Croissant Dough
Everyone wants to make croissants. The name alone carries weight. Golden crust and dozens of lighter-than-air layers that crunch down into one buttery bite. This is the dream of bakers.
The truth about croissant dough is that people try to make it a science, but it is an art. You can do so many variations that the question becomes what you are trying to do. This recipe is meant for daily baking. The idea that it has to be a certain way is not ideal if you want to eat homemade croissant bread every week. Stay tuned for future recipes where we use this base in desserts and pastries.
Two secrets make this work at home. First, use high-protein bread flour. The extra protein gives you the gluten structure to support all those thin layers. Second, laminate the dough with a tri-fold process that creates 109 distinct layers of butter and dough. That combination gives you the crunch and flavor that make croissants worth the effort.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 578 | 69.00% | |
| Butter in dough | 50 | 6.00% | |
| Instant Yeast | 17 | 2.00% | |
| Salt | 15 | 2.00% | |
| Honey | 67 | 8.00% | |
| Flour | 836 | 100.00% | |
| Butter for lamination block | 384 | 46.00% | |
| Total | 1,946 | 233.00% |
Plan ahead. The full process takes 2 hours of active work spread over turns of 1 to 1½ hours each. Set your oven to 400°F when you are ready to bake, then turn it down to 350°F when you put the loaf in.
Butter temperature matters. The butter must be solid but pliable at room temperature. If your kitchen runs above 90°F, wait for a cooler day or use the air conditioning. Butter that is too soft will squeeze out during lamination. Butter that is too cold will cut through the dough instead of bending with it.
Warm the milk to 100°F. Add the dough butter (melted), yeast, salt, and honey to the milk in your mixing bowl.
Add the flour and mix on low for 3 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Add the flour and mix until no dry patches remain. Pat the dough into a rectangle on plastic wrap, seal it, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough must be cold before you begin lamination.
Roll the chilled dough to 11 × 14 inches. Place the butter block on the center two-thirds. Fold the bare third over, then fold the remaining third on top. Chill 15 minutes. Roll to 11 × 14 again and repeat the letter fold. Brush off any flour between layers. Repeat once more and refrigerate 1 hour.
Shape into a loaf with the final turn and 2 rollings. You can form large swirls, braids, or roll the dough into a log and slice with a lame. The dough also cuts into classic croissant triangles for individual pieces.
Proof until the dough doubles in volume. It should feel light and jiggly when you nudge the pan. Do not rush — under-proofed croissant dough will not develop the layers properly in the oven.
Bake at 350°F for up to 2½ hours for a loaf. Rotate at the halfway point. The crust should be deeply golden and the layers visible at the sides. Place on a sheet pan as this loaf releases butter — swap the sheet pan for a fresh one when you rotate.
Store on the counter or in the fridge for 5 days. Freeze for up to 2 weeks. Unbaked shaped dough freezes well. Freeze on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transfer to counter covered to come to room temp and proof; bake with extra proof time planned.