The Irresistibly Buttery Homemade Flaky Croissants Recipe

Crisp mornings call for warm, golden homemade flaky croissants that melt in your mouth with buttery perfection.

Baking these delicate pastries seems intimidating, but anyone can master the art with patience and technique.

The delicate layers of dough fold together like a delicious architectural marvel.

Each carefully crafted croissant tells a story of culinary tradition and personal passion.

Professional bakers and home cooks alike understand the magic of creating these stunning French classics.

Buttery, light, and irresistibly golden, these croissants promise to elevate your breakfast or afternoon tea experience.

Let your kitchen become a canvas for this delightful pastry adventure.

How To Make Homemade Flaky Croissants Easily

• Launch the Dough Base

Mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a spacious mixing bowl. Pour warm milk and softened butter, blending until a cohesive dough emerges. Knead thoroughly for several minutes, creating a smooth texture. Allow the dough to rest and expand for about an hour.

• Craft the Butter Foundation

Carefully sandwich cold butter between parchment paper. Transform the butter into a perfectly shaped square, then refrigerate until firm and solid.

• Create Delicate Layers

Roll the dough into a broad, flat shape. Position the chilled butter block centrally. Gently fold dough edges over the butter, creating a sealed package. Roll into a long, thin rectangle. Fold the dough into elegant thirds, mimicking a love letter. Chill the dough between each folding session, repeating the process multiple times.

• Shape Elegant Crescents

Stretch the dough into a wide, thin rectangle. Slice into elegant triangular pieces. Carefully roll each triangle from its base, curving into classic crescent shapes. Arrange on a baking sheet and allow them to rise and become puffy.

• Transform into Golden Pastries

Heat the oven to a toasty 375F. Brush croissants with a luxurious egg wash. Bake until they turn a beautiful golden brown, developing irresistible flaky layers. Rest briefly before serving these heavenly treats.

Tips And Edits For Homemade Flaky Croissants

• Butter Temperature Magic: Keep butter cold but pliable for perfect lamination. Too warm means melting, too cold means tearing – aim for a flexible consistency like modeling clay.
• Patience is Your Pastry Partner: Don't rush the folding and chilling process. Each resting period develops those dreamy, delicate layers that make croissants legendary.
• Gluten-Free Transformation: Swap wheat flour for a gluten-free blend with xanthan gum. Expect a slightly different texture but still delicious results.
• Flavor Adventure Variations: Experiment with filling options like almond paste, chocolate chips, or savory ham and cheese before rolling your croissant triangles for exciting taste twists.
• Make-Ahead Breakfast Brilliance: Shaped, unrisen croissants can be refrigerated overnight, then brought to room temperature and baked fresh in the morning for effortless breakfast magic.

Serving Homemade Flaky Croissants With Style

• Breakfast Bliss: Start your morning with these freshly baked croissants paired with a steaming cup of French press coffee. The buttery layers will perfectly complement the rich, bold coffee flavors.
• Afternoon Tea Treat: Serve these croissants alongside a selection of artisan jams, soft cheeses, and honey. Create a delightful spread that turns a simple snack into a gourmet experience.
• Decadent Dessert Base: Transform these croissants into a luxurious bread pudding or use them as a base for an elegant chocolate-filled dessert. Their flaky texture adds an incredible depth to sweet creations.
• Picnic Perfect Sandwich: Split the croissants and fill with premium ham, Swiss cheese, or create a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables and herbed cream cheese. These croissants elevate any sandwich from ordinary to extraordinary.

How To Store Homemade Flaky Croissants Right

• Cooling Countdown: Allow freshly baked croissants to cool completely at room temperature for maximum flavor retention before storing.
• Airtight Sanctuary: Keep croissants in sealed containers or zip-lock bags to maintain crispness and prevent moisture absorption.
• Refrigeration Strategy: Store plain croissants in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, ensuring they're tightly wrapped to prevent drying out.
• Freezing Magic: Wrap individual croissants in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and briefly warm in the oven for restored freshness.
• Morning Bliss: Slice croissants and fill with scrambled eggs, ham, or cheese for a gourmet breakfast sandwich.
• Afternoon Delight: Create mini brunch platters with croissants, fresh fruits, and light spreads like jam or honey.
• Dessert Transformation: Turn day-old croissants into decadent bread pudding or French toast for a delicious second life.
• Savory Twist: Use croissants as a base for open-faced sandwiches with chicken salad or smoked salmon.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Total Time: 10-14 hours

