This homemade croissants recipe is easy to make and produces perfectly flaky croissants. We show you step-by-step how to make the croissant dough as well as an easy technique for creating the butter layer. With this recipe, you will be able to make chocolate croissants, almond croissants, and plain croissants all in one bake! This is over a year of croissant baking and testing. Our secrets are unlocked here!
It’s time to tackle a bucket list item and dive into making fresh croissants at home! There is nothing more satisfying than seeing your handmade croissants puff up in the oven and turn into deep golden brown layers of buttery goodness. The payoff is huge with this recipe as there is nothing better than a freshly baked croissant. Once you learn to make these, I promise you won’t want to do store-bought croissants ever again.
I’m going to share the step-by-step of how to make the croissant dough with photos to guide you along. There are even some tricks for making the butter layer and folding it in that will help you feel like a real pastry chef! You don’t need any fancy ingredients or special equipment to make these. Let’s get right into the simple steps of making the croissants so you can see the process over a few days. Read through the next section for tips and photos to make this homemade croissants recipe, and then when you are ready, you can jump to the recipe card below.
The Basic Steps to Making Homemade Croissants Recipe at Home
- Day 1- Making the croissant dough (see step-by-step below)
- Mix the ingredients to make the croissant dough- flour, sugar, yeast, water, milk, butter, salt
- Allow dough to rise and then roll it out. Fold it and store in a Ziplock or plastic wrap in the fridge.
- Make the butter layer (see our trick below) and store in the fridge overnight.
- Day 2- Putting the butter layer inside the dough and making the folds
- Roll out the croissant dough and place the butter layer inside.
- Roll out the dough, fold, and chill in fridge.
- Roll out dough again, fold, and chill.
- Roll out the dough one last time, fold and chill.
- Roll out dough, cut into triangles, and shape the croissants.
- Apply egg wash and bake.
What is the secret to a good croissant?
Allowing for a proper resting time in the fridge in between the folds. If you want a flaky outside with buttery layers inside, then allow your croissant dough to rest in the fridge. This ensures the dough stays chilled, which keeps the butter from melting into the dough. When you go to bake up the croissants, the layers of butter and dough create pockets of steam which lifts the layers apart and leaves you with all those amazing flaky buttery layers.
Are croissants difficult to make?
While making croissants from scratch is a labor of love, it is so worth it! It really is not that hard to make croissants. Folding the dough multiple times is the most important part and requires your due diligence to remember to make the folds throughout your day. But if you set a timer on your phone, you won’t forget to make your folds.
How many layers are best for croissants?
We aim for 36 butter layers in this homemade croissants recipe, which can be produced with one letter fold (Trifold), then one French fold (also known as a Four Fold), and a final letter fold. We show you techniques for creating an easy butter layer as well as folding the dough enough times without overdoing it. You can make the butter layers too thin if you fold the dough too many times.
How do I get more flaky layers in my homemade croissants recipe?
When you fold the dough several times, you combine layers of dough with layers of butter. It is these folds that allow the flaky layers to get created during the baking of the dough.
What is the best butter for croissants?
European-style butter tends to be better than American butter because it has a higher fat content with no additives. Our favorite is Kerrygold unsalted butter.
What is the best flour for croissants?
While you can make perfectly flaky croissants with all-purpose flour or bread flour, we recommend using a combination of both. The bread flour helps keep the puffed shape of the croissant because bread flour has a higher protein count which can help retain structure in baked goods.
What happens if you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
You can use either salted or unsalted butter in this homemade croissants recipe. Simply adjust the amount of salt in the croissant dough recipe if you use salted butter.
Does croissant dough have to sit overnight?
It helps to let the croissant dough sit overnight in the fridge so the yeast in the dough has time to proof. The dough will also develop flavor while it sits in the fridge. You don’t have to let the dough sit overnight, as the yeast should activate and the dough will proof within one to two hours.
Should you chill croissants before baking?
It’s a good idea to keep the croissants cold so the butter doesn’t melt into the dough. You can proof them in the fridge if your house is warm, 75 degrees F or higher.
How do I get more flaky layers in my croissants?
When you fold the dough several times, you combine layers of dough with layers of butter. It is these folds that allow the flaky layers to get created during the baking of the dough.
Here are the steps to make the croissant dough:
1. In a mixing bowl, add 400 grams of all purpose flour and 200 grams of bread flour.
Add 60 grams of sugar
6 grams of active dry yeast
270 grams of warm water
70 grams of warm milk (almond milk is okay)
Stir ingredients together with a wooden spoon and allow dough to be shaggy
You can add an additional 50 grams of warm water (only if the dough is too dry). Add a little at a time until dough is shaggy and somewhat sticky.
Note: For the croissant dough, you can use all purpose flour or bread flour or a combination of both. We prefer using a combination of all-purpose flour and bread flour because the croissants come out more puffy with a flaky outer layer.
