Sourdough Croissants Recipe – Flaky and Buttery Homemade Pastries Recipe

Introduction

These sourdough croissants are a labor of love that pay off with flaky, buttery layers and a delightful tang from the sourdough starter. Perfect for those craving an authentic Parisian café experience at home, this recipe uses only sourdough starter as the levain for better flavor and digestibility. Though it takes patience, the results are truly worth the effort.

Ingredients

• 150 grams active sourdough starter
• 113 grams filtered water
• 113 grams whole milk
• 50 grams unsalted butter, melted
• 450 grams organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 45 grams granulated sugar
• 9 grams sea salt
• 250 grams unsalted butter, room temperature (for butter filling)
• 1 egg (for egg wash, optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Feed your sourdough starter so it is active and bubbly, about 4-6 hours after feeding. You need 150 grams of this mature starter.
2. Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, melted butter, water, and whole milk. Add the flour, sugar, and salt, mixing until a rough dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Step 3: Turn the dough onto a clean counter and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Place in a butter-greased bowl, cover, and bulk rise at room temperature until doubled, about 4-6 hours.
4. Step 4: Refrigerate the dough, covered, for at least 12 hours up to 3 days to ferment slowly.
5. Step 5: Prepare the butter filling (beurrage) by slicing the room temperature butter into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place on a folded 8×8 inch parchment paper packet and roll into a flat square. Chill for 6 minutes until cool but pliable.
6. Step 6: Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface into an 8×17 inch rectangle. Lay the beurrage on the bottom half and fold the top half over to cover the butter completely.
7. Step 7: Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll out to 18 inches long. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up, then fold in half to create layers. Roll again lengthwise to about 20 inches.
8. Step 8: Perform the final fold by folding the dough down two-thirds, then folding the bottom portion up over it like a pamphlet. Chill for 10 minutes if dough or butter becomes too warm.
9. Step 9: Roll out the dough to a final rectangle about 8×24 inches. Trim edges to create straight sides.
10. Step 10: Mark and cut the dough into triangles by making zig-zag cuts connecting marks spaced 3 1/2 inches apart on opposite sides.
11. Step 11: Roll each triangle from the wide end towards the point to form croissants. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the point underneath to prevent unrolling.
12. Step 12: Whisk an egg and brush the croissants lightly to prevent drying. Let them proof in a draft-free spot until doubled, about 2-4 hours. Optionally, cover and refrigerate overnight.
13. Step 13: Preheat the oven to 380°F (193°C). Brush croissants with egg wash again and bake for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown.
14. Step 14: Let the croissants rest undisturbed on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before serving to allow residual baking and reabsorption of any leaked butter.

Tips & Variations

• Use high-fat, European-style unsalted butter for the best flaky layers and flavor.
• If butter hardens during rolling, allow it to soften until pliable to avoid tearing the dough.
• Keep your work surface floured and work quickly to prevent the butter from melting.
• Proof croissants in a warm, draft-free place or inside a turned-off oven for consistent rising.
• For fresh croissants in the morning, proof overnight in the fridge and bake the next day.
• Freeze proofed croissants and bake from frozen by adding 2-3 minutes to baking time.

Storage

Store baked croissants in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To refresh, warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes. Unbaked, proofed croissants can be frozen for up to 1 month and baked straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to baking time.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use commercial yeast instead of sourdough starter?

This recipe relies on sourdough starter alone for its signature flavor and texture. Using commercial yeast will change the taste and process, so it’s best to follow this recipe as written for authentic sourdough croissants.

Why is the butter temperature important?

The butter needs to be cool and pliable but not hard. If it is too cold, it will break when rolling; if too warm, it will melt and ruin the layering. Chilling the butter packet for a few minutes before laminating helps achieve the right consistency.

