Classic Butter Croissants
Buttery, hand-laminated croissants with dozens of flaky layers, built through a patient overnight process that rewards careful chilling between each fold.
Lamination looked intimidating until I broke it into small stages spread across two days, chilling the dough whenever the butter started to soften. Keeping that butter cold at every turn is the one technique that separates shatter-crisp layers from a dense, greasy roll. Serve them still warm from the oven with jam or just plain.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneMix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl, then stir in the cold milk and 2 tablespoons of the butter, melted, until a smooth dough forms.
Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface, shape it into a neat rectangle, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Place the remaining cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and pound it into a flat, even 7 inch square.
Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle, set the butter square in the center, and fold the dough over it to enclose the butter completely.
Roll the dough into a long rectangle, fold it into thirds like a letter, wrap, and chill 30 minutes; repeat this rolling and folding two more times, chilling between each turn.
Wrap the finished laminated dough and refrigerate it overnight, then roll it out into a large rectangle and cut it into even triangles.
Roll each triangle up from the wide end to the point, curve the ends into a crescent shape, place on a parchment-lined sheet, and let proof 2 hours until visibly puffy.
Preheat the oven to 400F, brush each croissant with beaten egg, and bake 18 minutes until deeply golden with clearly visible flaky layers.
Cool the croissants on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving, so the buttery layers have time to set.
Kitchen note
Keep the butter and dough at the same firmness during lamination, chilling anytime the butter feels soft, or the layers will merge instead of staying distinct.
