There’s something magical about pulling a tray of golden, buttery croissants out of the oven. The smell, the crisp outer layers, the soft, delicate center — it’s pure bakery heaven.
Inspired by Paul Hollywood’s croissant method, this recipe breaks down the classic French pastry into clear, approachable steps you can do right at home.
Don’t be intimidated by the layers or the fancy folding. While croissants do take time, they’re surprisingly doable with a little patience — and the results are so worth it.
Flaky, rich, and light all at once, these croissants taste like you spent the day in Paris… and your family won’t believe you made them from scratch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These croissants are crisp on the outside and soft, stretchy, and buttery inside — just like you’d find in a real boulangerie.
They’re made with simple ingredients, and though the steps are a bit technical, they’re completely manageable for the home baker with just a bit of planning.
Plus, the recipe makes a full batch — perfect for weekend brunch, holiday mornings, or freezing extras for a buttery treat any time you like.
What You’ll Need
- 500g (about 4 cups) strong white bread flour
- 10g (2 tsp) salt
- 80g (⅓ cup) sugar
- 10g (1 packet) instant yeast
- 300ml (1¼ cups) cold whole milk
- 300g (10.5 oz) unsalted butter (for laminating)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Pro Tips
- Use cold ingredients to keep the butter from melting into the dough during lamination. Chill your flour and milk if needed!
- Keep the butter and dough the same consistency during laminating. This prevents tearing and ensures perfect layers.
- Don’t rush the chilling steps — the dough needs time to relax and stay cool between folds.
- Use a ruler for even sizing when cutting triangles. This helps them bake consistently.
- Bake one tray at a time for even browning and rise.
Tools You’ll Need
- Rolling pin
- Bench scraper or dough cutter
- Large mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap or parchment
- Ruler (optional but helpful!)
- Baking sheets
- Pastry brush
Substitutions and Variations
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour if bread flour isn’t available, though the texture may be slightly softer.
- Butter: European-style butter (higher fat) makes even flakier croissants.
- Sweet filling: Add chocolate batons, jam, or almond paste before rolling.
- Savory twist: Fill with ham and cheese, or brush with herb butter after baking.
Make Ahead Tips
This dough works beautifully for making ahead:
- After shaping, freeze unbaked croissants on a tray, then store in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.
- To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge and proof as usual the next morning.
- Baked croissants can be frozen too! Reheat in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes until crisp again.
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast (keep yeast and salt separate until mixing). Pour in cold milk and mix into a rough dough. Knead for 5–10 minutes until smooth. Shape into a rectangle, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.
2. Prepare the Butter
Place the butter between two sheets of parchment and pound it with a rolling pin into a 7×7-inch square. Chill until firm but pliable.
3. Laminate the Dough
Roll the dough into a 10×10-inch square. Place butter in the center like a diamond and fold the corners over to enclose it. Roll into a rectangle (about 20×10 inches), then fold into thirds like a letter. Chill for 30 minutes. Repeat the roll-fold-chill process two more times (three turns total).
4. Cut and Shape
Roll dough into a 24×10-inch rectangle. Use a ruler to mark and cut long triangles (base 4 inches wide). Make a small slit at the base, stretch slightly, and roll from base to tip into a crescent shape. Place on parchment-lined trays.
5. Proof
Loosely cover and let rise at room temperature (or slightly warm spot) for 1½ to 2 hours, until puffy and jiggly. Don’t rush this step!
6. Bake
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush croissants with beaten egg. Bake for 18–22 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Cool slightly before serving.
Leftovers and Storage
Fresh croissants are best the same day, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days.
Reheat in a low oven for 5 minutes to refresh. For longer storage, freeze in a sealed bag and reheat directly from frozen at 325°F until warmed through and crisp.
Recipe FAQs
Q: Can I make this without a stand mixer?
Yes! The dough is very manageable by hand — just be prepared to knead a bit longer.
Q: Why is my dough tearing during rolling?
It could be too cold or the butter may be too hard. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes and try again gently.
Q: Can I refrigerate the dough overnight?
Absolutely. After the final fold or shaping step, you can refrigerate overnight and proof in the morning.
Q: How do I get extra flakey layers?
Keep everything cold and handle the dough gently. The key is thin butter layers between the folds!
Buttery, Flaky, and Totally Worth It
These Paul Hollywood-Inspired Croissants take time and love, but the payoff is huge. There’s nothing quite like making your own croissants — watching the layers puff up in the oven, hearing the crackle as you bite in, and knowing you did it from scratch.
Bake a batch for your next brunch, surprise your family with fresh pastries, or make a freezer stash for cozy weekend mornings.
And when you do — come back and tell me how they turned out! I’d love to hear what you filled them with or served them alongside.