Home Kitchen Straightforward From-scratch Croissants

These non-old-style yet straightforward kitchen-made croissants are only as satisfying and surpass any croissant that you would unroll from a can and bake. If you can make biscuits and roll out pie dough, then you surely can make these beauties.Buttery and flakey and beautifully golden brown — I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t love croissants.

I crossed another recipe off my bucket list! I’ve been wanting yet kind of scared to make kitchen-made croissants. So I started out with this straightforward “cheater” croissant recipe. Still flakey and flavor-packed without all the back breaking work.

These are great for breakfast, brunch or cut in half and filled with chicken salad. This is great dough for pigs-in-a-blanket too! We had these with butter and jam, I had mine with coffee. But I have so many plans with this croissant dough. So many.

Can you smell all the butter??

The croissant dough comes together pretty quickly.

To Make These Straightforward From-scratch Croissants Set out:

• bread flour
• salt
• [warm] milk
• active dry yeast
• butter

Add 3 tablespoons of sugar to 1/2 cup of warm milk. Stir to dissolve and then add the 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast. Set this off to the side so the yeast can proof and milk will cool.

In a bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups bread flour with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir and set off to the side.

Next, drop in the 14 tablespoons (1 stick plus 6 tablespoons) of ice cold butter (I actually slice it and freeze it).

Use a pastry blender and cut the butter into the flour. You want the butter to stay in large pea-size pieces.

The first time I made these from-scratch croissants, I didn’t check the temperature of my milk before adding, so my dough ended up less flakey because the milk was still warm and softened the butter.

DON’T do what I did and make sure everything is cool before adding and mixing. Then stir to combine.

Stir until the dough comes together, wrap in plastic and pop into the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes.

Place chilled dough on floured surface. Dust the dough and rolling pin in flour.

On a floured surface, roll into a giant [sort of] rectangle. The dough is a little hard to manage at this stage, but as you work it, it will start to shape up.

Fold the shorter sides in towards the middle so they’re touching. Then roll it out a little to lengthen it a bit.

Now fold the [new] shorter sides into the middle so the edges touch.

Flip the dough so it is seam side down.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle again and repeat these same steps 3 to 4 more times. If at any point during the rolling and folding stage the butter starts to get soft and stick to the rolling pin, wrap and pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes or so.

Once you’ve rolled and folded the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight — overnight is go-to, it gives the dough time to relax.

Once the dough has chilled, on a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough out to a 10 x 16 rectangle.

Trim any rough edges and then cut 8 triangles.

Make a small score at the base of each triangle.

Then roll, starting at the base and rolling up towards the point.

Repeat with the remaining triangles.

Place it point-side-down on a lined, rimmed metal baking sheet.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let the croissants rise for 2 to 3 hours.

I know! I said straightforward… not short. 😉

Once risen, preheat oven to 425℉ (or 220℃).

Once the croissants have risen, brush with an egg wash. For this, I whisked one egg yolk with 1 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream and brushed the top and sides of each croissant.

Bake at 425℉ for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375° (or 190℃) and continue to bake for 4 to 6 more minutes. Rotate the pan to ensure even baking and browning. Watch carefully so they do not burn.

Or until the crust is deep golden brown.

One day I’ll make long-used croissants with all that butter, but for now, my life can only handle these unfussy from-scratch croissants.

Enjoy! And if you give this Kitchen-made Croissants recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!