Sourdough Croissants Made Easy
My sourdough croissants are uncomplicated, and you always get those beloved flaky layers! My love of these pastries inspired me to develop a shortened, simplified process that even beginner bakers can follow. When they come out of the oven, you’ll wonder how the heck you made them with your own two hands because they look store-bought! I make this recipe over and over again, they’re just so dang good!
This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
If you want to make this recipe but don’t have a sourdough starter, no worries! Grab my free guide so you can make your own starter at home.
If you’re new to sourdough baking and feel hesitant, or you have questions, I’ve got something for you! I broke down the basics of what you need to know about sourdough baking in my free sourdough baking guide for beginners. I highly recommend grabbing a copy!
Inspiration Behind My Sourdough Croissants
Croissants are one of my favorite foods! I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, supper, and all over again the next day! I’ve always loved getting them at cafes, restaurants, and occasionally from the grocery store.
But croissants can get expensive, so I wanted to make them at home with simple steps and wholesome ingredients. I’ve made traditional croissants with the long lamination process, and they were delicious. But I wanted to simplify the process so it wouldn’t take so long or feel overwhelming while still achieving the flaky layers.
I absolutely love my recipe. Every time I whip it up, I can’t believe I made them; they just look so fancy! I hope you make this recipe over and over again!
What is a Sourdough Croissant?
Sourdough croissants are flaky pastries that have delicate layers on the inside. They have the perfect crunch when you bite into them and a buttery flavor. They’re irresistible!
Difference Between Sourdough Croissants and Crescent Rolls
Croissants are laminated with butter to create flaky layers. Crescent rolls are not laminated, so sure, they may be flaky on the outside, but they don’t have those interior layers.
How I’ve Made Sourdough Croissants Easy Unlike other Sourdough Croissant Recipes
I developed this simplified, easier process of making sourdough croissants to make croissant baking easier for home bakers, like you and me! I wanted to create a way to make bakery-style croissants at home without an overwhelming set of instructions.
This isn’t the traditional way to make croissants, but you still get those amazing flaky layers without all the hassle. I did tons of research, trial and error in my kitchen, and lots of revising to create a simple, beginner-friendly step-by-step process. Anyone can make them! Croissants don’t have to be hard!
Why You’ll Love My Sourdough Croissant Recipe
- EASIEST Recipe: Like I said above, I’ve made croissants so much easier without sacrificing those amazing layers.
- Simple Instructions: Each steps is simple so you won’t get overwhelmed.
- No Butter Slab: Instead of a butter slab, I have you grate the butter. It’s so much easier.
- Quicker than Most: I’ve cut out all the unnecessary steps to make my recipe faster.
- Amazing Layers: You get those beloved flaky layers with these croissants.
- The Perfect Flavor: The flavor is so dang good, it’s hard to stop at 1!
- Better than Store-Bought: You won’t want to buy croissants at the store anymore after making this recipe!
My Croissant Making Tips
- Make sure you’re using cold, salted stick butter for the best outcome!
- Read through my entire recipe’s steps before starting. This helps you learn the process before you get going so you know what’s coming next.
- Follow my steps exactly; don’t improvise or skip anything. Especially the chilling!
- Even though it’s tempting to skip the freezing for 2 minutes in between folding the dough, don’t skip this. This keeps the butter cold so it can create layers.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements.
Croissant Dough
- sourdough starter: make sure your sourdough starter is fed and active before making this recipe
- milk: I like to use whole milk but you can use any
- sea salt: you can also use regular salt
- all-purpose flour: I like to use organic, unbleached but you can use any
- cold salted butter: it must be cold, salted stick butter
- raw honey: you can also use pure maple syrup
Butter Layer
- salted butter: it must be cold, salted stick butter
Egg wash
- large egg + water: you’ll simply whisk to combine in a small bowl
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
How to Make Sourdough Croissants
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Feed Your Starter
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Feed your entire sourdough starter jar 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. I recommend feeding your entire starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when making this recipe.
(Example: Feed entire starter 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let it sit on the counter at room temperature until it’s bubbly and has grown in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to use in this recipe.)
Make the Croissant Dough
Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.
Grate butter into the dry mixture or use a fork to cut butter into flour until pea-sized. Stir to evenly distribute butter pieces.
Add in milk, honey, and fed sourdough starter. Stir to combine. Use your hands to finish combining flour into dough.
Turn the dough out on the counter and knead for 2 minutes (or use an electric mixer with a dough hook).
Place dough back in its bowl and cover it with a damp towel or lid, loosely. Let it bulk ferment on the counter at room temperature for 12 hours or until it doubles or triples in size.
