Homemade Croissant Bread (Print Version)

Tender, buttery loaf with flaky layered goodness, ideal for breakfast or brunch.

# What You'll 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl, keeping yeast separate from salt. Pour in lukewarm milk, melted butter, and cracked egg. Mix thoroughly until sticky dough forms.
02 - Knead dough 7–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled in volume.
03 - Punch down risen dough, shape into rectangle, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes to firm.
04 - On floured surface, roll dough to 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Arrange cold butter slices over two-thirds of dough surface.
05 - Fold unbuttered third over butter section, then fold remaining third on top to form neat rectangle. Rotate 90° so openings face you.
06 - Roll dough again to 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
07 - Repeat rolling, folding, and refrigerating process twice more for total of three turns, chilling 30 minutes between each.
08 - After final chill, roll dough to approximately 8 x 16 inches. Roll tightly from short edge into loaf form.
09 - Place seam-side down in 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 milk for wash and brush evenly over loaf surface.
11 - Bake 35–40 minutes until deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cover with foil if browning too rapidly.
12 - Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing for clean cuts.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get those signature buttery layers without shaping individual croissants, which somehow feels like discovering a wonderful shortcut
  • The transformation from chilled slab of dough to golden, towering loaf feels like magic every single time
02 -
  • If your butter starts softening and breaking through the dough during rolling, stop immediately and refrigerate for 20 minutes
  • Tenting with foil during the last 10 minutes prevents over browning while ensuring the center cooks completely
03 -
  • Weighing ingredients rather than using cups gives more consistent results with pastry
  • Let the finished bread cool completely before slicing to preserve the internal structure

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