2. Add 4 Tbsp of room temp softened butter to the dough
Add 10 grams of salt.
Use a hand to squish and mix the butter and salt into the dough. The dough will start to get glossy from the butter, but it will be absorbed into the dough when you let it proof.
3. Cover the bowl with a towel and place the bowl in a warm place for one to two hours. Check it at one hour, and if it has doubled in size, it’s ready to be rolled out.
4. On a lightly floured surface, spread out the croissant dough. Use a rolling pin to gently roll it out. Fold it into a letter fold by pulling the top down halfway, then folding the bottom up and over the top fold, so it ends up being a trifold. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
5. To make the butter layer or sheet of butter, you’ll need 14 Tbsp of butter. You can use salted or unsalted depending on your preference (we prefer salted for flavor). You’ll need cold sticks of butter or a cold block of butter, and we have a very easy way of making the butter layer and keeping it chilled until you need to use it. Simply cut rectangular slices from the brick of butter, and place them side by side into a small Ziplock bag or wrap with plastic wrap.
6. Use your fingers to mash the butter rectangles into one another and then use a rolling pin to completely flatten the sheet of butter inside the bag. Place it in the fridge overnight. You can also use plastic wrap if you don’t have Ziplock bags.
7. The next day, take both the chilled croissant dough and sheet of butter out of the fridge. Set the butter aside so it has time to loosen up. Place the croissant dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a size of about 15″ x 24″. Lay the butter sheet on one side of the croissant dough and fold over the other half, called a book fold. Fold the edges up and over to completely encase the sheet of butter.
8. For the first fold, gently roll the dough out to by starting in the middle of the dough and rolling out to one side and then starting in the middle again and rolling out to the other side. This method allows you to roll the butter layer out evenly inside the outer layer of dough. For the first fold, I usually recommend doing just a regular letter fold. You can do this by taking one end of the dough and folding it 1/3 over the dough. The take the other end of the dough and fold it over the first fold completely, creating a letter shape. Brush off any excess flour, wrap up the dough with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for an hour.
9. For the second fold, you can try a 4 Fold technique. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for about 10 minutes to let the butter layer soften (otherwise, when you roll out the dough, you might feel the butter breaking as you roll it out).
Roll out the dough gently (if it doesn’t roll out easily, it needs more time to rest… place it back in the fridge and check it in another hour). Continue rolling from the center out to each end to push some of the butter all the way to the ends. Once it’s rolled out, you’ll take one end of the dough and fold it to just past the middle mark. Then take the other side of the dough and fold 1/4 of the way to meet the other edge. So now, both edges are meeting. Then take one end and fold it over completely. Brush off any excess flour, wrap up the dough and store it in the fridge for another hour.
10. For the last fold, simply take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit for a few minutes for the butter layer to soften. Then roll out the dough and do another letter fold. Wrap up the dough and let it rest in the fridge for another hour.
*Note: if you are making almond or chocolate croissants, you’ll want to prepare the fillings now. Chop up chocolate chips or chocolate chunks into small pieces. And prepare your marzipan if you are making almond croissants.
11. Shaping the croissants…
Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit for a few minutes on the counter. Roll out the dough on a gently floured work surface to about 15″ x 24″ size. To get the crescent shapes, you simply cut the dough in triangles by making diagonal cuts from the long side of the dough with a sharp knife. Then cut a tiny slit in the top of each triangle and pull the tail of the dough while rolling it up. Once you are done rolling, bend the ends in to form a perfect croissant shape.
*Note: Traditionally, the crescent shape is made for plain and almond croissants. To make an almond croissant, add marzipan or almond paste (see this recipe for almond paste) to the top part of the triangle before rolling it up. Chocolate croissants are made by cutting the dough into a long rectangle and then placing chopped chocolate on one end and then rolling up the dough.
12. After you have made each crescent, place it on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. I recommend placing 6-8 crescents on a standard baking sheet. If you are baking in a smaller convection oven, place 3 shaped croissants in a cake pan lined with parchment paper. Place the crescents in an enclosed oven (not turned on) and allow the crescents to rise another hour.
13. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Once the crescents have risen, prepare egg wash by mixing one egg with a few tablespoons of water. Use a pastry brush to gently coat the croissant tops. Add any toppings you desire. We add chopped almonds to the almond croissants and turbinado sugar to the chocolate croissants.
14. Bake at 375 degrees F for 17 to 20 minutes or until the croissants are a deep golden brown. Allow the croissants to cool completely on a wire rack or plate. ENJOY your freshly baked croissants!
How do I store the leftover croissants?
For best results, you can store leftover croissants in a Ziplock bag or wrap in plastic wrap. They stay fresh for about 3 days. Otherwise, wrap the croissants individually and place a few in freezer Ziplock bags to store in the freezer for a longer period of time. When desired, take a few out and place on the counter or toast them up in a toaster oven.
Did you make this homemade croissants recipe?