Sourdough Croissants Recipe – Flaky and Buttery Homemade Pastries Recipe

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4.5 from 105 reviews

This sourdough croissants recipe uses only sourdough starter as the levain to create irresistibly flakey, buttery croissants reminiscent of a Parisian café. The process involves slow fermentation, precise lamination with high-quality butter, and careful proofing to develop layers that yield a tender yet crisp pastry. Though it requires multiple steps and a bit of planning over 2 to 3 days, the exquisite flavor and texture make it well worth the effort for home bakers seeking an authentic French pastry experience.

• Author: lina
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 day 1 hour 55 minutes
• Yield: 10–12 croissants 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Pastry
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Levain and Dough

• 150 grams active sourdough starter
• 113 grams filtered water
• 113 grams whole milk
• 50 grams unsalted butter, melted
• 450 grams organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 45 grams granulated sugar
• 9 grams sea salt

Butter Filling (Le Beurrage)

• 250 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

1. Feed your Sourdough Starter: Ensure you have 150 grams of active, mature sourdough starter by feeding it equal parts flour and water 4-6 hours before use until doubled and bubbly. For precise measurement, mix 50g starter, 50g flour, and 50g water, reserving extra starter for future use.
2. Make, Knead, and Proof the Dough: Whisk together sourdough starter, melted butter, water, and milk. Add flour, sugar, and salt, mixing until dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Knead dough on clean surface for 3-5 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Place in butter-greased bowl, cover, and bulk rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours until doubled and puffy. Transfer to fridge for slow fermentation for at least 12 hours, up to 3 days, keeping covered to prevent drying.
3. Prepare the Butter (Le Beurrage): Fold parchment paper into an 8×8″ square packet. Slice room temperature butter to about 1/4″ thickness and arrange on parchment. Enclose butter and roll to fill all corners evenly. Chill butter packet in fridge for 6 minutes until pliable but not hardened to ensure easy lamination.
4. Laminating the Dough: Roll chilled dough on floured surface into an 8×17″ rectangle, slightly longer than butter packet. Unwrap butter and place on bottom half of dough. Fold top dough over butter to seal edges. Rotate dough 90°, roll out to about 18″ length. Fold top third down and bottom third up to form a square, then fold in half again. Rotate 90°, roll lengthwise to 20″, then perform a final pamphlet fold by folding top two-thirds down and bottom third over top. Optionally chill dough for 10 minutes if butter feels warm. Roll dough to final rectangle approximately 8×24″ with all lamination folds complete, creating 24 layers.
5. Shape the Croissants: Trim edges to create straight lines. Mark long side every 3 1/2 inches and offset marks on opposite side. Cut dough diagonally in a zig-zag pattern into triangular pieces. Starting at wide end, roll each triangle tightly toward point forming crescent shape. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet with points tucked under to prevent unrolling. Repeat for remaining triangles, making 10-12 croissants.
6. Proof the Croissants: Whisk an egg for egg wash and brush lightly on croissants to prevent drying. Cover remaining egg wash and brush and refrigerate. Let croissants proof in a draft-free area, such as a turned-off oven, for 2-4 hours until doubled in size. Optionally cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for morning baking.
7. Bake: Preheat oven to 380°F (193°C). Brush croissants with egg wash again. Bake croissants for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown and flaky. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for 15 minutes undisturbed to allow internal baking and reabsorption of any leaked butter.
8. Enjoy: Serve warm and savor the fresh, buttery layers of your homemade sourdough croissants, delivering an authentic taste of a Parisian café.

Notes

• You can refrigerate proofed croissants overnight covered with plastic wrap to bake fresh in the morning.
• Croissants freeze well after proofing; bake from frozen by adding 2-3 extra minutes to baking time.
• Use high-fat, European-style butter for best flakiness and flavor.
• Keep work surface floured to prevent sticking and tearing during lamination.
• Chilling dough between folds helps keep butter from melting, essential for creating distinct layers.

Keywords: sourdough croissants, homemade croissants, sourdough starter recipe, flaky croissants, laminated dough, French pastry, slow fermented croissants, beurrage butter