Chill the Dough
When dough has doubled or tripled in size, place it in the fridge for 2 hours (up to 48 hours, if you want more time). Do not skip this step!
Laminate the Dough
When dough finishes chilling, dust your workspace lightly with flour. Then turn it out on the countertop and roll it out into a large rectangle that’s 3/4 inch thick.
Grate the cold butter (lamination layer ingredient) into a pile on top of the rectangle with a cheese grater (or cut it into tiny pieces with a knife).
Spread the small pieces of butter into a small rectangle in the middle of the dough.
Fold the dough in half to make a long envelope then in half again the other way to make a square. Let rest for 2 minutes in the freezer (not on the counter!).
Roll the dough out into another larger rectangle and repeat the folding process exactly how we just did it. If the dough is sticking, dust with a little flour. We are creating the croissant layers. Let rest for 2 minutes in the freezer (not on the counter!).
This time roll the dough out into a 1/2 inch large thick rectangle.
Shape the Croissants
Grab a pizza cutter or a knife and slice the dough into 6, 2.5 wide inch strips horizontally (the short ends of the rectangle of dough should be on top and bottom, long ends on the sides).
Roll each strip up so you have a circular shape then place each on a parchment lined sheet pan, 2 inches apart, on it’s side. Not like a cinnamon roll but standing up so the end of the dough piece is tucked underneath.
Proofing (Let Croissants Rise)
Cover the pan loosely with a towel or wrap, and let rise for 3-4 hours at room temperature on the counter top. They will be puffy when they’re ready to bake. (If your house is cooler it may take a little longer).
Bake the Croissants
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk the egg wash together and brush the croissants so they’re covered.
Bake for 15 minutes then rotate the pan (180 degrees) in the oven.
Bake on 425 for an additional 10 minutes. They should be brown and crispy!
Take out of the oven and place each croissant onto a wire cooling rack. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
Troubleshooting & How to Fix Issues
No layers? Your butter lamination layer melted into your dough while you were folding. Be sure to pop your dough in the freezer for 2 minutes between folding sessions. If your house is above 72-73 degrees Fahrenheit, be sure to chill the dough for an extra 2 minutes.
Dough didn’t rise? It sounds like your sourdough starter isn’t very active or it’s chilly in your home. First, let your dough sit out for a few more hours to see if it rises anymore. If it doesn’t, your starter is weak (not a problem!) and you just need to strengthen it for next time. Learn how to do that with my helpful guide here on the blog.
The croissants unfolded in the oven. This happens. To help prevent it, make sure the “tail” is tucked underneath the croissant when you place it on the pan.
To learn more about sourdough fails, read my blog post about troubleshooting more issues.
My Favorite Ways to Enjoy and Serve Sourdough Croissants
You can serve croissants all day long and on different occasions! Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve them:
- If you want to croissants them for breakfast, serve them warmed up by themselves, with bacon, or with fruit.
- Serve them with a little homemade chocolate sauce for a special treat (my husband’s favorite!).
- For a snack, warm them up and serve with a plate of fruit and cheese. Add beef jerky to your plate if you’re really hungry.
- Make sandwiches with these croissants. Stuff them with any meat, cheese, and veggies you’d like.
- When guests come to visit or if you’re hosting a gathering, serve a plate of croissants to wow your friends and family.
How to Store Croissants
Store cooled-down croissants in an airtight container for 3–4 days at room temperature. I always recommend glass containers to keep the flavor preserved.
Freezing Instructions
You can freeze croissants after they’ve been baked for up to 3 months. I recommend a glass airtight container or a freezer-safe baggie.
The Best Way to Warm Up a Croissant
I suggest warming up a croissant in the oven or a toaster oven for 2-3 minutes on 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re looking for them to be warm and the exterior to crisp up again! This way you get the same texture as if they were fresh!
Frequently Asked Questions
You proof/rise them by letting the shaped croissants sit at room temperature on the counter for 3-4 hours. They will get puffy and a little bigger.
In my personal opinion, yes! My sourdough croissants are not only made from scratch with wholesome ingredients, but they also contain fermentation benefits from the sourdough starter.
Yes, either place baked croissants in a freezer-safe container or wrap them and place them in a freezer zip-lock baggie. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
You can fill your croissant with tons of different options! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
– chocolate chip or chocolate syrup
– Nutella
– peanut butter or almond butter
– cream cheese
– fruit preserves like peach and strawberry
– shredded cheese
This is called the bulk ferment when the dough rises. It doesn’t have to be overnight it just needs to be 12 hours or until the dough doubles or triples in size.
