An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Krapfen
Krapfen (1.), Krappe, masculine, from the equivalent Middle High German krâpfe (Middle German krâpe), masculine, ‘a kind of pastry, fritter'; Old High German chrâpfo, masculine, originally identical with the following word; so called from the hooked form of the pastry.
Krapfen (2.), masculine, ‘cramp, hook, dung-fork,’ from Middle High German krâpfe, krâpe, masculine, ‘hook, cramp,’ Old High German chrâpfo, ‘hook,’ also ‘claw, talon’; the Gothic form. *knêppa is wanting, nor is the word found in the other Teutonic languages; before the High German permutation of consonants it passed in the form grappo, grapo into Romance (Italian grappa, ‘cramp, talon,’ French grappin, ‘grapnel’). Compare further English craple, ‘claw, talon.’ It is doubtful whether Old High German chrâcho (Gothic krêkka), masculine, ‘hooked instrument,’ and Scandinavian kraki, masculine, ‘stake,’ are allied. The stem of Krapfen appears in a nasal form in Old High German chrampf, ‘curved,’ and Old High German chrampfa, chrampho, masculine, ‘iron hook’ (compare French crampon, ‘cramp, borrowed from Old High German). Consequently Krapfen is connected with Krampf.