Worried your butter will leak out of the dough? Here is how to make croissants: mix a soft yeasted dough, lock in cool butter, fold it three times with chilling between, then shape, proof and bake at 375-400°F.
For more recipes like this one, browse the bread and pastry baking guide.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Butter temperature for lamination | About 55°F (13°C) |
| Chilling between each rollout | 30-45 minutes |
| Roll-and-turn cycles | 3 times |
| Primary fermentation rest | 1-2 hours |
| Overnight chill option | 12-24 hours |
| Baking temperature | 375-400°F (190-205°C) |
These figures come from The Culinary Pro’s laminated dough page and can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What lamination does to croissant dough
A laminated dough is made by rolling and folding butter into a yeasted dough to create hundreds of thin layers of flaky pastry, as The Culinary Pro describes it. The butter block is called the beurrage, and the base dough around it is the detrempe. There are three basic steps: preparing the dough, enclosing it in butter, and rolling and folding.
In the oven the butter melts and gives off steam, which puffs and separates the layers. That is what turns a stack of thin sheets into a buttery, flaky pastry rather than a dense roll.
Croissants are one member of a family. The same source lists filled versions such as pain au chocolat and almond-filled amadine, and a baker’s guest post on King Arthur Baking’s blog notes that the process also applies to sticky buns, Danish and kouign amman. Once you have the routine down, it carries over.
Ingredients and the base dough
The detrempe for croissants is made from flour, sugar, yeast, salt and milk, according to The Culinary Pro. Danish dough uses the same ingredients and adds eggs. The recipe on that page also puts some butter into the dough itself and adds water along with the milk.
Three choices shape the result:
- Flour: all-purpose flour works, or you can blend a bread flour with a soft cake flour.
- Fat for the block: butter is the preferred fat for croissants and Danish, while lard, margarine and shortening are sometimes used to save cost.
- Mixing: keep it short, because overmixing lets the gluten develop too fast.
In a mixer with a dough hook, start on low speed and mix for about 5-6 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. It will feel soft and sticky, and that is normal for an enriched laminated dough. Shape it into a rectangle on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Let the dough rest for 1-2 hours so the primary fermentation can develop. If yeast is new to you, it helps to know how to proof yeast before you start. Once the dough has doubled in bulk, deflate it gently, cover it, and chill it for at least 1 hour, or overnight for 12-24 hours, per the same source.
How to make croissants: locking in the butter and folding
While the dough rests, place the butter between two sheets of parchment, pound it with a rolling pin to soften it, and roll it into a rectangle about 2/3 the size of the dough. The Culinary Pro puts the butter’s ideal temperature at approximately 55°F (13°C). You can read the details on that page.
Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about three times as long as it is wide and about ½ inch (12 mm) thick. Dust lightly with flour as needed and brush off the excess once you reach the size you want.
From here, the work is a repeating loop of fold and chill:
- Place the butter on the dough and fold the dough over it to lock the butter in. Croissants typically use a letter fold, which folds the dough in thirds like a letter going into an envelope.
- Put the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, dust it lightly with flour, wrap it in plastic, and chill it for approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Turn the dough 90°, roll it out into a rectangle with straight edges and square corners, and fold it again.
- Roll and turn three times in total, chilling for 30-45 minutes between each rollout, as The Culinary Pro directs.
- After the final roll, cover the dough and chill it for at least 30-45 minutes before cutting.
Professional bakeries use a dough sheeter for large-scale production, while smaller-scale lamination is done by hand. A rolling pin and a cool kitchen are the home version of the same method.
How cold should the butter and dough be?
Temperature is the factor that decides whether the layers stay separate. The Culinary Pro explains that the fat must not be too warm (soft) or too cold (firm), and that butter that gets too cold affects the lamination process. This is why the chilling steps are built into the method rather than treated as optional.
Sources do not agree on one exact number. A reply on a cooking-course forum suggests butter at approximately 15.6°C (60°F) before lamination, a little warmer than the approximately 55°F (13°C) given by The Culinary Pro. The same reply describes the target as cold but malleable, meaning you can bend the butter without breaking it.
Treat both figures as approximate working ranges. If the butter snaps into shards when you roll, it is likely too firm; if it smears, return the dough to the fridge for its chill.
Shaping, proofing and baking
For the classic shape, cut the dough into triangles and roll each one from the wide edge toward the tip, as The Culinary Pro describes. The ends may be curved or left straight. You can also cut rectangles, fill them with chocolate, almond paste or savory ingredients, and roll them up.
Brush with egg wash, proof until double in bulk, then bake at 375-400°F (190-205°C). That wide range is a reminder to watch the color of your pastry rather than the clock alone.
Fewer folds, other doughs and what to try next
Fold count is not fixed. King Arthur Baking notes that its original pain au chocolat recipe called for four sets of single or letter folds, and a later post on that site is titled “When less is more: Why fewer folds make a better croissant.” You can read the reasoning on the King Arthur Baking blog.
Danish uses a book fold rather than the letter fold, and its dough adds eggs. If you want to practice a different pastry afterward, a choux pastry recipe is a good contrast because it does not rely on folded layers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Show answer
Butter is the preferred fat for croissants, according to The Culinary Pro, but lard, margarine and shortening are sometimes used to save cost. Expect the flavor to differ from an all-butter croissant.
Do I have to chill the dough overnight?
Show answer
The source recipe says to chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight for 12-24 hours. Overnight is an option, not a requirement.
Which flour should I use?
Show answer
All-purpose flour can be used, or a bread flour blended with a soft cake flour. Either way, avoid overmixing so the gluten does not develop too fast.
Which fold do croissants use?
Show answer
Croissants typically use a letter fold, where the dough is folded in thirds. Danish typically uses a book fold instead.
