With fresh key lime in a sweet cream cheese icing and twisted throughout the pastry layers of these Key Lime Cruffins, every bite is full of incredible lime flavor.
A Sweet-Tart Key Lime Dessert
If you’re a fan of key lime pie, you’re sure to devour these Key Lime Cruffins! I worked key lime zest or juice in each layer of pastry, the cream cheese icing, and as a garnish on top to make this a true lime lover’s treat.
What is a Cruffin?
What’s a cruffin? A cruffin is a cross between a croissant (or crescent roll) and a muffin. Not to be mistaken for a puffin, a puff pastry muffin combo (also an adorable sea bird), or a biffin, a muffin made with biscuit dough. Though, both of those sound delicious!
What’s the difference between crescent roll and puff pastry? Great question! They’re both laminated doughs, but crescent roll dough contains yeast that makes them bake up puffy and light. Which is the texture we’re going for!
Why are you using store-bought dough? We actually made cruffins years ago with homemade dough (to replicate the famous ones at Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC), but that was way too much work for every day baking. So, I created a quick recipe using canned crescent roll dough and here we are!
A Treat for Citrus Lovers
I love desserts made with lemons or limes. The balance of the sweet and sour is so refreshing! And these key lime cruffins are just filled with zingy fresh lime flavor from the icing on top to the layers of pastry on bottom. And while the graham cracker crumb garnish is optional, it sure does make it taste like key lime pie. It’s a must-try!
What Makes a Key Lime Special?
What’s the difference between key limes and other limes? Key limes are smaller than other limes and have a thinner rind and more seeds. They’re also more acidic, which means they’re more fragrant and have a stronger flavor than other varieties of lime. Another name for key lime is Mexican lime or a bartender’s lime.
What Do I Need to Make Key Life Cruffins?
(see recipe card for measurements and details)
- Canned crescent roll dough
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
- Key limes
- Cream cheese, softened
- Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- Milk
- Kosher salt
- Pastry roller
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Nonstick cooking spray
More Delicious and Simple Cruffin Recipes
Sweet or savory, it’s hard to deny the appeal of the cruffin! My Delicious and Simple Cruffin Recipes bake up easy with store bought crescent rolls and simple ingredients.
How to Make Key Lime Cruffins
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Roll out each sheet of the crescent roll dough until you have 3 larger rectangles that are slightly larger than what you started with and the perforated lines are blended back together.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter onto each of the sheets.
- Sprinkle the top of each of the buttered sheets with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of the graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon of the key lime zest.
- Starting on the long end of the rectangle, roll up the dough tightly into a log. The more rolls you have, the more layers the cruffins will have.
- Cut the dough in half, giving you shorter logs.
- Then cut each of those logs in half, lengthwise.
- Repeat with the other two sheets. When you’re finished, you should have 12 pieces.
- Take each piece and wrap it around your finger to form the shape of a muffin, with the layered side facing out.
- Place each rolled piece in the greased muffin pan.
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
- Meanwhile, make the icing. Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed until just combined and then medium speed until well combined and smooth.
- Add the milk and key lime juice and whisk until smooth and of drizzling consistency. Add additional milk if the icing is too thick or additional powdered sugar if the icing is too thin.
- Stir in the key lime zest and a pinch of salt.
- Remove the cruffins from the oven and let set for a few minutes in the pan before removing them from the pan to a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Pipe or drizzle each cruffin generously with the icing.
- Garnish each cruffin with some graham cracker crumbs and key lime zest, if desired.
How to Serve and Store Cruffins
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover cruffins in an airtight container on the counter for three days. You can also warm them individually in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
To freeze cruffins, first let the icing set completely. I recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap then putting in a freezer-safe container or in individual freezer-safe baggies. To defrost, let them set at room temperature, uncovered, so they don’t absorb too much of the moisture. They should maintain great quality if frozen for 2-3 months.
If you make these Key Lime Cruffins, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Key Lime Cruffins
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cruffins
Description
With fresh key lime in a sweet cream cheese icing and twisted throughout the pastry layers of these Key Lime Cruffins, every bite is full of incredible lime flavor.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 3 (8 ounce) tubes crescent roll dough
- 6 tablespoons butter, completely softened
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons key lime zest (the zest of about 15 mini key limes)
Icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons key lime juice
- 2 teaspoons key lime zest
- Pinch of salt
Garnishes:
- 1 tablespoon finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Roll out each sheet of the crescent roll dough until you have 3 larger rectangles that are slightly larger than what you started with and the perforated lines are blended back together.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter onto each of the sheets.
- Sprinkle the top of each of the buttered sheets with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of the graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon of the key lime zest.
- Starting on the long end of the rectangle, roll up the dough tightly into a log. The more rolls you have, the more layers the cruffins will have.
- Cut the dough in half, giving you shorter logs. Then cut each of those logs in half, lengthwise.
- Repeat with the other two sheets. When you’re finished, you should have 12 pieces.
- Take each piece and wrap it around your finger to form the shape of a muffin, with the layered side facing out. Place each rolled piece in the greased muffin pan.
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
- Meanwhile, make the icing. Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed until just combined and then medium speed until well combined and smooth. Add the milk and key lime juice and whisk until smooth and of drizzling consistency. Add additional milk if the icing is too thick or additional powdered sugar if the icing is too thin. Stir in the key lime zest and a pinch of salt.
- Remove the cruffins from the oven and let set for a few minutes in the pan before removing them from the pan to a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle each cruffin generously with the icing. Garnish each cruffin with some graham cracker crumbs and key lime zest, if desired.
hi my name is Renee and I live the key lime cruffin but I was wondering is there another kind of filler I don’t like the cream cheese thank you
Hi, Renee! The cream cheese is only used in the icing on top and not in any of the filling. You can absolutely use a simple icing like this one – https://thebakermama.com/recipes/how-to-make-simple-icing/ to drizzle on top instead. Hope this helps! ❤️