Comment below and let us know if you made this recipe! There are so many fillings you can add to croissants. Feel free to share what fillings you tried and as any questions.
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Perfectly Flaky Homemade Croissants Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- In a mixing bowl, add 400 grams of all-purpose flour and 200 grams of bread flour. Add 60 grams of sugar 6 grams of active dry yeast 270 grams of warm water 70 grams of warm milk (almond milk is okay) Stir ingredients together with a wooden spoon and allow dough to be shaggy (Add 50 grams warm water only if needed to make the dough shaggy)
- Add 4 Tbsp of room temp softened salted butter to the dough Add 10 grams of salt. Use a hand to squish and mix the butter and salt into the dough. The dough will start to get glossy from the butter, but it will be absorbed into the dough when you let it proof.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and place the bowl in a warm place for one to two hours. Check it at one hour, and if it has doubled in size, it's ready to be rolled out.
- On a lightly floured surface, spread out the croissant dough. Use a rolling pin to gently roll it out. Fold it into a letter fold by pulling the top down halfway, then folding the bottom up and over the top fold, so it ends up being a trifold. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
- To make the butter layer or sheet of butter, you'll need 14 Tbsp of butter. You can use salted or unsalted depending on your preference (we prefer salted for flavor). You'll need cold sticks of butter or a cold block of butter, and we have a very easy way of making the butter layer and keeping it chilled until you need to use it. Simply cut rectangular slices from the brick of butter, and place them side by side into a small Ziplock bag.
- Use your fingers to mash the butter rectangles into one another and then use a rolling pin to completely flatten the sheet of butter inside the bag. Place it in the fridge overnight. You can also use plastic wrap if you don't have Ziplock bags.
- The next day, take both the chilled croissant dough and sheet of butter out of the fridge. Set the butter aside so it has time to loosen up. Place the croissant dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a size of about 15" x 24". Lay the butter sheet on one side of the croissant dough and fold over the other half, called a book fold. Fold the edges up and over to completely encase the sheet of butter.
- For the first fold, gently roll the dough out to by starting in the middle of the dough and rolling out to one side and then starting in the middle again and rolling out to the other side. This method allows you to roll the butter layer out evenly inside the outer layer of dough. For the first fold, I usually recommend doing just a regular letter fold. You can do this by taking one end of the dough and folding it 1/3 over the dough. The take the other end of the dough and fold it over the first fold completely, creating a letter shape. Brush off any excess flour, wrap up the dough and store it in the fridge for an hour.
- For the second fold, you can try a 4 Fold technique. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it set on the counter for about 10 minutes (to allow the butter layer to soften inside the dough. Otherwise, when you roll the dough very cold, the butter layer will crack and break inside). Roll out the dough gently (if the dough doesn't roll out easily, it needs more time to rest... place it back in the fridge and check it in another hour). Continue rolling from the center out to each end to push some of the butter all the way to the ends. Once it's rolled out, you'll take one end of the dough and fold it to just past the middle mark. Then take the other side of the dough and fold 1/4 of the way to meet the other edge. So now, both edges are meeting. Then take one end and fold it over completely. Brush off any excess flour, wrap up the dough and store it in the fridge for another hour.
- For the last fold, take the dough out of the fridge and let it set for about 10 minutes to allow the butter layer to soften. Simply roll out the dough and do another letter fold. The wrap up the dough and let it rest in the fridge for another hour. *Note: if you are making almond or chocolate croissants, you'll want to prepare the fillings now. Chop up chocolate chips or chocolate chunks into small pieces. And prepare your marzipan if you are making almond croissants.
- Shaping the croissants... Take the dough out of the fridge and let it set for about 10 minutes to soften the butter layer. Roll out the dough on a gently floured work surface to about 15" x 24" size. To get the crescent shapes, you simply cut the dough in triangles by making diagonal cuts from the long side of the dough with a sharp knife. Then cut a tiny slit in the top of each triangle and pull the tail of the dough while rolling it up. Once you are done rolling, bend the ends in to form a perfect croissant shape. *Note: Traditionally, the crescent shape is made for plain and almond croissants. To make an almond croissant, add marzipan to the top part of the triangle before rolling it up. Chocolate croissants are made by cutting the dough into a long rectangle and then placing chopped chocolate on one end and then rolling up the dough.
- After you have made each crescent, place it on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. I recommend placing 6-8 crescents on a standard baking sheet. If you are baking in a smaller convection oven, place 3 shaped croissants in a cake pan lined with parchment paper. Place the crescents in an enclosed oven (not turned on) and allow the crescents to rise another hour.
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Once the crescents have risen, prepare egg wash by mixing one egg with a few tablespoons of water. Use a pastry brush to gently coat the croissant tops. Add any toppings you desire. We add chopped almonds to the almond croissants and turbinado sugar to the chocolate croissants.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 17 to 20 minutes or until the croissants are a deep golden brown. Allow the croissants to cool completely on a wire rack or plate. ENJOY your freshly baked croissants!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!