Bake Shop Croissant Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 4.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, 2.5 tsp instant yeast and 1.5 tsp fine sea salt. Whisk briefly to blend. Keep the salt and yeast distributed but not directly piled on top of each other.

Warm liquids and combine

Warm 1.25 cups whole milk and 0.25 cup water to about 95–100°F (warm to the touch, not hot). Add the warm liquids to the bowl with the dry ingredients along with 4 tbsp softened unsalted butter and 1 large egg. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.

Knead

Increase speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky, about 6–8 minutes. If dough feels very sticky add up to 2 tbsp flour, a tablespoon at a time. The dough should pass the windowpane test or become elastic and hold shape.

First rest

Shape dough into a rectangle, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and slightly chill before laminating. Dough should be cool but still pliable.

Prepare butter block

While dough rests, place 1.5 cups cold unsalted butter and 1 tbsp flour into a medium bowl. Use a bench scraper or sturdy spatula to mash and work the butter into a homogenous square about 7 x 8 inches and roughly 1/2 inch thick. The flour stabilizes the butter slightly. Keep butter cold but pliable—if too soft, chill 10–15 minutes; if too hard, let sit a few minutes at room temperature.

Roll out dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 16 x 10 inches and approximately 1/4 inch thick. Try to keep edges straight and even.

Enclose butter

Place the butter block centered on the lower two-thirds of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch margin on sides. Fold the top third of dough down over the butter, then fold the bottom third up, fully enclosing the butter like a letter. Seal edges by pinching and rolling slightly so butter does not escape.

First fold (single fold)

With the seam side down, roll the dough gently to a 20 x 10-inch rectangle (long side parallel to you). Fold the dough into thirds (like a business letter) by folding the top third down, then the bottom third up over it. Wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator for 30–45 minutes until firm but pliable.

Second fold (single fold)

Repeat rolling to 20 x 10 inches and fold into thirds again. Wrap and chill for another 30–45 minutes. This gives you 9 layers from two single folds. For a slightly flakier result, you can do a third single fold repeating the same process and chill for 30–45 minutes more (optional).

Final roll

After the final chill, roll dough to roughly 20 x 12 inches and about 1/8–3/16 inch thick. Keep even thickness so croissants bake uniformly. Trim edges to make a neat rectangle if needed.

Cut triangles for plain croissants

For plain croissants: cut the dough into triangles about 4–4.5 inches wide at the base and 8–9 inches tall. To shape, make a small 1/2-inch cut in the center of the base of each triangle (this helps roll), lift the triangle, stretch slightly, then roll from base to tip, tucking the tip under the croissant to secure. Place shaped croissants on baking trays lined with parchment, leaving space for expansion.

Cut rectangles for chocolate croissants

For chocolate (pain au chocolat): cut the dough into rectangles approximately 3 x 4.5 inches. Place 1 chocolate baton (or 2 thin batons) near one short edge, fold the short edge over and roll tightly toward the opposite edge so chocolate is enclosed inside. Place seam-side down on prepared trays.

Proofing

Cover trays loosely with plastic wrap or a lightly damp cloth and proof at 75–80°F (24–27°C) until the croissants have nearly doubled and are jiggly to the touch, about 1.5–2 hours. Time will vary with temperature.

Egg wash

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) with rack in middle. Whisk 1 egg with 1 tsp cold water until homogeneous. Gently brush the croissants with egg wash just before baking (avoid pooling). Optionally sprinkle coarse sugar on plain croissants for a slight crunch.

Bake

Bake trays one at a time in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 8–12 minutes until deep golden brown and fully puffed (total 18–22 minutes). Rotate tray halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly. Internal layers should be set and butter fully melted between layers.

Cool and finish

Remove croissants to a wire rack and let cool 10–15 minutes. For chocolate croissants, the chocolate will be hot — allow a few minutes before serving. Dust plain croissants lightly with powdered sugar if desired.