Sourdough Croissants
Updated: Aug 11
Laminating dough with an active starter instead of commercial yeast takes real patience, folds, chills, and a long proof, but it's what gives these croissants their tang along with the usual flake.
My grandpa always kept a box of store-bought croissants in the kitchen growing up, and it wasn't until I started actually reading labels that I realized how many ingredients, most I couldn't even pronounce, were packed into something that's supposed to be just flour, butter, water, and salt. This version has exactly that. Laminated by hand, nothing extra.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Real, flaky lamination without store-bought ingredients you can't pronounce
That sourdough tang along with the classic flake
A genuine baking project worth the time it takes
Servings: 12 croissants
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time: 4-6 hours
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 18-24 hours (including chilling)
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
150g active sourdough starter
113g filtered water
113g whole milk
50g butter, melted
450g all-purpose flour
45g granulated sugar
9g sea salt
For the Lamination:
250g unsalted butter (room temperature)
Instructions:
Feed the Starter:
In a small bowl, mix together 50g of your active sourdough starter, 50g of flour, and 50g of water. This will give you a total of 150g of active starter. Let it sit at room temperature until bubbly and active, usually about 4-6 hours.
Make the Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the active starter, melted butter, filtered water, and whole milk until well combined.
Gradually add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and sea salt. Mix until a rough dough forms.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate.
Knead the Dough:
After resting, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 3-5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Transfer the kneaded dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it bulk rise for 4-6 hours at room temperature, or until it has doubled in size.
Chill the Dough:
Once the dough has doubled, transfer it to the refrigerator and chill for at least 12 hours (up to 3 days) to develop flavor and make it easier to laminate.
Prepare the Butter:
While the dough is chilling, prepare the butter for lamination. Place 250g of room-temperature unsalted butter between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out into an 8x8-inch square.
Refrigerate the butter in the parchment paper for about 10 minutes, just until it is pliable but still cool.
Laminate the Dough:
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into an 8x17-inch rectangle.
Place the prepared butter square on one half of the dough. Fold the other half over the butter, enclosing it completely.
Gently roll the dough into a larger rectangle measuring about 18 inches in length. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter.
Chill the folded dough in the refrigerator as needed to keep it cool. Repeat this rolling and folding process two more times (for a total of three laminations).
Shape the Croissants:
After the final lamination, roll the dough out into a 24x8-inch rectangle.
Cut the dough into triangles, approximately 5 inches wide at the base.
Starting from the base of each triangle, roll the dough up toward the tip to form croissant shapes.
Place the shaped croissants on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them with a damp cloth, and let them proof for 2-4 hours, or until they have doubled in size.
Bake the Croissants:
Preheat your oven to 380°F (193°C).
Brush the croissants with an egg wash (a mixture of one egg and a tablespoon of water) to give them a golden color.
Bake the croissants for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and flaky.
Once baked, allow the croissants to rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors set.
Additional Tips:
Starter Activity: Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before using it for the best results.
Lamination Temperature: Keep the dough and butter as cool as possible during the lamination process to achieve the flakiest texture.
Freezing Options: If you have leftover croissants, they freeze well! Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
Enjoy your homemade sourdough croissants! They pair wonderfully with butter, jam, or even as a base for breakfast sandwiches.
Ingredient Notes
European-style butter: The higher fat and lower water content makes lamination dramatically easier and the layers flakier.
Active starter: Croissants need real leavening power, so the starter must be at peak, not discard.
Bread flour: Provides the strength to survive repeated folding without the gluten tearing.
Temperature control: Not an ingredient, but the most important variable. Butter and dough must stay at similar coolness throughout.
Troubleshooting Tips
My butter kept leaking out during lamination. Your dough or butter was likely too warm. Keep both cold throughout the process, if the butter starts to soften or peek through, stop and chill the dough for 20-30 minutes before continuing.
My croissants didn't get flaky, distinct layers. This usually means the butter and dough weren't the same consistency during folding, or the dough was rolled too thin too early. Aim for butter that bends without cracking, similar firmness to the dough.
My dough tore while rolling. The gluten needs to rest. Let the dough chill for 20-30 minutes between folds so it relaxes enough to roll without resistance.
What to Serve This With
Delicious plain, or split and filled with ham and cheese for a quick sandwich.
Hello! If I plan to freeze the croissants, do I wait until after the 2-4 hour proofing?