Classic Buttery Croissants

Name: Classic Buttery Croissants
Prep time: 1 h 50 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 2 h 12 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3¾ cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, plus extra for dusting; 5 tbsp (62 g) granulated sugar; 1¾ tsp (10 g) fine sea salt; 2½ tsp (8 g) instant yeast; 1⅛ cups (270 ml) whole milk, cold, straight from the fridge; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 10 tbsp (283 g) unsalted European-style butter (82% fat), cold, straight from the fridge; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten until no streaks of white remain; 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Flaky, deeply golden French croissants with a honeycomb interior and a shatter-crisp shell. This recipe uses a simple butter lock-in followed by two letter folds, with plenty of chilling so the layers stay distinct and the butter never leaks.

Prep: 1 hr 50 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 5 hr 50 min
Total: 8 hr 2 min
Makes: 12 croissants

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the dough
3¾ cups (500 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, plus extra for dusting
5 tbsp (62 g) granulated sugar
1¾ tsp (10 g) fine sea salt
2½ tsp (8 g) instant yeast
1⅛ cups (270 ml) whole milk, cold, straight from the fridge
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For the butter block
10 tbsp (283 g) unsalted European-style butter (82% fat), cold, straight from the fridge
For the egg wash
1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten until no streaks of white remain
1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk

Equipment (10)

Stand mixer with dough hook (or a large bowl and 10 minutes of hand kneading)
Rolling pin, preferably a long straight one
Ruler or tape measure
Two 13×18-inch (33×46 cm) rimmed baking sheets
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap
Sharp chef's knife or pizza cutter
Pastry brush
Wire cooling rack
Kitchen scale (strongly recommended)

Steps

Before you start

Plan for about 8 hours start to finish. Most of that is chilling and proofing, but you must be home for the folds. The dough can also rest overnight in the fridge after the final fold (see Make Ahead).
Use a European-style unsalted butter with at least 82% butterfat if you can. It is more pliable when cold and gives better layers and flavor.
Work in a cool kitchen (under 72°F / 22°C). If the butter softens or shiny streaks appear, stop and chill the dough for 20 minutes.
Keep the milk, butter block and dough cold throughout, and use a ruler for the rolled dimensions. Accurate sizes make the folds line up.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper before you begin shaping.

