sharing at brunch gatherings or freezing for later

What You'll Need For Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins

The Sourdough Puff Pastry:

• 205g all-purpose flour
• 7g salt
• 226g (2 sticks) salted butter, cold and grated
• 60g water
• 113g sourdough discard

For The Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Filling:

• ⅓ cup salted butter, browned and slightly cooled
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

For The Coating:

• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
• ¼ cup granulated sugar + 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon, for rolling

Here's what I've learned about ingredients after making these dozens of times: make sure your butter is really cold when you grate it for the puff pastry. I keep mine in the freezer for about 15 minutes before grating.

For the pumpkin puree, I use canned 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). It's consistent and works perfectly every time.

How To Make Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins

Prepare The Sourdough Puff Pastry:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard and water until well combined.

2. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt to distribute evenly.

3. Add the grated cold butter to the flour mixture, and toss gently to coat each piece with flour.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the sourdough mixture into the center.

5. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough starts to form, then use your hands to knead until well combined with no dry bits of flour remaining.

6. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and flatten it out into a rectangle shape. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Laminate The Dough:

7. Place the chilled dough onto a heavily floured surface and dust the top with more flour.

8. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 18 inches by 8 inches (it doesn't have to be perfect).

9. Perform a book fold by folding the short sides towards the middle so they meet in the center, then fold the dough in half like closing a book.

10. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

Perform Letter Folds:

11. Place the dough onto a heavily floured surface and roll it into a long rectangle, approximately 24 inches by 8 inches.

12. Fold the dough into thirds by bringing one short end toward the center, then folding the other end over it, like folding a letter.

13. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

14. Repeat the letter fold process 1-2 more times, chilling for 30 minutes between each fold.

15. After the last letter fold, cut two long rectangular strips of parchment paper.

16. Roll the dough into a rectangle (12 inches by 8 inches), fold into thirds, and tuck a piece of parchment paper in between the folds to prevent sticking.

17. Refrigerate the laminated dough for at least 1 hour before using (or up to 3 days).

Prepare For Baking:

18. Preheat your oven to 375°F and generously grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with butter. Set aside.

Make The Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Filling:

19. In a medium bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.

20. Mix until the filling is smooth and well combined, then place the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up slightly.

Assemble The Cruffins:

21. Divide the chilled puff pastry in half (save the other half for another batch or freeze for later).

22. On a sheet of parchment paper, slightly roll out one half of the puff pastry to make it easier to work with.

23. Spread the pumpkin spice filling evenly all over the surface of the puff pastry.

24. Cut the filled puff pastry in half lengthwise to create two long strips.

25. Cut each strip in half again, and then half again, creating 8 equal strips of filled dough.

26. Starting at one end, roll each strip tightly like a snail or cinnamon roll, and place into the prepared muffin tin.

27. Brush the tops of each mini cruffin generously with the egg wash mixture.

28. Bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes, or until they are a deep golden brown and beautifully puffed.

29. Allow the cruffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes to set slightly.

30. Remove from the pan and immediately roll each warm cruffin in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely.

31. Serve warm and enjoy the flaky, buttery, spiced goodness!

The first time I made these, I got a little nervous during the laminating process. Don't worry if your layers aren't perfect! The butter creates steam during baking, and those beautiful flaky layers will happen anyway.

Storage & Reheating Your Cruffins

Store leftover cruffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They're best enjoyed fresh, but I've found they still taste great the next morning.

For longer storage, wrap each cruffin individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To reheat, pop them in a 300°F oven for about 8-10 minutes until warmed through. The microwave works too (about 20-30 seconds), but the oven keeps them crispier.

Here's a little secret: these actually taste even better the second day after the flavors have had time to meld together. The pumpkin spice filling soaks into the layers just a bit more.

Tips For Perfect Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins

Keep Everything Cold: This is huge! Cold butter creates those flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, pop the dough back in the fridge if it starts getting too soft while you're working.

Don't Skip The Chilling Time: I know it seems like a lot of waiting, but those rest periods in the fridge are when the magic happens. The gluten relaxes and the butter firms up.

Use A Light Hand When Rolling: You want to roll the dough gently but firmly. Too much pressure squishes out the butter, and not enough means uneven layers.

Brown The Butter Properly: Watch it carefully! Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. I use a light-colored pan so I can see the color change.

Make It Easier With Store-Bought: Honestly? If you're short on time, grab a sheet of store-bought puff pastry. I won't tell anyone, and your family won't know the difference.

Double The Recipe: These disappear fast at my house! If you're making them for a crowd (or you have teenagers like Bradley), use both halves of the puff pastry to make 16 mini cruffins.

Try Different Spices: While pumpkin pie spice is classic, I've also made these with just cinnamon or added a pinch of cardamom for something different.

Want to get creative? I've swirled in a little cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar before rolling them up. Amy declared that version "the best thing ever" until I made the next batch.

Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins FAQs

Recipes You May Like

• Moist Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins - Another breakfast favorite that uses simple ingredients and tastes amazing
• Carrot Cake Muffins - If you love these spiced cruffins, you'll adore these moist, perfectly spiced muffins
• Strawberry Cheesecake Danishes - Another flaky pastry recipe that's easier than you think

Conclusion

These Mini Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Cruffins have become one of my favorite fall recipes to make. The combination of flaky, buttery layers with that rich brown butter pumpkin filling is just perfect for cozy weekend mornings.

What I really love is how flexible this recipe is. You can make the fancy homemade sourdough puff pastry when you have time, or grab store-bought when you don't. Either way, you'll end up with something that looks and tastes like it came from an expensive bakery.

The smell alone makes it worth the effort. Last Sunday, I had the windows open while these were baking, and my neighbor Sarah texted asking what I was making because it smelled so good!

Whether you're serving these for a special brunch, enjoying them with your morning coffee, or just treating yourself to something special, I think you're going to love them as much as my family does.

Give these a try this weekend, and don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when pumpkin season rolls around next year!

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