This homemade butter croissant recipe creates fresh flaky pastries you’ll love smearing with more butter or jam. These fluffy croissants are easier than you might think to make with only a handful of ingredients you probably already have.
Buttery, flaky croissants are one of my favorite breakfast treats.
I absolutely adore it when I can get them fresh from the bakery and still warm.
This rarely happens so every now and then, I like to treat myself to a fresh, homemade croissant.
While making this layered breakfast pastry might seem really complicated- it’s not.
It’s a few simple ingredients put together in the right way with plenty of rest time.
Then like magic you have a delicious buttery croissant to enjoy!
Ingredients
To make these you’ll need:
- Flour– All purpose flour
- Sugar– Granulated
- Yeast– Dry active yeast
- Salt
- Butter– Use a high quality butter and make sure it is nice and cold. Cut it into small cubes.
- Milk
- Egg– For an egg wash
How to Make
To make a butter croissant, start by making the dough.
Stir together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
Stir in the cold, cubed butter until the butter is all coated in flour
Then, stir in the milk until a shaggy dough forms.
Once a dough forms, turn it out and knead it just until it sticks together.
Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 1 hour.
After you’ve let the dough chill, roll the dough out into a long rectangle.
Now you’re going to make the layers in the dough.
Fold the dough rectangle into thirds, then roll out it again.
Repeat the folding and rolling an additional 4-5 times.
Then wrap and chill the rolled, folded dough for at least an hour again.
Roll the dough into a long rectangle about ⅛”-¼” thick,
Then cut the dough into 8 equal triangles.
Roll the triangles into croissants and allow to rise at room temperature for about one hour or until they double in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the croissants onto the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
Make an egg wash by beating an egg with either a tablespoon of water or milk.
Then use a pastry brush to brush each croissant with egg wash.
Bake the croissants for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
Why does the dough need to rest for so long?
The croissant dough needs to rest for a few reasons.
When the dough rests, it rises.
Additionally, the resting time allows the flavor of the croissants to deepen into the rich buttery flavor we love.
Is croissant dough the same as puff pastry dough?
No!
While both have flaky layers, croissant dough includes yeast and puff pastry dough does not.
This creates a lighter dough and different texture.
Should I use European butter to make croissants?
If you can find it, yes!
European butter generally has a higher fat content and will yield richer, more tender dough.
You could try Kerrygold, an Irish butter with higher fat content, in this recipe for best results.
If you can’t find any European butter, then use a high quality, full fat American butter.
Storing
Homemade croissants are best enjoyed fresh from the oven or later the day you make them.
However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container on your counter for up to 2 days.
Warm the in the oven before enjoying them again.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you don’t overmix the dough when you are forming it. You want it to just have come together. If you mix it too much you will cause the gluten to become too tough and then will not have a tender flaky end result.
- Quality butter is key! This is not the time to go low fat or use an inferior butter product. The butter is the main flavor.
- You want to work with cold butter and chill the dough to keep the butter cold. The butter will create little pockets of steam that help the croissants acquire their signature texture.
Other Homemade Pastries
This homemade butter croissant recipe is a real show stopper any time we are having a big brunch.
Make them and enjoy!
Looking for other homemade pastry recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this HOMEMADE BUTTER CROISSANT RECIPE, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Homemade Butter Croissant Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast or 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter cold and cubed
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg for egg wash
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt2 ½ cups flour, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 packet active dry yeast, 1 tsp salt
- Add the cubed butter and stir until the butter is all coated in flour3/4 cup butter
- Stir in the milk until a shaggy dough forms, turn the dough out and knead a couple times until it sticks together1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour
- Roll the dough out into a long rectangle, fold the dough into thirds, then roll out again
- Repeat the folding and rolling an additional 4-5 times, then wrap and chill one hour again
- Roll the dough into a long rectangle about ⅛”-¼” thick, then cut into 8 equal triangles
- Roll the triangles into croissants and allow to rise at room temperature for about one hour, or until doubled in size
- Preheat oven to 375 F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Place the croissants onto the prepared baking sheet, brush with egg wash and then cook for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed1 egg
Notes
- Make sure you don't overmix the dough when you are forming it. You want it to just have come together. If you mix it too much you will cause the gluten to become too tough and then will not have a tender flaky end result.
- Quality butter is key! This is not the time to go low fat or use an inferior butter product. The butter is the main flavor.
- You want to work with cold butter and chill the dough to keep the butter cold. The butter will create little pockets of steam that help the croissants acquire their signature texture.
Nutrition
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
Your croissants look beautiful. Nice job!