Croissants are buttery, flaky pastries originating in France, though their roots trace back to Austria. Made from a laminated dough (where layers of butter are folded into the dough multiple times), croissants have a characteristic golden crust and airy, layered interior. Their signature crescent shape and delicate texture make them perfect for a morning treat, often enjoyed plain or with fillings like chocolate, almond paste, or ham and cheese. Achieving that iconic flakiness involves careful folding and rolling techniques to create thin, crisp layers that make every bite a delightful balance of buttery richness and light, flaky pastry.

This recipe is a comprehensive guide to creating light, flaky croissants in your own kitchen that rival those seen in bakeries. Certain parts of the process, like determining the temperature of the butter and figuring out how much pressure to use while rolling the dough, get simpler with practice when making a pastry as intricate as croissants. You can easily make buttery, handmade croissants if you follow this recipe.

How to Make a Stunning Croissants?

INGREDIENTS

For the dough, or Détrempe

-Four cups (605 grams) of bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

-66 grams or ⅓cup of granulated sugar

-12 grams of kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon

-Seven grams of active dry yeast and two tablespoons

-214 grams (¾ cup) plus 2 teaspoons of room temperature water

-120 grams (½ cup) of room temperature whole milk

-57 grams or ¼cup unsalted butter, sliced into ½-inch pieces, and refrigerated

For the Assembly and Butter Block

-340 grams (1½ cups) of chilled, unsalted European or European-style butter (3 sticks)

-flour for all purposes, for rolling

-One huge egg yolk

-One spoonful of heavy cream

PROCEDURES

Step 1: Make the Détrempe (Dough Base)
In a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add water and milk and mix until a smooth dough forms (about 5 minutes). Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Add butter pieces and mix again until the dough is smooth and stretchy (8-10 minutes). Shape into a ball, cut slashes on top to help it expand, and let rise for 45 minutes. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.

Step 2: Prepare the Butter Block
Place sticks of butter on parchment paper and lightly beat them with a rolling pin to create a thin, 8-inch square. Rewrap the butter in fresh parchment, keeping it square-edged, and chill until needed.

Step 3: Enclose the Butter and Begin Rolling
Roll the dough into an 8-inch square. Place the butter block in the center, folding the dough over it to enclose. Roll into a 24-inch-long rectangle, maintaining a ¼-inch thickness. Trim edges for a neat rectangle.

Step 4: Laminate with Double and Simple Turns
Fold the dough in half twice (like a book) for a double turn. Chill, then roll it out again and fold in thirds (like a letter) for a simple turn. Wrap and chill the dough after each fold.

Step 5: Shape the Croissants
Roll the dough to a 14x17-inch rectangle, then cut into four smaller rectangles. Cut each into triangles, stretch slightly, and roll from the base to form croissants. Arrange on baking sheets, cover loosely, and proof for 2-2½ hours until puffy.

Step 6: Bake
Brush the croissants with egg wash. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool and enjoy the buttery, flaky layers!