The Cronut is fried in what oil?

The Cronut is fried in grapeseed oil.

Dominique Ansel developed the Cronut as a croissant-doughnut hybrid at his New York bakery in 2013. Rather than baking the laminated pastry like a conventional croissant, he fries it, giving the exterior a lightly crisp surface while preserving the pastry’s layered interior.

Grapeseed oil is useful for frying because it has a relatively high smoke point and a mild flavor, so it does not overpower the pastry, flavored cream, or glaze. The choice is culinary rather than symbolic: the oil lets the Cronut’s buttery, laminated dough remain the focus.

A common mix-up is assuming that a Cronut is simply a croissant dropped into a deep fryer. Its dough is specially formulated and shaped, and the finished pastry is filled and topped after frying. The name itself combines “croissant” and “doughnut,” reflecting both parts of the invention.