Honeyed Mascarpone Croissant Donuts Recipe

This Honeyed Mascarpone Croissant Donuts recipe combines the buttery layers of croissants with the irresistible texture of freshly fried donuts. Featured on Flour Power, these indulgent pastries are topped with honeyed mascarpone icing, drizzled with golden honey, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and finished with fresh figs for an elegant bakery-style dessert.

The Inspiration

Few pastry creations have captured the imagination of bakers quite like the croissant donut. Combining two beloved classics—the delicate layers of a French croissant and the crispy indulgence of a donut—this hybrid pastry offers the best of both worlds. The result is a dessert that is simultaneously airy, flaky, rich, and satisfying.

On Flour Power, Jessica McGovern embraces baking projects that challenge home bakers while delivering spectacular results. These Honeyed Mascarpone Croissant Donuts showcase advanced pastry techniques while rewarding bakers with a truly memorable dessert experience.

Ingredients

• Croissant dough See Recipe 
• Canola oil, for deep-frying (or substitute with vegetable oil, grapeseed oil or sunflower oil)
• 1 cup (240 ml) caster sugar

Honeyed mascarpone icing

• 1 cup (240 ml) mascarpone cheese
• ½ cup (120 ml) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
• 1 1/3 cups (320 ml) icing sugar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) cornstarch

To finish

• ½ cup (120 ml) honey, for drizzling
• Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling
• Fresh figs, for topping

Special Equipment

• 4-inch (10 cm) ring cutter
• 2-inch (5cm) ring cutter)
• Pastry bag with medium tip

Method

• Let’s get baking!

To make the croissant donuts

• Roll out croissant dough to about ¾-inch (2cm) thickness. Using a 4-inch (10 cm) ring cutter, cut 12 circles out of dough. Using a 1-inch (5 cm) ring cutter, cut a circle out of the centre of each piece to create a donut-shape, reserving centre pieces.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour the parchment paper. Place the croissant donuts and reserved centre holes on to baking sheets at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proof for 1 ½ to 2 hours in a warm area of your kitchen (not too warm or close to direct heat as you don’t want the butter melting).
• When the dough has doubled in size, heat canola oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 F (175 C).
• Gently place a few croissant donuts and croissant donut holes in the oil and fry for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side, flipping once.
• Remove pieces one at a time, shaking off excess oil. Place on a paper towel-lined plate. Check oil temperature and wait until it reaches 350 F (175 C) before continuing to fry the remaining pieces.
• Let cool completely, and then toss in caster sugar.

To make the honeyed mascarpone icing

• Add mascarpone, unsalted butter, and honey to a bowl. Using a hand mixer, blend until fluffy. Slowly add icing sugar and cornstarch and blend until smooth. Fit a pastry bag with a medium tip and fill it with half of the icing, leaving the remaining icing in the bowl.

To finish

• Use the pastry bag to drizzle lines of honeyed mascarpone icing across each croissant donut. Dip the croissant donut holes in the remaining icing in the bowl. Place a hole in the middle of each croissant donut. Drizzle croissant donuts with honey. Sprinkle with flakes of sea salt. Adorn with sliced fresh figs.
• Serve fresh.

Serving Suggestions

Pair these croissant donuts with freshly brewed coffee, cappuccino, espresso, café au lait, or premium loose-leaf tea. The rich mascarpone icing and buttery pastry complement hot beverages beautifully while enhancing the overall experience. For entertaining, serve alongside fresh fruit, yogurt parfaits, and other pastries for an impressive brunch spread.

These pastries also work wonderfully as a luxurious dessert. The combination of flaky croissant layers, creamy icing, floral honey, and ripe figs creates a sophisticated finish to any meal. Their balance of sweetness and texture makes them ideal for celebrations where guests appreciate unique and memorable desserts.

Final Thoughts

This Honeyed Mascarpone Croissant Donuts recipe is a remarkable fusion of classic French pastry and indulgent donut craftsmanship. Combining laminated croissant dough with deep-frying techniques creates an extraordinary texture that is crisp, airy, buttery, and utterly irresistible.

Featured on Flour Power with Jessica McGovern, this recipe demonstrates how advanced baking techniques can produce truly spectacular results. The luxurious honeyed mascarpone icing, fresh figs, sea salt, and honey drizzle elevate these pastries from a simple treat to a gourmet dessert experience.