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French

Croissants

Contains egg (no meat or fish)

Croissant

Shatteringly flaky, honeycombed all-butter croissants made by laminating a yeasted dough with a butter block through three letter folds, then proofing gently and baking until deep gold.

Croissants is a French pastry from France, ready in about 19 hours 20 minutes and made with bread flour and unsalted butter. It serves 16 and is rated professional to cook.

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A row of freshly baked artisanal croissants displayed on a white ceramic plate.
Photo: Travel with Lenses / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
1 h 30 min
Cook
20 min
Rest
5 h 30 min
Total
19 h 20 min
Serves
16
Level
Professional
Calories
281

Spread over two days: détrempe and butter block the night before (overnight chill), then about 2½ hours of folding and chilling, 2–2½ hours' proof and baking.

Ingredients

16 croissants

Détrempe (dough)

Butter block

Egg wash

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Day 1 — détrempe: mix both flours, cold water, cold milk (opens in a new tab), sugar (opens in a new tab), salt, yeast and the 40 g soft butter on low for 3 minutes, then medium for 3–4 minutes into a smooth but not fully developed dough (it should tear before forming a full windowpane; the folds will build strength). Flatten into a 2 cm rectangle, wrap and refrigerate overnight.

  2. Step 2

    Butter block: put the 280 g cold butter between baking paper, beat it flat with the rolling pin (opens in a new tab) and roll into a neat 17 cm square about 1 cm thick. Wrap and chill. Before laminating, let it sit until it bends without cracking — about 12–14 °C, the same firmness as the dough.

    Dough being rolled out with a rolling pin
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Day 2 — lock in: roll the cold détrempe into a 34 × 17 cm rectangle. Place the butter block on one half, fold the other half over and seal the edges so the butter is fully enclosed.

  4. Step 4

    Fold 1: roll the package lengthways into a 20 × 60 cm strip, keeping edges square and brushing off excess flour. Fold into thirds like a letter (single fold). Wrap and chill 30 minutes. Repeat for fold 2 and fold 3, turning the dough 90° each time so the open side faces you, and chilling 30 minutes between folds — 3 single folds give 27 butter layers. (Alternatively, do 1 double 'book' fold followed by 1 single fold.)

    If butter shows through or feels soft and greasy, stop and chill for 15 minutes. If it cracks into shards, let it warm slightly.

  5. Step 5

    After the last fold, chill 1 hour. Roll the dough into a strip about 22 × 90 cm and 4 mm thick; rest it on the worktop for 5 minutes so it doesn't shrink when cut. Trim the edges and cut tall triangles with a 10 cm base.

  6. Step 6

    Cut a 1 cm notch in the base of each triangle, stretch it gently, then roll up from the base without squashing, finishing with the tip underneath. Space well apart on lined trays and brush lightly with egg (opens in a new tab) wash.

  7. Step 7

    Proof at 24–26 °C, never above 26 °C or the butter melts out of the layers, for 2–2½ hours until about doubled, wobbly when the tray is shaken and the layers visibly separate. A turned-off oven (opens in a new tab) with a tray of warm water works well.

    • Step 8

      Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 200 °C (fan 180 °C). Brush again with egg (opens in a new tab) wash and bake 18–20 minutes until deep golden-brown all over, including the sides. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes — they should sound crisp and feel very light.

    About this dish

    Origin
    France · Commonly attributedThe laminated croissant is French, but it developed from the Austrian kipferl via Viennese-style bakeries in Paris (viennoiserie); popular stories tying it to particular sieges are not well supported.Also popular in Belgium, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United StatesMore food from France
    Dish
    Breakfast · Brunch · Pastries
    Cooking method
    Oven-baked, Fermented
    Taste
    buttery, rich, sweet
    Diet
    Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients
    All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly · Festive & celebration
    Cook more with
    Bread flour · Unsalted butter · All-purpose flour · Milk · Sugar · Instant yeast
    Techniques
    Baking · Fermentation

    Allergens

    • Contains: Milkfrom milk, unsalted butter
    • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
    • Contains: Wheatfrom bread flour, all-purpose flour
    • Contains: Glutenfrom bread flour, all-purpose flour

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    281 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 69 g · recipe makes 16

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 6%
    • Carbohydrate 39%
    • Fat 55%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
    Energy281 kcal409 kcal
    Protein4.5 g6.6 g
    Carbohydrate27.3 g39.8 g
    Net carbohydrate26.4 g38.4 g
    Sugars4 g5.8 g
    Added sugars3.4 g5 g
    Fibre0.9 g1.3 g
    Fat17.3 g25.1 g
    Saturated fat10.4 g15.2 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol56 mg81 mg
    Sodium254 mg369 mg
    Salt equivalent0.6 g0.9 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    58 mg
    Calcium
    23 mg
    Iron
    1.5 mg
    Magnesium
    9 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    146 µg
    Vitamin C
    0 mg
    Vitamin D
    0.2 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0.1 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    103 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Work in a cool kitchen (below 22 °C if you can) and use as little flour as possible on the worktop.
    • Shaped, unproofed croissants freeze well: freeze on a tray, bag, then proof overnight in the fridge and finish at room temperature before baking.

