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sourdough croissant recipe

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  • Total Time: ~22-24 hours (mostly inactive rising and chilling)

    • Day 1 (Détrempe & First Chill): 1 hour active, 8-12 hours inactive

    • Day 2 (Lamination, Shaping & Final Proof): 3-4 hours active, 3-4 hours inactive

    • Baking: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

The quality of your ingredients is paramount here, especially the butter.

For the Détrempe (The Dough):

  • 500g (4 cups) Strong Bread Flour, plus extra for dusting

  • 10g (2 tsp) Fine Sea Salt

  • 80g (1/3 cup) Granulated Sugar

  • 240g (1 cup) Whole Milk, cold

  • 100g (about ½ cup) Active, Bubbly Sourdough Starter (100% hydration)

For the Butter Block (Le Beurre de Tourage):

  • 250g (2 sticks + 2 tbsp) High-Quality Unsalted European-Style Butter (like Plugrà or Kerrygold), cold but pliable. This high fat content butter is essential for the best flavor and lamination.

For the Egg Wash:

  • 1 large Egg

  • 1 tbsp Milk or Cream

  • A pinch of Salt

Instructions

Day 1: Making the Dough (Détrempe)

  1. Mix the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the cold milk and the active sourdough starter until mostly combined. With the mixer on low speed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry bits of flour remain. This should only take 2-3 minutes. The dough will be stiff. Do not overmix; we are not developing much gluten at this stage.

  2. First Rest: Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This autolyse step allows the flour to hydrate.

  3. Initial Knead: After the rest, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for just 1-2 minutes until it becomes a bit smoother. It will still feel tight. Form it into a thick, square-ish disk (about 2.5cm/1 inch thick). This shape will make it easier to enclose the butter later.

  4. Wrap and Chill: Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight. This long, cold rest is crucial for the dough to relax and for the sourdough flavor to develop.

Day 2: Lamination (The Heart of the Process)

  1. Prepare the Butter Block: About 20 minutes before you take the dough out of the fridge, prepare your butter. Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, beat the butter firmly but gently to soften it slightly and flatten it into a square. Roll it out into a neat 15cm x 15cm (6in x 6in) square. The butter should be cool, pliable, and completely smooth—no cracks. If it’s too hard, let it sit at room temp for a few more minutes. If it’s too soft, pop it back in the fridge.

  2. Encase the Butter (The Beurrage): Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a larger square, about 25cm x 25cm (10in x 10in). Place the butter square in the center of the dough, rotated 45 degrees so its corners point to the midpoints of the dough’s edges. Fold the four flaps of dough over the butter, like an envelope, pinching the seams to completely encase the butter. You should have a neat package.

  3. First Turn (Letter Fold): Gently tap the package with your rolling pin to lengthen it slightly, then roll it into a long rectangle, about 20cm x 60cm (8in x 24in). Be firm but gentle, ensuring the butter is spreading evenly. If at any point the butter feels like it’s breaking or the dough springs back, stop and chill for 15-20 minutes.

    • Once you have your long rectangle, perform a letter fold. Visualize the rectangle in thirds. Fold the bottom third up over the center, then fold the top third down over that. You now have a neat rectangle. This completes your first turn.

  4. Chill: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30-45 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and keeps the butter cold.

  5. Second Turn: Remove the dough from the fridge. Place it on the floured surface with the open seam facing you (like a book). Roll it out again into another long rectangle (20cm x 60cm) and perform another letter fold. This is your second turn.

  6. Chill Again: Wrap and chill for another 30-45 minutes.

  7. Third and Final Turn: Repeat the rolling and letter fold process one more time. This is your third turn. After this turn, your dough has been laminated with 81 layers of butter and dough (3 x 3 x 3 = 27? Actually, each turn triples the layers: Starting with 3 layers of dough and 2 of butter after the first envelope, a letter fold triples them. The math gets complex, but trust the process, you will have many, many thin layers). Wrap the dough tightly and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This final, long rest is essential before shaping.

Shaping the Croissants

  1. Prepare the Dough: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Roll Out: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a long, narrow rectangle, about 40cm x 25cm (16in x 10in) and about 4mm (1/6 inch) thick. Trim the edges with a sharp knife or pizza wheel to create a neat rectangle.

  3. Cut the Triangles: Using a ruler as a guide, make marks along the bottom long edge every 10cm (4 inches). Make marks along the top long edge every 10cm (4 inches), but starting 5cm (2 inches) in from the edge. This staggering will give you your triangle shapes. Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to cut triangles by connecting the bottom marks to the top marks. You should get about 8-10 triangles.

  4. Shape: Take one triangle and gently stretch it to lengthen it to about 25-30cm (10-12 inches). Make a small 1-2cm notch in the center of the short base of the triangle. Gently pull the two corners of the base outwards to widen them slightly, then fold them over each other and begin to roll the dough towards the tip, keeping a gentle tension. Place the croissant on the prepared baking sheet with the tip tucked neatly underneath. Curve the ends inward to form the classic crescent shape. Repeat with all triangles, placing them at least 5cm (2 inches) apart on the trays.

Final Proof & Bake

  1. Proof the Croissants: This is a cool proof. Cover the trays loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let them proof at a cool room temperature (ideally 20-22°C / 68-72°F) for 3-5 hours. They are ready when they are noticeably puffy, very jiggly, and you can see the distinct layers. They will not double in size like bread dough, but they should feel light and airy. If your kitchen is warm, they may proof faster; keep an eye on them. If the butter starts to melt, put them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.

  2. Preheat and Egg Wash: About 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) (or 190°C/375°F for a convection oven). In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and a pinch of salt for the egg wash. Gently brush each croissant with a thin, even layer of the egg wash. Be careful not to let the wash pool at the base, as this can glue the layers together.

  3. Bake: Place one tray in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until the croissants are a deep, glorious golden brown and you can see the layers have visibly separated.

  4. Cool: Transfer the baked croissants to a wire rack to cool completely. They are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container and gently reheated in a low oven the next day.

[Image: A side view of a croissant being pulled apart, showing the dramatic, honeycombed interior.]

Nutrition Information (per croissant, based on 10 servings)

  • Serving Size: 1 croissant

  • Calories: 380 kcal

  • Total Fat: 22g

  • Saturated Fat: 14g

  • Cholesterol: 75mg

  • Sodium: 290mg

  • Total Carbohydrates: 38g

  • Dietary Fiber: 1g

  • Sugars: 6g

  • Protein: 7g

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