There’s something about tearing into a just-baked sourdough croissant—the burnished, flaky layers shattering softly, releasing a warm, tangy aroma of butter and fermented dough—that feels like pure luxury.
This is a slow, weekend-style bake, the kind that rewards patience with impossibly crisp shells and tender, honeycombed interiors.
It’s perfect for dedicated home bakers, sourdough enthusiasts, and anyone who loves turning simple ingredients into something bakery-level special.
I still remember a rainy Sunday when a batch of these croissants transformed a quiet, slightly gloomy morning into an impromptu café at home.
We lingered at the table, crumbs everywhere, coffee in hand, feeling like we’d escaped to Paris without leaving the kitchen.
These croissants shine for unhurried brunches, holiday breakfasts, or impressing guests when you want something unforgettable on the table.
Ready to bring this dish to life?
Why You’ll Love It
- Delivers complex, tangy flavor you can’t get from yeasted croissants.
- Creates shatteringly crisp layers with soft, tender, buttery interiors.
- Uses active sourdough starter, no commercial yeast required.
- Makes an impressive weekend bake that’s perfect for sharing.
- Freezes beautifully for fresh, bakery-style croissants anytime.
Ingredients
- 150 g active sourdough starter, 100% hydration — use freshly fed, at peak activity
- 350 g bread flour — higher protein for strong gluten and better layers
- 50 g all-purpose flour — softens the dough for a tender bite
- 50 g granulated sugar — balances tang and aids browning
- 9 g fine sea salt — enhances flavor and strengthens gluten
- 200 g whole milk, room temperature — brings richness and gentle sweetness
- 40 g unsalted butter, softened — mixes easily into the initial dough
- 250 g unsalted butter, cold, for laminating — choose high-fat European-style if possible
- 1 large egg — for a glossy, richly colored crust
- 15 g whole milk — loosens the egg for a smooth egg wash
Step-by-Step Method
Mix the Starter and Wet Ingredients
Whisk the sourdough starter, room-temperature milk, sugar, and softened butter in a large bowl. Combine until mostly smooth with only small lumps remaining.
Make sure the starter is active and bubbly for strong fermentation. Keep the mixture around cool room temperature to avoid melting the butter too much at this early stage.
Bring the Dough Together
Add bread flour, all-purpose flour, and salt to the wet mixture. Use a dough scraper or your hands to mix until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
Scrape down the bowl as needed. Stop mixing once no dry flour remains and the dough holds together, even if it looks slightly uneven.
Knead Briefly for Strength
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently for 3–5 minutes until smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky.
Avoid adding too much extra flour. Stop when the dough forms a cohesive, soft rectangle. Over-kneading can warm the dough, so work efficiently and handle it lightly.
Rest and Chill the Dough
Shape the dough into a flat rectangle and place it in a lightly floured bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes.
Then transfer the covered bowl to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. This rest relaxes gluten and firms the dough for easier laminating.
Prepare the Butter Block
Place the cold laminating butter between two sheets of parchment. Pound and roll it with a rolling pin into a 15 x 15 cm square about 1 cm thick.
Aim for even thickness and neat edges. Chill the butter block 20–30 minutes until firm but still pliable. It should bend slightly without cracking.
Encase the Butter in Dough
Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 30 x 30 cm square. Place the butter block diagonally in the center like a diamond.
Fold each corner of dough over the butter to meet in the center. Pinch all seams well to fully seal. Make sure no butter is exposed to prevent leakage later.
Roll and Give the First Letter Fold
Gently roll the dough-butter package into a 20 x 50 cm rectangle. Keep the edges straight and corners square.
Use light, even pressure to avoid tearing the dough or squeezing out butter. Fold the bottom third up, then the top third down, like folding a letter. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate 30–45 minutes.
Repeat Folds for Lamination
Unwrap the dough and place it with the same orientation as before. Roll again into a 20 x 50 cm rectangle.
Perform the second letter fold exactly the same way. Wrap and chill 30–45 minutes. Repeat a third time: roll, fold, wrap, then chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Maintain cool dough and pliable butter throughout.
Roll and Cut the Triangles
On a lightly floured surface, roll the laminated dough into a 25 x 60 cm rectangle, about 4–5 mm thick. Trim all edges neatly to reveal clean layers.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut long, even triangles with an 8–9 cm base. Work quickly to keep the butter cold and layers intact.
Shape the Croissants
Cut a 1–2 cm notch in the center of each triangle base. Gently stretch the base outward, then roll the dough tightly toward the tip, creating tension without crushing layers.
Curve the ends inward for the classic crescent shape. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving ample space for expansion.
Proof Until Puffy and Jiggly
Cover the trays loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Proof at warm room temperature, about 22–24°C, for 4–6 hours.
Watch the dough, not the clock. The croissants should look noticeably puffy, slightly jiggly when the tray is shaken, and nearly doubled in size, but still hold their shape.
Egg Wash and Bake to Deep Golden
Preheat the oven to 200°C (395°F) near the end of proofing. Whisk the egg with milk for egg wash.
Gently brush a thin, even coat on each croissant, avoiding the cut edges. Bake 10 minutes at 200°C, then reduce to 180°C (355°F) and bake 10–15 minutes more until deeply golden. Cool 20 minutes before serving.
Ingredient Swaps
- Flour: You can use all bread flour for extra chew, or swap up to half for all-purpose if that’s what you have; avoid low-protein cake flour or you’ll lose structure.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the best flavor, but 2% works; for non‑dairy, use a rich plant milk (oat/soy) with a bit of added melted vegan butter for fat.
