Homemade Croissant Bread (Printable)

A tender, buttery loaf with flaky layers capturing classic French croissant perfection in a sliceable format.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
05 - 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg

→ Butter Block

08 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into thin slices

→ Egg Wash

09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon milk

# Steps:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl, keeping yeast away from direct salt contact. Pour in lukewarm milk, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
02 - Knead dough on a floured surface for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
03 - Punch down risen dough and shape into a rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm.
04 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Arrange cold butter slices over two-thirds of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
05 - Fold the unbuttered third over the buttered portion, then fold remaining third on top to create a neat rectangle. Rotate 90 degrees so open ends face you.
06 - Roll dough again into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Perform a letter fold into thirds. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
07 - Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling two more times for a total of three complete turns. Chill 30 minutes after each turn.
08 - After final chill, roll dough to approximately 8 x 16 inches. Roll tightly from the short edge into a cylinder, sealing the seam.
09 - Place seam-side down in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
10 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon milk until smooth. Brush entire surface of loaf generously with egg wash.
11 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Tent loosely with foil if top browns too quickly.
12 - Let loaf rest in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing for clean, even cuts.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The satisfaction of creating bakery style laminated dough without shaping individual croissants
  • That magical moment when you slice into warm bread and see hundreds of buttery layers
02 -
  • Keep everything cold working quickly so the butter doesnt melt into the dough
  • If butter starts breaking through the dust with flour and chill immediately
  • Resist cutting into warm bread or you will squash all those beautiful layers
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients for consistent results every time
  • Use a bench scraper to move and fold the dough without warming it with your hands

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