U-bake Croissants Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or dough hook, combine 4.5 cups bread flour, 2 tsp instant yeast, 3 tbsp sugar, and 2 tsp fine salt. Whisk briefly to distribute ingredients evenly.

Warm liquids

Warm 1.25 cups whole milk until lukewarm (about 95°F/35°C). Stir in 1/2 cup warm water (100–110°F/38–43°C) into the milk. The combined temperature should be warm but not hot to the touch.

Form dough

With the mixer running on low, add the warm milk/water mixture and 2 tbsp softened butter to the dry ingredients. Mix until a rough shaggy dough forms, then knead with the dough hook on medium speed 4–6 minutes until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and holds together. If too dry, add up to 1–2 tbsp water; if too sticky, add up to 1 tbsp flour.

First chill

Shape dough into a flat rectangle about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Chilling relaxes gluten and makes laminating easier.

While dough chills, prepare the butter block. Place 1.5 cups cold unsalted butter (cut into pieces) and 1 tsp flour in a bowl. Using a bench scraper or pastry cutter, bash and press the butter together until cohesive, then form into a compact 7x8 inch rectangle between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Chill until firm but pliable, about 20–30 minutes. The butter should be the same consistency as the chilled dough.

Roll out dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle roughly 12x20 inches (about 1/4 inch thick). Keep turns and edges clean; if the dough springs back, let it rest 10 minutes in the fridge and continue.

Enclose butter

Place the butter block centered on the lower two-thirds of the dough rectangle. Fold the top third of the dough over the butter, then fold the bottom third up over that (like a business letter) to enclose the butter fully. Seal the edges by pressing.

First fold

Rotate the package 90 degrees so the short side is facing you. Roll gently to a 12x20 inch rectangle again, keeping even thickness. Perform a single fold (letter fold): fold the top third down and the bottom third up to meet it. This counts as one turn. Wrap in plastic and chill 30–45 minutes until firm.

Second and third turns

Repeat the rolling to 12x20 inches and perform a second letter fold. Chill 30–45 minutes. Repeat a third time. After the third fold, chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Total should be 3 turns (folds) to create distinct layers.

Roll final sheet

Remove dough from fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle about 10x20 inches and approximately 1/8 inch thick (slightly thinner than previous). Try to keep edges straight and even.

Trim and cut triangles

Trim the edges to form a neat 10x20 rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the sheet in half lengthwise to two 10x10 pieces. Then cut each 10x10 into 6 long triangles (each triangle base about 3.3 inches) by drawing lines from the base to a point — you should have 12 triangles total.

Stretch and roll

Take one triangle, with the base toward you. Gently stretch the base slightly to elongate (this helps the croissant curl). If using a filling, place a chocolate baton or 1/2 tsp jam at the base center. Starting at the base, roll the triangle toward the tip, tucking the tip under the croissant to secure. Place each shaped croissant on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Curve the ends slightly to form a crescent if desired. Repeat with remaining triangles.

Proof

Cover croissants loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Proof at room temperature (about 70–75°F / 21–24°C) until nearly doubled in size and very puffy — about 1.5 to 2 hours. Alternatively, proof in a slightly warm (turn oven to 85°F/30°C for a minute, then turn off) environment for 60–90 minutes. They should feel airy when gently pressed.

Preheat and egg wash

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). In a small bowl whisk 1 large egg with 1 tsp cold water to make an egg wash. Gently brush the top of each croissant with egg wash, taking care not to deflate them. If using coarse sugar, sprinkle now.

Bake

Bake croissants on the middle rack for 12 minutes at 400°F, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake an additional 6–8 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp. Rotate the pan front-to-back halfway through if your oven runs hot. Total bake time 18–20 minutes, depending on size and oven.

Cool

Transfer baked croissants to a wire rack and cool 10–15 minutes before serving. They are best eaten the day they are baked while still warm and flaky.

To freeze for U-Bake gifting: after shaping but before proofing, place baking sheets of unproofed croissants in the freezer for 1–2 hours until firm. Transfer frozen croissants to freezer bags or airtight containers, layering with parchment to prevent sticking. Keep frozen up to 1 month for best quality.

To bake from frozen on Christmas morning: remove frozen croissants and place on a lined baking sheet spaced evenly. Do not thaw. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush frozen croissants lightly with egg wash (if egg wash is frozen on top, brush after they soften a little in the oven) and bake 6 minutes at 425°F, then reduce oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake additional 14–18 minutes until deep golden and internal layers are steamed and flaky. Alternatively, you can thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then proof 1–1.5 hours at room temperature before baking as above (preheat 400°F).

If using filled croissants from frozen (chocolate or jam), add 1–2 extra minutes to baking time to ensure filling is warmed through. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.