Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast Breads & Pastries Croissant All-Butter Croissant Dough 4.4 (7) 5 Reviews Golden, buttery, and impossibly flaky croissants depend on quality ingredients, good technique, and plenty of patience — but they are so worth it. By Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean is a food editor, recipe developer, and food stylist with over seven years of experience in food media. Her work has appeared in more than 15 nationally distributed publications, award-winning cookbooks, and digital platforms. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 9, 2024 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Active Time: 55 mins Total Time: 5 hrs 40 mins Servings: 1 Batch of 12 Croissants Jump to recipe The key to bakery-perfect croissants with distinct, crispy layers is keeping the dough and the butter block encased within it nice and cold. This recipe calls for European butter, which produces especially rich, delicious croissants and is vital in creating their signature flaky texture. That's because European butter contains more butterfat and less water, so it's more pliable than standard butter. As you roll out your dough, the butter block stays relatively flexible, allowing for smooth, even layers that remain fully enclosed in the yeasted dough instead of crumbling and breaking. Simply put, more butterfat means less frustration. The best part? This croissant dough recipe isn't only delicious for making homemade croissants. It's perfect for tons of other dessert recipes that call for laminated dough. Think Danishes, puff pastries, sticky buns, pain au chocolat, the list goes on. Frequently Asked Questions What is special about croissant dough? Croissants are made of yeasted laminated dough, and F&W Food Editor Paige Grandjean's time-tested lamination technique makes a base recipe that you can use for flaky layers in many other baked goods, such as Kouign-Amann, biscuits, and anything made with puff pastry, like palmier cookies. Do you need any special equipment to make croissant dough? When it comes to tools, a bench scraper is crucial. Its wide, flat edge makes it ideal for shaping and moving dough without subjecting it to the heat of your hands. Here are the top five bench scrapers we'd recommend after rigorously testing 20 of them. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Maintaining the butter temperature at the right temperature can make or break this croissant dough recipe. If it's too warm, it risks melting into the dough, which wouldn't result in the crisp, flaky layers you're looking for. If needed, check the butter's temperature before starting with the lamination process; it should be around 55ºF. Make ahead The butter block (step three) can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two weeks. Let stand at room temperature until pliable, about 10 minutes, before starting lamination. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 cups all-purpose flour (about 17 ounces), plus more as needed 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided 2 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt 2/3 cup warm water (100°F to 110°F) 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (from 2 [1/4-ounce] envelopes) 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons cold unsalted European-style butter (such as Échiré) (13 1/2 ounces), divided 1/2 cup whole milk Directions Stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Stir together 2/3 cup warm water, yeast, and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place 3 tablespoons butter in a microwavable bowl, loosely cover with a paper towel, and microwave on high until melted, about 30 seconds. (Keep remaining butter refrigerated.) Add melted butter and milk to yeast mixture. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to yeast mixture, beating until dry ingredients are incorporated, about 6 minutes. Increase speed to medium-low and beat until dough is smooth, elastic, and tacky, about 8 minutes. Shape dough into a ball; flatten slightly. Place dough on a lightly floured large plate; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours or overnight for more flavor. Place remaining 1 1/2 cups cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper; let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Using a rolling pin, pound butter to flatten and soften slightly. Removing and replacing parchment as needed, use a bench scraper and a rolling pin to shape butter into a 7 1/2-inch square block of even thickness. Refrigerate between sheets of parchment paper 15 minutes. Unwrap chilled dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour top of dough. Roll into a 12-inch square; brush off excess flour. Remove and discard top sheet of parchment paper from butter block. Using bottom sheet of parchment paper as handles and turning butter block 45 degrees, flip butter onto middle of dough square. (Butter will be in a diamond shape, leaving corners of dough square exposed.) Remove and discard parchment paper. Using a rolling pin and starting at edge of butter block, roll each dough corner away from the center until it is 8 inches long (about 1/16-inch thick), flouring as needed. Brush off excess flour. Fold one elongated dough corner up and over butter block, stretching gently into a square to fully cover butter. Repeat with remaining dough corners, creating four layers of thinly stretched dough covering butter block. Lightly flour work surface if needed. Press rolling pin across dough to create trenches, evenly dispersing butter. Roll dough into a smooth 24 by 12-inch rectangle. Starting with one short side, fold dough into thirds, like a letter. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling process two times. Proceed with making Classic Croissants. Originally appeared: September 2020 Rate It Print