Croissant Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, and fine sea salt in a large bowl. Keep the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl initially if you are concerned about direct contact, but mixing is fine.

Warm liquids and combine

Warm the milk until lukewarm (about 95–105°F / 35–40°C). Mix the warmed milk with the water, softened unsalted butter (3 tbsp), and one whole egg. Beat lightly to combine.

Form dough

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand or in a stand mixer with the dough hook for 4–6 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should be soft and elastic.

First chill

Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes. Chilling relaxes gluten and firms the dough for laminating.

Prepare butter

While the dough chills, prepare the butter block: place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment and bash/roll with a rolling pin until it becomes pliable. Shape into a 7 x 9-inch (about 18 x 23 cm) rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Chill if it becomes too soft — it should be cold but malleable, not rock hard.

Roll out and encase butter

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle roughly 12 x 9 inches (30 x 23 cm). Place the butter block centered on the lower two-thirds of the dough rectangle. Fold the top third of dough down over the butter, then fold the bottom third up over that (a letter fold), completely enclosing the butter. Press edges to seal.

First turn

Rotate the dough 90° so the short end faces you. Roll gently into a rectangle about 20 x 8 inches (50 x 20 cm) — keep even thickness and don’t let the butter squeeze out. Fold into thirds (letter fold). Wrap in plastic and chill for 30–45 minutes until firm.

Second and third turns

Repeat the roll-and-fold process two more times for a total of three turns (first turn + two more). After each turn, rotate 90°, roll to the dimensions above, fold into thirds, and chill 30–45 minutes. After the final turn, chill at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Proper chilling prevents butter leakage and creates distinct layers.

Final roll

After chilling, roll the laminated dough on a lightly floured surface into a long rectangle about 10–12 x 20–24 inches (25–30 x 50–60 cm), roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, aiming for even thickness for consistent lamination.

Cut triangles

Trim the edges to make straight sides. Using a ruler and a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into long strips about 4 inches (10 cm) wide. Cut each strip into triangles about 5–6 inches (12–15 cm) tall (base ~4 in). For classic croissant shape, make the base slightly wider than the tip.

Shape croissants

Take a triangle, stretch the base gently with your fingers (this helps create a tighter roll). Roll from the base toward the tip, stretching slightly as you roll to create tension. Place the croissant on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the tip tucked underneath. Curve the ends slightly toward each other for the crescent shape if desired. Repeat with remaining triangles.

Proof

Cover shaped croissants loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and proof at about 75–80°F (24–27°C) until nearly doubled and jiggly when shaken — typically 1.5–2 hours depending on room temperature. Alternatively, for better flavor, proof in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours (cold proof) — bring back to room temperature before baking, about 30–60 minutes.

Egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tsp milk or cream to form the egg wash. Gently brush the tops of the proofed croissants with the egg wash, taking care not to deflate them. Optionally sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake

Bake the croissants in the preheated oven for 12–18 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until deep golden brown and crisp. If outer surfaces brown too quickly while centers remain underdone, reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking a few more minutes.

Cool

Remove from oven and transfer croissants to a rack. Cool for 10–15 minutes before serving to allow internal steam to redistribute; this preserves flaky layers.