Vegan Chocolate Croissant Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, whisk together 3.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2.25 tsp instant yeast, 3 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 tsp fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Add wet ingredients

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add 1 cup warmed soy milk (105–110°F / 40–43°C) and 3 tbsp neutral oil. Mix on low speed with the paddle (or stir by hand) until a shaggy dough forms, about 1–2 minutes.

Knead

Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low for 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. By hand, turn onto a floured surface and knead 8–10 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky; add up to 1–2 tbsp flour if excessively sticky.

First chill/proof

Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and chill for laminating. (You can refrigerate up to 2 hours.)

Prepare butter block

While the dough chills, place 12 tbsp vegan butter and 1 tbsp vegetable shortening (if using) and 1 tsp salt (if butter is unsalted) into a bowl. Beat briefly until combined, then turn out onto plastic wrap. Shape into a 6x8 inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm but still pliable, about 20–30 minutes. The butter should be cold but malleable.

Roll dough

Remove dough from fridge and lightly flour a work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 10x18 inches. Keep edges as straight as possible; if dough resists, let rest 5–10 minutes and then continue.

Enclose butter

Place the chilled butter block centered on one half of the dough rectangle. Fold the other half of dough over the butter so edges meet; press to seal, pinching seams so butter is enclosed completely.

First fold (single/double turn)

With the long edge facing you, roll the dough lightly to smooth, then fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (one simple turn). Rotate the dough 90 degrees, wrap in plastic, and chill 25–30 minutes to keep butter firm.

Second fold

Repeat the roll to a 10x18 inch rectangle and fold into thirds again (second turn). Wrap and chill 25–30 minutes.

Third fold (optional for flakier layers)

For extra layers, perform one more roll and single fold (third turn), then chill 30 minutes. Three single turns yields good lamination for croissants.

Final roll

After the last chill, roll the dough to a 12x20 inch rectangle about 1/8–3/16 inch thick. Try to keep it even in thickness.

Trim and cut

Trim the edges to square the rectangle. Cut the dough into 8 long rectangles about 5x12 inches each (or cut into triangles: 8 equilateral-ish triangles across the width). If cutting rectangles, cut each into 2 tapered pieces or leave as rectangles for pain au chocolat style.

Place chocolate

If making classic pain au chocolat, place one chocolate bar/stick (1 oz) near one short edge of each rectangle. For a crescent-shaped croissant, cut each rectangle into 2 triangles first, place chocolate near the wide end of each triangle.

Roll up

Roll each piece tightly from the chocolate-bearing edge toward the opposite edge, sealing the seam by pinching the dough lightly underneath. For triangles, roll from the wide end toward the point creating a crescent. Place each rolled croissant seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

Final proof

Cover the croissants loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap or a clean towel. Proof at warm (75–80°F / 24–27°C) draft-free area until puffy and about 1.5–1.75x their size, 60–90 minutes depending on room temperature. They should feel soft and jiggly but not overly airy.

Preheat oven

About 15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place an oven-safe tray on the bottom rack if you want to add steam by pouring hot water at the start of baking.

Make aquafaba wash

Whisk together 3 tbsp aquafaba and 1 tsp vanilla extract until slightly frothy. Gently brush each croissant with a thin coat of aquafaba wash; avoid deflating them.

Bake

Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven. (Optional: quickly pour 1 cup hot water into the preheated tray to create steam, then close the oven.) Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 6–8 minutes until deeply golden-brown and laminated layers are visible. Total bake time ~18–20 minutes.

Finish

Remove croissants from oven and immediately brush lightly with 2 tsp maple syrup (optional) for shine. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Dust with 1 tbsp powdered sugar just before serving if desired.