The first ever vegan Cronut celebrates colorful, blissful wellbeing

When Sherwin-Williams partnered with Dominique Ansel to launch its 2024 Color of the Year, the celebrated pastry chef took inspiration from the breezy blue as the visual palate for a special Cronut offering. Although the color invokes a mood, it is the overall sentiment that led to the creation of the first ever vegan Cronut.

Similar to food trends, new colors look to create conversation. In previous years, vibrant, bold hues stimulate energy. Other years looked to rejuvenate with warm, comforting tones.

For its 2024 Color of the Year, Upward SW 6239 is meant to represent “gentle forward momentum.” As Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-William said, “It brings to life that carefree, sunny day energy that elicits a notion of contentment and peace. With this color, we invite our consumers to take a pause and infuse a new sense of ease and possibility into their spaces–one that doesn’t overwhelm, but rather establishes meditation and tranquility.”

Thinking about that sentiment, the idea of re-centering people’s approach to life can easily apply to the food space. It does not have to be a huge leap into a strict healthy eating routine, but it can be a specific choice to embrace balance on the plate.

As part of the color launch, Sherwin-Williams partnered with Dominque Ansel to create the first ever vegan Cronut. While the celebrate chef has an abundance of Cronut flavors that have been featured monthly at his shops, the vegan option has been not been in the bakery case.

Ansel is never afraid to innovate in the pastry world. That concept is clear in the Cronut. But, the basis of his desserts is butter. Finding ways to eliminate the dairy that is integral to those flakey layers and delicate honeycomb puts a focus on technique. Even with an ingredient swap, his expertise can find ways to capture the original recipe but present it in a new light.

Speaking to the vegan Cronut, Ansel said that this collaboration was the perfect time to bring this concept to life. “At first glance, Upward SW 6239 draws up a sense of balance and lightness for me; it’s the same feeling I wanted to impart into our very first vegan flavor. We sourced a butterfly pea flower tea which naturally imparts a soft blue shade into the filling, paired with a creamy coconut riz au lait, all the light and flaky layers that are signature to our pastry. This was an exciting challenge for me.”

The vegan Cronut features a coconut riz au lait, which is a type of rice pudding. The filling is infused with Butterfly Pea Flower Tea, which brings a similar hue to the 2024 color of the year. Even though the visual is stunning, everyone will want to cut into and enjoy the first bite.

Overall, the color and the Cronut are meant to spark a bigger conversation. That sense of well-being is a sentiment that people are starting to embrace. From the better appreciation of me time or the willingness to prioritize activities that bring joy, that sense of balance does not have to be forced. When people surround themselves with smart options, accepting the invitation to continually move forward is easy.

The first ever vegan Cronut is available for a very limited time. It is available Thursday, September 21 through Sunday, September 24 at the Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City. It is available until is it sold out each day.

The Sherwin-Williams 2024 Color of the Year, Upward SW 6239 is available in stores.