Copycat Krispy Kreme Caramel Churro Doughnut
This doughnut is Krispy Kreme’s take on a churro — cinnamon sugar dusting with a whisper of caramel. At home, we can fix the weak caramel element while keeping it faithful to the original flavor balance. Think of this as a fluffy cinnamon sugar doughnut that sneaks in just enough caramel to nod to the fairground churro stand.
Ingredients:
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (100–110°F)
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
Oil, for frying
Coating & Caramel Glaze:
½ cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup caramel sauce (thinned with 1–2 tsp milk if too thick)
Method:
Mix yeast, milk, and sugar. Let foam 5 minutes. Add butter, egg, salt, and flour. Knead until smooth (8 min stand mixer). Dough should be soft but not sticky. Cover and rise 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
Roll to ½-inch thick, cut into rings. Rise 30 minutes.
Heat oil to 350°F. Fry until golden (1 min per side).
Drain on paper towels. While warm, roll in cinnamon sugar mix. Drizzle lightly with caramel sauce (thin enough to sink into the coating, not pool).
Tips:
For a truer churro vibe, fry until a touch darker than usual — just shy of crispy.
Dust the caramel drizzle lightly with extra cinnamon sugar so it clings like at the fair.