Calories: 232 kcal

Servings: 17

All Ingredients For Homemade Flaky Croissants

• Bread Flour, All-Purpose Flour: Select high-protein flour for sturdy, light croissant structure with maximum rise and layers.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides gentle sweetness and helps activate yeast for perfect dough development.
• Active Dry Yeast: Essential living ingredient creating airy, delicate texture and complex flavor profile.
• Salt: Enhances overall taste and controls yeast fermentation during dough preparation.

• Whole Milk: Delivers rich creaminess and helps activate yeast with warm temperature.
• Unsalted Butter: Creates signature flaky layers and provides rich, luxurious taste throughout croissant.

• Egg: Creates golden, glossy exterior with beautiful shine when brushed before baking.

Things You’ll Need For Homemade Flaky Croissants

• Large mixing bowl: Essential for combining dry and wet ingredients to create dough.
• Rolling pin: Crucial for rolling out dough and creating precise layers.
• Baking sheet: Needed to shape and bake croissants evenly.
• Parchment paper: Perfect for rolling butter block and preventing sticking.
• Pastry brush: Used to apply egg wash for golden, shiny finish.
• Sharp knife or pizza cutter: Helps cut dough into precise triangles.
• Plastic wrap: Important for chilling and resting dough between folding stages.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Ensures accurate ingredient measurements.

Golden Homemade Flaky Croissants Recipe

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• Total Time: 10-14 hours
• Yield: 17 1x

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Description

French croissants embody buttery, delicate perfection from classic Parisian bakeries. Layers of rich dough fold carefully, creating golden crescents that melt gently on eager palates with crisp, flaky textures you will savor.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 cups (500 g / 17.6 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) warm milk
• 1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, cold
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup (50 g / 1.8 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp milk

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Instructions

1. Dough Preparation: Blend flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of dry ingredients.
2. Liquid Integration: Mix warm milk and softened butter into the dry ingredients, creating a unified, smooth dough through thorough yet gentle mixing.
3. Kneading Process: Work the dough vigorously until it develops a silky, elastic texture with consistent smoothness, indicating proper gluten development.
4. First Fermentation: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm space until it doubles in volume, creating a light and airy foundation.
5. Butter Block Creation: Flatten chilled butter between parchment paper, forming a precise square that will be integral to the lamination technique.
6. Lamination Technique: Carefully encase the butter block within a rolled dough rectangle, folding edges to seal and create intricate, delicate layers.
7. Layering Process: Execute multiple rolling and folding cycles, interspersed with chilling periods to maintain distinct butter and dough layers, which will ultimately generate the signature flaky texture.
8. Shaping Croissants: Roll the refined dough into triangular shapes, carefully transforming each piece from broad base to pointed tip, then curve into classic crescent forms with tight, uniform configuration.
9. Proofing Stage: Allow shaped croissants to expand in a warm environment, developing a light, airy internal structure and preparing for baking.
10. Final Preparation: Brush croissants with egg wash to create a golden, lustrous exterior, then bake in a preheated oven until richly bronzed with crisp, delicate edges.
11. Serving: Rest freshly baked croissants briefly, allowing them to stabilize and fully develop their complex textural characteristics before serving.

Notes

• Master Temperature Control: Keep ingredients and workspace around 65-70°F to prevent butter from melting during lamination, ensuring perfect flaky layers.
• Handle Dough Gently: Minimize excessive handling to maintain delicate butter layers, which create signature croissant texture and prevent tough pastry.
• Patience with Proofing: Allow croissants to rise in a draft-free, warm environment until they’re visibly puffy and soft, typically 1-2 hours.
• Precision in Rolling: Use consistent, gentle pressure when rolling to maintain even butter distribution and prevent butter from breaking through dough layers.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 17
• Calories: 232
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Fat: 14 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 37 mg