cruller: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
lowinformal, culinary
Quick answer
What does “cruller” mean?
A type of fried pastry, typically made from a sweet, enriched dough, twisted into a ring or braided shape.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of fried pastry, typically made from a sweet, enriched dough, twisted into a ring or braided shape.
Any of various similar pastries, sometimes made with a choux paste (French cruller) resulting in a lighter, airier texture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is very rare in the UK and largely unknown. The American 'cruller' is not a standard category in British bakeries. The concept is approximated by 'doughnut' or 'plait'.
Connotations
In the US, it often evokes a sense of traditional, homestyle baking or a specific regional breakfast item. It lacks cultural resonance in the UK.
Frequency
Used almost exclusively in American English, with higher recognition in areas like New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.
Grammar
How to Use “cruller” in a Sentence
I'd like a [ADJECTIVE] cruller.They sell [NUMBER] crullers.This is a cruller from [PLACE].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in the specific context of bakery/food service management or marketing.
Academic
Extremely rare, potentially in historical or cultural studies of food.
Everyday
Used in casual conversation about food, particularly breakfast or snacks, primarily in North America.
Technical
Used in culinary arts to specify a type of dough or frying technique for pastries.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cruller”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cruller”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cruller”
- Misspelling as 'cruler' or 'crueller'.
- Using it as a generic term for all doughnuts outside of North America.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A cruller is a specific type of doughnut, often distinguished by its twisted or braided shape and sometimes a different dough (like choux paste for French crullers) which makes it lighter and airier than a standard, cake-like doughnut.
It is very unlikely. The 'cruller' as known in North America is not a standard bakery item in the UK. You might find similar-looking plaited or twisted doughnuts, but they would not typically be labelled as crullers.
Yes, etymologically. The word comes from the Dutch 'krulle', meaning a curled cake or pastry, which is related to the Middle Dutch 'crullen' meaning 'to curl'. This references the pastry's characteristic twisted shape.
In American English, it's pronounced /ˈkrʌlər/, rhyming roughly with 'color'. The 'r' at the end is pronounced. In the rare event it's used in British English, the pronunciation would be similar but with a non-rhotic ending: /ˈkrʌlə/.
A type of fried pastry, typically made from a sweet, enriched dough, twisted into a ring or braided shape.
Cruller is usually informal, culinary in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cruller as a pastry you 'curl' into a twist before frying.
Conceptual Metaphor
A cruller is a coiled delight.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the word 'cruller' primarily used and understood?