Learn how to make a classic French croissant dough then bake these Parisian style buttery flaky croissants
This French croissant dough recipe takes time but gives real patisserie quality results.
Table of Contents
Butter and jam for your croissants
Homemade croissants are delicious for breakfast spread with homemade butter and jam, try one of the below.
- Homemade butter
- Plum Jam
- Nectarine jam
- Quince jelly
- Crab apple jelly
- Mixed Berry Jam
- Blackberry jam
- other easy jam recipes
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Parisian Style Buttery Croissants
Light, fluffy and buttery Parisian style croissants take 3 days to make, but the end results are worth it.
Servings: 16
Ingredients
- 500 g good bread flour
- 140 ml water
- 140 ml milk
- 55 g sugar
- 40 g soft butter
- 10 g instant yeast or 30g fresh yeast or 60g starter
- 12 g fine sea salt
- 280 g unsalted butter (cold)
- 1 egg for glazing
Instructions
Day 1
- Place all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Make a well and add the butter and liquid. Bring together then place onto a floured surface. Work the dough lightly for about 3 minutes. You don't want to over work the dough as it will be harder to incorporate the butter on the next day. Push the dough down to form a flat disk place onto a lightly floured tray, cover and place into the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 12.
Day 2
- 1 hour before you take the dough from fridge. Get your butter and pound it with a rolling pin to make it nice and flat. For the easiest method, place the butter between two pieces of parchment paper and gently pound until square and flat about 1/4". Place back into the fridge.
- Take your dough out of the fridge and place onto a lightly floured surface. Pin out to form a square. Then pin each side out so you have an envelope, 4 thin corners and a slightly raised centre piece.
- Place the butter in the centre of the dough. Then pull in each corner to totally enclose the butter in the dough. Pin the dough out into a long rectangle shape. Brush off any flour and fold into 3. This is called a half fold. Place back into the fridge and rest for 1 hour.
- Again take the dough from the fridge onto a lightly floured surface, pin out to a long rectangle and give another half fold, place in the fridge for another hour. Repeat one more time so your croissant dough would have had 3 half folds.
- Place in fridge on a lightly floured tray, cover and leave for a good 12 hours.
- This will help hold the layers you have created and make it easier for the final stage.
Day 3
- Take dough from fridge. Place onto a lightly floured surface. Pin out again to a good rectangle shape about 4mm in-depth. With a sharp knife you want to cut your dough into 12 equal triangles. At the top of each triangle and in the centre cut a little about 1/4".
- Fold the corners down, hold the tail and roll up your croissant making sure the tail is on the bottom of the rolled up croissant. Place onto a parchment paper lined tray. Ensure they are evenly spaced out.
- Whisk your egg up and brush over each croissant. You now need to leave your croissant to rise.
- They need to be in a warmish place ideally about 24c for about two hours.
- In this time they will double in size and you will be able to see the layers you have so lovingly created. If they are not ready after two hours give them a bit longer it will be worth the wait.
- Pre heat your oven to 190c. Place the croissant into the oven, bake for 15-18 mins they will be a nice golden colour and slightly crispy on the outside.
- Take out and enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe courtesy of River Cottage Cookery School
- This recipe is 10 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition Facts
Parisian Style Buttery Croissants
Amount Per Serving
Calories 280
Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 54mg18%
Sodium 319mg14%
Potassium 56mg2%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 530IU11%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Madeleine Morrow
Goodness! What an amazing course. As for making my own croissants I don’t think I would have the confidence (or patience). Maybe after a course I might feel more able Sounds like a marvellous experience
Helen
The croissants require organisation rather than lots of time, I’ve made them before, but not as spectacularly as these ones
Camilla
Oh my these croissants look out of this world, just perfect! I have to admit that I have never attempted to make any but think a course at River Cottage would be the perfect place to be inspired!
Helen
I’ve made a laminated yeasted dough once and it is not that hard, but it does take some dedication.
Helen @ family-friends-food.com
What a fantastic day! Such a wonderful variety of things to make, with different flours and techniques. Your results looks spectacular – yum!
Helen
It looks super. Ed came back laden down with bags of bread.
Ceri @Natural Kitchen Adventures
Looks like Ed had a fabulous day, captured the atmosphere of RC, and enjoyed it as much as I did. I’d love to go back to learn more – especially all the traditional breads too, but mostly just to hang out in such a legendary institution!
Helen
I am quite jealous and think I need a day there, but on the upside I do get to eat so much good bread!
Isabella
Those croissants look incredible! I need to get on and make more pastries, nothing beats freshly baked bread and pastries! Would love to learn to make traditional breads really well. What a fab competition!
Helen
They were so good. Looking forward to the next batch.