1
Mix the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt and instant yeast and whisk briefly.
- Add the cold milk and the softened butter.
- With the dough hook, mix on low speed for 3 minutes until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium-low and knead for 4 more minutes.
- The dough should be smooth, firm and slightly tacky, and it should clear the sides of the bowl.
- It will not be as stretchy as bread dough, which is correct.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, cohesive and pulls away from the bowl; it springs back slowly when poked.
Tip: Do not over-knead. Strong gluten makes the dough fight you when rolling and leads to tough croissants.
2
Chill the dough
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and pat it into a rectangle about 6×8 inches (15×20 cm), roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- During this time the yeast starts working slowly and the dough cools to the same temperature as the butter block you will make next.
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Ready when: Dough feels cold and firm, no longer warm to the touch.
Tip: Make the butter block during the last 15 minutes of this chill, so both are cold at the same time.
3
Shape the butter block
- Place the cold butter sticks side by side on a sheet of parchment, cover with a second sheet, and pound with the rolling pin to flatten and join them.
- Roll and nudge the butter into a neat 6-inch (15 cm) square, about ½ inch (1 cm) thick, squaring the edges by folding the parchment around it like an envelope.
- Refrigerate in the parchment alongside the dough for the remaining chill time.
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Ready when: Butter is a smooth, even square, cold but bendable (it should bend slightly without cracking or turning greasy).
Tip: If the butter cracks and shatters when you bend it, let it sit for 5 minutes. If it feels soft or greasy, chill it for 10 minutes.
4
Lock in the butter
- On a lightly floured counter, roll the chilled dough into an 8×16-inch (20×40 cm) rectangle, with a short side facing you.
- Place the butter square on the lower half so there is a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border of dough on the bottom, left and right sides.
- Fold the top half of the dough down over the butter and pinch all three open edges firmly to seal it in.
- Then, with the seam side facing away from you, roll the package into an 8×24-inch (20×60 cm) rectangle using firm, even pressure from the center outwards.
- Brush off any excess flour, then fold it in thirds like a letter: fold the bottom third up, then the top third down over it.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough rolls out evenly with no butter breaking through the surface, and the folded packet is a neat 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square.
Tip: If butter oozes through the dough at any point, dust the spot with flour and chill for 20 minutes before continuing.
5
First letter fold
- Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured counter with the folded edge on your left, like a book.
- Roll it out again into an 8×24-inch (20×60 cm) rectangle, rolling lengthwise only and keeping the corners square.
- Brush off excess flour, fold in thirds like a letter, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
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Ready when: Folded dough is a tidy 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square, cold to the touch, with no butter visible on the outside.
Tip: Rolling with the rolling pin pressed evenly (not leaning on one side) keeps the layers the same thickness.
6
Second letter fold
- Repeat the rolling and folding: with the folded edge on your left, roll the dough into an 8×24-inch (20×60 cm) rectangle, brush off flour, and fold in thirds again.
- Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours overnight.
- The dough now has about 27 layers of dough and butter.
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Ready when: Dough is firm and cold, and a faint pattern of layers is visible at the cut edges.
Tip: A longer rest, even overnight, makes the dough much easier to roll thin.
7
Roll and cut triangles
- Cut the dough in half crosswise to make two pieces; return one half to the fridge.
- Roll the other half on a lightly floured counter into a 10×18-inch (25×46 cm) rectangle about ⅕ inch (5 mm) thick, with a long side facing you.
- Trim the edges with a sharp knife to make them straight and expose the layers.
- Along the bottom edge, make marks every 5 inches (12.5 cm) starting at 0, and along the top edge make marks every 5 inches (12.5 cm) starting at 2½ inches (6 cm).
- Cut from mark to mark in a zigzag to form 6 tall isosceles triangles, each with a 5-inch (12.5 cm) base.
- Transfer the triangles to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill while you roll out the second half the same way.
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Ready when: Dough is an even 5 mm thickness and the cut edges show clean, visible layers.
Tip: Cut with a straight downward press, never drag or saw the knife, which smears and seals the layers.
8
Shape the croissants
- Working with one triangle at a time, cut a ½-inch (1 cm) notch in the center of the base.
- Gently stretch the triangle lengthwise by about one-third to lengthen it.
- Fold the two corners of the base outward, and roll the triangle up toward the tip with light, even pressure, keeping the roll straight.
- Place each croissant tip-side down on the baking sheet, 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart (6 per sheet), and gently curve the ends inward into a crescent.
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Ready when: Each croissant is rolled with 4–5 visible tiers and the tip tucked underneath.
Tip: Roll loosely. A tight roll restricts the rise and gives dense, doughy centers.
9
Egg wash and proof
- Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon milk together and strain if you want a smoother glaze.
- Lightly brush the croissants with the egg wash, taking care not to let it drip down the sides onto the parchment, which glues the layers together.
- Reserve the leftover egg wash in the fridge.
- Loosely cover the sheets with oiled plastic wrap or place in a large plastic bag, and proof at 75°F (24°C) for 1½ to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven for the last 20 minutes of proofing.
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Ready when: Croissants have grown about 1½ times in size, look visibly puffy, and jiggle like gelatin when the pan is gently shaken. The layers should be clearly visible.
Tip: Proof in a cool spot, never above 80°F (27°C), or the butter will melt out and the croissants will be greasy.
10
Bake, stage oneOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush the croissants a second time with the reserved egg wash.
- Bake both sheets for 12 minutes, until puffed and starting to turn golden.
- Do not open the oven during this time.
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Ready when: Croissants have visibly puffed up and are light golden at the edges.
Tip: Butter may leak a little onto the pan; that is normal. A lot of pooled butter means the proof was too warm.
11
Bake, stage twoOven 375°F / 190°C
- Rotate the sheets front to back and swap their racks.
- Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 9–10 more minutes, until the croissants are deep golden brown all over, including the bottoms, and feel light for their size.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown color, crisp shell that sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and the layers feel dry rather than doughy.
Tip: Pale croissants are underbaked and will be gummy inside. Bake until they are a rich mahogany golden.
12
Cool before serving
- Transfer the croissants to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 20 minutes.
- This lets the interior steam escape and the honeycomb crumb set.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Croissants are warm, not hot, and the crust crackles when pressed lightly.
Tip: Cutting into them too soon makes the inside seem gummy; the crumb needs time to set.

Good to know

Tips

Always roll from the center outward with even pressure, and keep the edges square so the layers stay the same thickness.
Use flour sparingly and brush it off before every fold. Excess flour makes the layers dry and tough.
If the dough springs back while rolling, stop, wrap it and rest it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes before continuing.
Use a scale for the butter and dough. Accurate weights keep the butter and dough at the right ratio for proper layers.
Trim scraps can be baked as a baker's treat, but do not re-roll them, since the layers will be scrambled.

Make ahead

"After the second letter fold (step 6), the dough can rest in the fridge for up to 12 hours. To freeze, shape the croissants (step 8), freeze on the sheet until solid (about 2 hours), then bag for up to 1 month. To bake from frozen, arrange on a parchment-lined sheet, cover, and proof at room temperature for 3–4 hours until puffy, then egg wash and bake as directed."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: store in a paper bag or loosely covered for up to 1 day; the crust softens in airtight containers. Fridge: not recommended, as it dries them out. Freezer: freeze baked, cooled croissants in a zip-top bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen or room temperature on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 5–8 minutes until the shell is crisp and the center is warm."

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour. Use the same weight (500 g). The croissants will be slightly less chewy and a bit softer, and the dough may need 1–2 tablespoons less milk.
instant yeast → active dry yeast. Use 10 g (3 tsp). Dissolve it in the cold milk for 5 minutes before adding to the flour.
unsalted European-style butter (82% fat) → standard American unsalted butter (80% fat). Works, but it is softer and leaks more easily, so chill more often and work quickly.
whole milk → cold water plus 1 tbsp (15 g) extra butter. Gives a slightly crisper, less tender crumb with less browning.