Baked croissants do not have to be refrigerated unless you want to.
The biggest difference is that crescent rolls are not laminated like croissants. This is what creates those flaky layers in a croissant.
Place them in an airtight container, preferably glass, and store them at room temperature for 3–4 days. Then place them in the fridge for the rest of the week if needed.
Yes! That’s exactly what we’re doing with my recipe.
No, most croissants are made with yeast instead of sourdough.
I don’t recommend it. This recipe is made for regular croissants.
More Sourdough Recipes Made Easy:
If you’re looking for more easy sourdough recipes, try a few of these:
- Artisan Sourdough Loaf for Beginners
- Sourdough Crescent Rolls
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones
- Sourdough Bagels
- Sourdough Jalapeno Cheddar Scones
- Small-Batch Sourdough Chocolate Chip Blondies
- Honey Sourdough Cornbread (better than store-bought mix!)
- Sourdough Graham Crackers (Better Than Store Bought!)
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo on your social media stories! Be sure to tag @plumbranchhome
Recipe
Sourdough Croissants
Ingredients
Croissant Dough
- 1/2 cup fed sourdough starter
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 Tbsp cold salted stick butter
- 1 Tbsp raw honey
Butter Lamination Layer
- 4 Tbsp cold salted stick butter
Egg Wash
- 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water (whisked to combine in a small bowl)
Instructions
Feed Your Starter
- BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Feed your entire sourdough starter jar 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. I recommend feeding your entire starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when making this recipe. (Example: Feed entire starter 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let it sit on the counter at room temperature until it's bubbly and has grown in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to use in this recipe.)
Make Dough
- Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Grate butter into the dry mixture or use a fork to cut butter into flour until pea-sized. Stir to evenly distribute butter pieces.
- Add in milk, honey, and fed sourdough starter. Stir to combine. Use your hands to finish combining flour into dough.
- Turn the dough out on the counter and knead for 2 minutes (or use an electric mixer with a dough hook).
- Place dough back in its bowl and cover it with a damp towel or lid, loosely. Let it bulk ferment on the counter at room temperature for 12 hours or until it doubles or triples in size.
Chill Dough
- When dough has doubled or tripled in size, place it in the fridge for 2 hours (up to 48 hours, if you want more time). Do not skip this step!
Laminate Dough
- When dough finishes chilling, dust your workspace lightly with flour. Then turn it out on the countertop and roll it out into a large rectangle that's 3/4 inch thick.
- Grate the cold butter (lamination layer ingredient) into a pile on top of the rectangle with a cheese grater (or cut it into tiny pieces with a knife).
- Spread the small pieces of butter into a small rectangle in the middle of the dough.
- Fold the dough in half to make a long envelope then in half again the other way to make a square. Let rest for 2 minutes in the freezer (not on the counter!).
- Roll the dough out into another larger rectangle and repeat the folding process exactly how we just did it. If the dough is sticking, dust with a little flour.We are creating the croissant layers. Let rest for 2 minutes in the freezer (not on the counter!).
- This time roll the dough out into a 1/2 inch large thick rectangle.
Shape Croissants
- Grab a pizza cutter or a knife and slice the dough into 6, 2.5 wide inch strips horizontally (the short ends of the rectangle of dough should be on top and bottom, long ends on the sides).
- Roll each strip up so you have a circular shape then place each on a parchment lined sheet pan, 2 inches apart, on it's side. Not like a cinnamon roll but standing up so the end of the dough piece is tucked underneath.
Proofing
- Cover the pan loosely with a towel or wrap, and let rise for 3-4 hours at room temperature on the counter top. They will be puffy when they're ready to bake. (If your house is cooler it may take a little longer).
Bake Croissants
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the egg wash together and brush the croissants so they're covered.
- Bake for 15 minutes then rotate the pan (180 degrees) in the oven.
- Bake on 425 for an additional 10 minutes. They should be brown and crispy!
- Take out of the oven and place each croissant onto a wire cooling rack. Enjoy!
Video
Hi Molly, I am loving your recipes and how detailed you have made them, your tips are also very helpful with beginning sourdough baking. I have tried to print a few of the recipes but it will not let me is there something I need to do for the page to allow printing.
Thanks
Hi Tonya, thank you so much! I just checked into this and it seems like if you’re using a desktop computer, you’ll want to click the print button twice to get it to the print preview so you can print it off. There may also be something blocking your ability to print on your web browser. I’d try a different devise if you still can’t print to see if that’s an issue. If you keep having issues let me know!