Homemade Croissant Bread (Printable version)
A tender, buttery loaf capturing flaky, layered croissant goodness in sliceable form—ideal for breakfast or brunch.
# What you'll need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
05 - 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg
→ Butter Block
08 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into thin slices
→ Egg Wash
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon milk
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast, placing yeast away from direct salt contact. Add lukewarm milk, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
02 - Knead dough for 7–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a greased bowl for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
03 - Punch down dough and shape into a rectangle. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Layer cold butter slices over two-thirds of the dough.
05 - Fold the unbuttered third over the butter, then fold the remaining third over to form a neat rectangle. Rotate 90 degrees so openings face you.
06 - Roll into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle again. Perform another letter fold, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
07 - Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process two more times for a total of three turns.
08 - After the final chill, roll dough to approximately 8 x 16 inches. Roll tightly from the short edge into a loaf shape.
09 - Place seam-side down in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
10 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk egg and milk for egg wash. Brush loaf surface thoroughly.
11 - Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
12 - Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool fully before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everyone assumes you spent hours mastering French pastry techniques when really it is just careful folding and chilling between Netflix episodes
- The way the honey melts into warm freshly toasted slices creates breakfast moments worth waking up early for
02 -
- If butter breaks through the dough during rolling, dust the area with flour and keep going because the dough will still bake up beautifully
- The refrigerator is your best friend throughout this process because cold butter creates distinct layers while warm butter melts into the dough
03 -
- Weighing your ingredients instead of using cups will give you consistent results every single time
- A metal bench scraper helps lift and fold the dough without warming it with your hands