Cruller

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A cruller is a type of doughnut. It is often covered or topped in icing, which may be chocolate. It is often twisted (rather than round) in shape and unraised. The word comes from early 19th century Dutch kruller, from krullen "to curl."

It is most commonly found in New England and the Mid-Atlantic and North Central states of the USA, but it is also common in California.

In 2003, the Dunkin Donuts chain of doughnut shops stopped carrying traditional crullers, claiming that the hand-shaped treats were too labor-intensive, and couldn't be simulated with new machines for mixing doughnut batter.<ref>Boston Globe article With Progress, a Cruel Twist, 10/25/2003: http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2003/10/25/with_progress_a_cruel_twist/</ref>

A French cruller is a doughnut made from choux pastry. They are usually shaped like a fluted ring and have a light airy texture. Sometimes these are also simply known as "crullers," but they have little resemblance to the other kind of cruller other than that they are both types of doughnuts.

[edit] In popular culture

In an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ("Once More, With Feeling"), the character Xander makes a speech that includes the line "Respect the cruller, and tame the donut."
In an episode of Daria ("Through a Lens Darkly"), Jane refers to Daria as a "twisted little cruller".
In the film Wayne's World, Garth orders "coffee and crullers" as a hangover cure for a "partied-out" friend.
The comic strip "Get Fuzzy" noted the demise of crullers at Dunkin Donuts several times.