Kerry at Kerry Cooks
Those croissants looks simply PHENOMENAL. Definitely a labour of love but just imagine how impressed people would be!
Helen
Thanks Kerry, they were amazing!
sharon mead
would love to have a go at croissants
Lindsey Smith
I would love to learn to make some nice crusty rolls or a large loaf – mine always come out soft!
Simon tutthill
I would love to able to bake a traditional cob
kate knight
Ciabatta as I love this bread
Ben Audsley
i would like to bake a bagette
fozia Akhtar
Garlic bread
Karl Borowy
ukrainian bread
Kirsty Hosty
I’d like to bake crusty rolls with a soft centre yummy
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
These look staggeringly good! Never tried making croissants but the bought ones in the country are often so rubbish it’s good to have an alternative!
Helen
They were amazing Sarah. All credit to Ed.
Graham Anderson
I would like to be able to make good Bannocks
tamsin
croissants
Jennifer Bruce
My mother in law has coeliac disease, so would love to learn how to bake gluten free (but delicious!) Bread.
Brownie points for me too! And I love brownies!
corina
It sounds like a fantastic day – I’d love to learn how to make baguettes.
Helen Adams
That looks like an amazing day, would love to learn more about baking bread, especially would like to try brioche
leanne weir
croissants
Rich Tyler
I’d love to make TIGER BREAD :)
ElizM
I’d love to be able to make croissants. I make lots of bread at home but croissants have always seemed a bit beyond me.
Robyn S
I would love to finally crack sourdough, sometimes its amazing and others a complete disaster!
Steph Triscott
VARIETIES OF FLATBREADS
Angie Hoggett
I would love to learn the secrets of the perfect sourdough!
janet humphrey
Would love to learn about soda bread – I eat so much of it, and its not cheap in the shops.
Bethan Thomas
Wow this really is great. I would love to make so many different styles of bread, but if I had to choose one I would go for Tiger bread.
Ruth Harwood
would love to make croissants
Cheryl Price
croissants and hedghog bread
Claire Tucker
I’d learn how to plait bread
lisa tebbutt
soda bread
Lizzy Cooper
Id like to learn to bake a good spelt loaf
Jayne Kelsall
Would love to have a go at making Ciabatta as I love it .x
Victoria Prince
I would love to learn how to make Hedgehog Bread!
Eden Harries
croissants, something that would be lovely to make for family and friends
Elisa Trueman
I love banana bread so that would be my first project then I’d try soda bread as not eaten that since I was a small child
Katherine McDonald
Brioche
Michelle Sykes
I would love to make soda bread
Tina Glover
This would be my dream day out :-) I would love to learn how to make Ciabatta…. I have only made plain loaves before so would really love this
Zoe Graham
sun dried tomato bread
Pam Francis Gregory
Fruit bread
cara-jane Hunter
gluten free and dairy free bread!
Jane Willis
I’d love to learn how to make a rye bread that wasn’t too heavy
claire toplis
croissants
Jan Beal
I’d like to learn how to make sourdough bread – and how to keep the starter alive!
Sheri Darby
I would love to make some traditional Challah
Logan
I’d love to improve my bread skills in order to get fluffy cereal brands as mine get quite dense. Also would love to learn about croissants or pains au chocolat to treat my girlfriend in the morning :)
Charlotte Moore
Garlic bread.
lesley stevens
I would love to be shown how to make a french baguette – mine never seem to turn out quite how they should
Joanne thomas
i would love to learn how to bake foccacia
Clara Cort
croissants and choc au pain
Helen
fougasse
leanne tickle
hearty Italian bread!
Sue Dorking
I’d love to make walnut bread and bread with sun-dried tomatoes
Donna Caldwell
I would love to be able to make focaccia
Cerys John
Rye bread :)
Zoe Warren
I’d love to make something like a Mediterranean bread with olives, tomatoes and all that jazz. I’m sure with the right teacher I could make it and it would taste divine!
Robyn Logan Clarke
I would like to make Tiger bread, I made one once but it wasn’t as good as shop bought ones.
Louis P
Soda bread
Jamie Millard
tiger bread. love it – would love it more homemade
Keshia Esgate
Gluten free bread
Rosemary Rowe
I’d love to learn how to make rye bread, as I used to eat it a lot. And sourdough is a mystery to me, so that sounds very appealing.
Chris Fletcher
I’d love to learn how to make pain au raisin, mainly because I have quite an addiction to them and would love to be able to knock a batch up of their wonderful fruity, custardy, pastry goodness!
Erica Price
Garlic and gruyere fougasse
Maureen Moss
cheese and onion
Emma
Seeded loaf
caroline kelly
French baguettes
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet
Your croissants came out perfect. I attempted making some at home years ago but butter oozed everywhere. Never again!
Helen
Ed is the baker here – they were so so good!