    Common mistakes

    • Butter leaking on the tray during baking — usually over-warm proofing or under-proofing.
    • Under-baking: pale croissants are bready and collapse as they cool.
    • Rolling when the butter is too cold, so it breaks into pieces instead of forming continuous layers.

    Serve with

    • Warm, on their own or with butter and jam and a café au lait.

    Food safety

    • Keep the dough refrigerated between folds; don't leave the egg wash at room temperature for hours.

    Storage

    • Best the day they are baked; keep 1 day in a paper bag. Freeze baked croissants for a month.

    Reheating

    • Refresh in a 180 °C oven for 4–5 minutes.

    Variations

    • Croissants aux amandes: Split day-old croissants, soak with syrup, fill and top with almond frangipane and bake again.
    Why didn't my croissants have a honeycomb crumb?

    Usually the butter merged with the dough (too warm while rolling) or the croissants were under-proofed. Keep everything cool and proof until truly jiggly.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Egg wash

    • Egg1 piece · 50 g
    Used in steps 6, 8

    Baker’s notes

    Customise in Bread & Bakery

    Timeline and readiness cues

    1. Mix and knead · about 1 h 30 min

      Weigh everything. Knead until smooth and elastic: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through (the windowpane test).

    2. First rise (bulk) · about 12 h

      About doubled, domed, jiggly, with bubbles on the sides. A floured finger poked in leaves a dent that fills slowly.

    3. Rest · about 3 h 30 min

      Covered so it doesn't dry out; relaxed dough rolls and shapes without springing back.

    4. Final proof · about 2 h 15 min

      Poke test: the dent springs back slowly and only partly. Springs back fast = needs longer; doesn't spring back = over-proofed, bake now.

    5. Bake · about 20 min at 200 °C

      Deep golden; bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath, or reads 93–96 °C inside (enriched breads 88–90 °C).

    6. Cool · about 15 min

      Cool on a rack before slicing — the crumb is still setting; cutting hot bread makes it gummy.

    7. Start to finish: about 19 h 50 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

    The dough

    The dough in baker's percentages. Flour = 100%.
    IngredientRoleWeightBaker’s %
    Bread flourFlour250 g50%
    All-purpose flourFlour250 g50%
    MilkOther liquid144 g28.8%
    WaterWater140 g28%
    SugarSugar55 g11%
    Unsalted butterFat40 g8%
    SaltSalt10 g2%
    Instant yeastYeast7 g1.4%
    Total flour
    500 g
    Hydration
    28%
    With milk, eggs…
    53.1%
    Wholegrain
    0%

    Hydration = water ÷ flour × 100. Milk is about 87% water and eggs about 75%, so they’re shown separately as “with milk, eggs…”.

    • Stiff dough (under 55% hydration) — firm, easy to roll; typical of bagels, pretzels and many flatbreads.
    • Milk, eggs and other liquids add about 25 points of extra water, so it handles like a 53% dough.
    • Salt 2% — normal for bread.
    • Sugar 11% — an enriched, sweet dough; rises more slowly and browns quickly.

    If something goes wrong

    • Pale crust

      Likely causes

      • Oven too cool
      • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
      • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

      What to do

      • Check the oven with a thermometer
      • Brush with egg wash or milk
      • Shorten the fermentation
    • Burnt bottom

      Likely causes

      • Tray too close to the heat
      • Dark tray absorbs more heat
      • Too much sugar in the dough

      What to do

      • Bake on the middle shelf
      • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
      • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
    • Dough didn't rise

      Likely causes

      • Dead yeast (expired or killed by hot liquid)
      • Kitchen too cold
      • Salt in direct contact with fresh yeast
      • Starter not active

      What to do

      • Liquid should be lukewarm (no hotter than 40 °C)
      • Proof somewhere warm (an oven with just the light on)
      • Mix the salt into the flour, not onto the yeast
      • Feed the starter until it doubles in 4–8 hours
    • Over-proofed (sour smell, collapses when scored)

      Likely causes

      • Too warm
      • Too much yeast
      • Left too long

      What to do

      • Knock back, reshape and proof again briefly (yeast doughs)
      • Use less yeast or a cooler proof
      • Set a timer and check early with the poke test
    • Pastry didn't puff or layers leaked butter

      Likely causes

      • Butter too warm and melted into the dough
      • Layers sealed when cutting
      • Oven not hot enough

      What to do

      • Chill between folds; keep everything cold
      • Cut straight down with a sharp knife — don't drag
      • Bake hot (200–220 °C) so the water in the butter steams the layers apart

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