Homemade Croissant Bread (Printable)

A buttery, flaky loaf with all the layered goodness of croissants. Perfect 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 Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast, placing yeast away from direct salt contact. Add lukewarm milk, melted butter, and egg. Mix thoroughly until a sticky, cohesive dough forms.
02 - Knead the dough for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
03 - Punch down the risen dough and shape into a rectangle. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm the gluten structure.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Arrange cold butter slices over two-thirds of the dough surface.
05 - Fold the unbuttered third over the butter, then fold the remaining third on top, creating a neat layered rectangle. Rotate 90° so the open edges face you.
06 - Roll the dough again into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Perform another letter fold into thirds. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
07 - Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process two more times for a total of three complete lamination turns, chilling 30 minutes between each.
08 - After the final chill, roll dough to approximately 8 x 16 inches. Roll tightly from the short edge into a loaf shape, sealing the seam firmly.
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 milk for egg wash and brush evenly over the loaf surface.
11 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow when tapped. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
12 - Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to preserve texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get all those gorgeous flaky layers without the precision work of shaping individual croissants
  • The loaf stays fresh longer than traditional croissants and toasts beautifully
  • Something magical happens when warm honey meets a still-warm slice
02 -
  • If your butter starts melting into the dough during rolling, stop immediately and chill everything for twenty minutes
  • Warm dough and cold butter are the enemies of flaky layers, so work quickly and keep checking the temperature
  • The hollow sound when you tap the baked loaf is your signal that the inside is fully cooked through
03 -
  • Keep a ruler or measuring tape in your kitchen, those precise measurements actually matter for even folding
  • Work with determination but also grace, rushed folds become uneven layers that show in the final bake

Go Back