In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
Add lukewarm milk and softened butter. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Butter Layering (Laminating)
Punch down the dough. Roll it out into a large rectangle (about 12x18 inches).
Scatter the cold butter cubes evenly over two-thirds of the dough rectangle. Fold the unbuttered third over the middle third, then fold the remaining buttered third over that, like folding a letter. You should have three layers of dough with butter in between.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a long rectangle. Fold it into thirds again. Repeat this process 2 more times, ensuring you chill the dough for 30 minutes in between each set of folds. This creates the flaky layers.
Shaping and Baking
Roll the final dough into a rectangle (about 10x16 inches). Cut it into 12 equal strips.
Roll each strip up loosely, starting from one end, to form a spiral. Place each rolled cruffin into a greased muffin tin.
Cover the muffin tin and let the cruffins rise for another 30-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
Glazing (Optional)
While the cruffins are cooling slightly, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the warm cruffins.
Notes
Enjoy these homemade cruffins warm for the best flaky texture!