Easy Sourdough Croissants

My kitchen smelled like fermented promises the morning I decided to tackle sourdough croissants. I'd been nursing the same starter for months, watching it bubble away in its jar, when it suddenly hit me: why not push this tangy culture into something impossibly flaky? The first batch was honestly chaotic—butter everywhere, dough fighting back—but that crispy-yet-tender result made every sticky fingertip worth it.

I remember bringing these to a friend's Sunday brunch and watching someone bite into one, eyes closing the way they do when taste memories click into place. She said they reminded her of a café in Lyon, which felt like the highest compliment I could get. That moment taught me that croissants are never just pastries—they're small edible confessions of effort and care.

Ingredients

• Bread flour (500 g): Use bread flour specifically, not all-purpose, because the higher protein content builds the structure that makes lamination actually work and gives you those dramatic flake layers.
• Granulated sugar (60 g): This feeds your dough gently, giving the yeast something to work with overnight without rushing the fermentation.
• Fine sea salt (10 g): Salt strengthens gluten development, so don't skip it or your dough will feel too slack and refusing.
• Cold whole milk (240 ml): Cold is non-negotiable here because you want to keep everything cool before the lamination process begins, preventing butter from melting into the dough too early.
• Active sourdough starter at 100% hydration (100 g): This is where the magic happens—that living culture will ferment slowly overnight, developing complex flavors that commercial yeast can't touch.
• Softened unsalted butter (30 g): This goes in the dough itself, keeping things tender while you prepare the separate butter block for lamination.
• Cold unsalted butter block (250 g): This must be cold but still pliable when you pound it out, creating those precious sheets that will separate and puff when heat hits them in the oven.
• Large egg plus milk for egg wash: A light brush of egg wash gives that gorgeous golden sheen that tells people these are homemade, not store-bought.

Instructions

Mix and Knead Your Base:

Combine your flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl, then add the cold milk, starter, and softened butter. Mix until shaggy, then knead for about 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic—you want it soft enough to be forgiving but firm enough to hold structure.

First Rest:

Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This isn't just about chilling; it's about giving the gluten time to relax and the starter time to whisper flavor into every strand.

Prepare Your Butter Block:

Place your 250 g of cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and pound it with a rolling pin until it softens slightly and spreads into a 20 x 15 cm rectangle. You want it pliable enough to fold in without shattering, firm enough not to melt into the dough.

Laminate: The First Turn:

Roll your chilled dough to 40 x 20 cm, lay the butter block on one half, fold the dough over it, and seal the edges by pressing gently. You've just created your first layer sandwich—this is where the magic lamination begins.

Laminate: More Turns:

Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll it out to 60 x 20 cm, fold it into thirds like a letter, wrap it, and chill for 1 hour. Repeat this rolling-and-folding process two more times, chilling between each turn—these folds are what create those dozens of buttery layers.

Final Chill:

After your last fold, wrap the dough and refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours. This is where patience pays dividends and your sourdough starter continues its slow fermentation, building flavor while the laminated dough sets its structure.

Shape Your Croissants:

The next morning, roll your dough to 60 x 30 cm, about 5 mm thick, and cut it into 12 long triangles using a sharp knife. Starting from the wide end of each triangle, roll tightly toward the point, then curve gently into a crescent shape and tuck that tip underneath.

Final Proof:

Arrange your shaped croissants on parchment-lined baking sheets, cover them loosely, and let them rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until they've doubled in size. They should feel light and puffy, almost airy to the touch.

Egg Wash and Bake:

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of milk, then brush this mixture lightly over each croissant—don't oversaturate or you'll lose that precious crispness. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until they're deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

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There's something quietly moving about pulling croissants from the oven when your kitchen is still half-asleep, watching them puff and brown and transform. My partner wandered downstairs once to that smell and just sat at the table without saying anything, which is the highest form of kitchen praise I know.

The Sourdough Advantage

Using sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast slows everything down in exactly the right way. That long, gentle fermentation develops a complexity that makes people pause mid-bite, trying to name the flavor they're tasting. It's not aggressively sour, just... present, like a friendly whisper running through the butter and flour.

Lamination Matters

The three folds are what separate homemade croissants from pancakes with ambitions. Each fold creates more layers, and those layers create steam pockets when heat hits them, puffing and separating into that shattered-glass texture you're after. I used to skip the second or third fold thinking I could save time, and the croissants would just... not do the thing, you know?

Timing and Temperature Tips

Croissants love consistency—keeping everything cold until it hits the oven matters more than you'd think. Room temperature during the final proof (around 20 to 22°C) gives you that gentle rise without causing the butter to melt prematurely and seep out.

• If your kitchen is very warm, proof them in the fridge longer rather than at room temperature to keep control.
• Don't skip the egg wash, because those golden tops are half the visual appeal and half the promise of what's inside.
• Fresh croissants are best within a few hours, but frozen ones can be reheated gently in a low oven without losing too much character.

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Making sourdough croissants is less about following steps perfectly and more about learning to feel when dough is ready, when butter is right, when time has done its work. Once you've made them once, you'll want to make them again.

Recipe Questions

→ What makes the croissants flaky?

The layering of cold butter within the dough through repeated folding creates thin, crisp layers that result in a flaky texture.

→ How does the sourdough starter affect flavor?

It adds a pleasant tang and depth, enhancing complexity beyond traditional croissants with a subtle fermented note.

→ Why is an overnight rest important?

Resting slows fermentation, allowing flavors to deepen and gluten to relax, improving dough texture and final crumb.

→ Can these croissants be made without a stand mixer?

Yes, manual mixing and kneading can be used, though it may require more effort to achieve an elastic dough.

→ How should leftover croissants be stored?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or freeze for longer storage; reheat gently before serving.