- Butter: European‑style butter (82%+ fat) laminates best, but regular unsalted butter is fine; for dairy‑free, use a firm, high‑fat vegan block butter (not margarine from a tub).
- Sugar: Granulated, caster, or organic cane sugar all work; you can reduce by 25% for a less sweet dough.
- Starter: Any 100% hydration wheat starter is fine; if using a rye or whole‑wheat starter, keep it to about 50% of the starter amount and build it with white flour for a milder flavor.
You Must Know
– Flavor Boost – To enhance sourdough complexity without sharp sourness, keep the dough’s cold fermentation on the shorter side (about 4–8 hours in the fridge) and use a young starter (used 2–4 hours after feeding, just at or slightly past peak) for a sweet, buttery aroma and mild tang.
Serving Tips
- Serve warm with high-quality cultured butter and a small dish of flaky sea salt.
- Pair with raspberry jam, orange marmalade, or lemon curd for a bright, tangy contrast.
- Slice horizontally and fill with ham, Gruyère, and Dijon for a savory breakfast sandwich.
- Plate alongside softly scrambled eggs and fresh greens for a complete brunch.
- Offer with café au lait or strong espresso for a classic French-style breakfast.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Sourdough croissants keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days and reheat best at 180°C for 5–8 minutes.
They freeze very well: cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months.
Reheat from frozen at 180°C for 10–12 minutes until crisp and warmed through.
Reheating
Reheat croissants gently to preserve flakiness.
Preferred: 150°C (300°F) oven for 5–8 minutes.
Microwave briefly (10–15 seconds) only to soften, or warm in a covered skillet over low heat.
Croissants in French Café Culture
Although croissants have become a global icon, they still feel most at home on a tiny café table in France, where morning light slants through the windows and the smell of butter mingles with dark, bitter espresso.
When I sit there, watching the city wake up, a croissant isn’t just breakfast; it’s a quiet ritual. I tear off a corner and hear that delicate crackle, then feel the warm, tender crumb collapse on my tongue.
In Paris, no one rushes a croissant. People read the paper, talk softly, let flakes fall onto saucers.
The server might raise an eyebrow in approval if the layers look right. That simple gesture says, “Yes, this is how morning should taste.”
Final Thoughts
Give these sourdough croissants a try and enjoy the flaky layers and rich, tangy flavor fresh from your own oven.
Once you’ve made the base recipe, have fun tweaking it with different fillings, toppings, or shapes to make it your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Freeze Unbaked Sourdough Croissants, and How Long Will They Keep?
You can freeze unbaked sourdough croissants after shaping and a short chill; they’ll keep about 1 month. I freeze them on a tray, then bag them—bake from frozen, letting them slowly proof until swollen and silky.
How Do High-Altitude Conditions Affect Sourdough Croissant Proofing and Baking Times?
High altitude makes your dough proof faster yet bake longer, so I’d tell you: watch for puffy, jiggly layers, lower yeastiness, drop oven temperature slightly, and extend bake until the croissants glow deep golden and fragrant.
What’s the Best Way to Scale This Recipe for a Bakery-Sized Batch?
I’d scale in grams by baker’s percentages, then mix multiple 2–3× batches so your mixer isn’t groaning. Watch dough temperature, laminate in cool, buttery sheets, and proof in staggered waves so each tray bakes perfectly bronzed.
How Can I Adapt This Recipe for a Dairy-Free or Vegan Sourdough Croissant?
You can, and I’d swap milk for rich oat or soy, butter for high‑fat vegan block, and egg wash for aquafaba. I’ll guide you through gentle laminations until crisp, whisper‑thin shards scatter your plate.
Why Did My Croissants Leak Butter Onto the Pan Instead of Keeping Distinct Layers?
Your croissants leaked butter because the dough and butter weren’t the same cool firmness, so the fat melted instead of stacking into layers. Next time, chill between folds and stop rolling the moment the dough feels warm.
Sourdough Croissants
Equipment
- 1 digital kitchen scale
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 pastry brush
- 1 Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- 2 large baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 plastic wrap roll
- 1 clean kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 150 gram active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 350 gram bread flour
- 50 gram all-purpose flour
- 50 gram granulated sugar
- 9 gram fine sea salt
- 200 gram whole milk room temperature
- 40 gram unsalted butter softened
- 250 gram unsalted butter cold for laminating
- 1 large egg
- 15 gram whole milk for egg wash
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, 200 g milk, sugar, and softened 40 g butter until mostly smooth.
- Add the bread flour, all-purpose flour, and salt to the wet mixture and mix with a dough scraper until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough gently by hand for 3–5 minutes until it is smooth and just slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Shape the dough into a flat rectangle, place it in a lightly floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes.
- After resting, refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight to firm it up for laminating.
- To prepare the butter block, place the 250 g cold butter between two sheets of parchment and beat it with a rolling pin into a 15 x 15 cm square about 1 cm thick.
- Chill the butter block in the refrigerator until firm but pliable, about 20–30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 30 x 30 cm square.
- Place the butter block diagonally in the center of the dough square so it looks like a diamond inside a square.
- Fold the four corners of the dough over the butter to fully encase it, pinching seams to seal so butter cannot escape.
- Gently roll the dough-butter packet into a 20 x 50 cm rectangle, keeping edges as straight and corners as square as possible.
- Perform the first letter fold by folding the bottom third of the rectangle up toward the center and the top third down over it, like folding a letter.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes to relax the gluten and keep the butter firm.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it again into a 20 x 50 cm rectangle, keeping the same orientation each time.
- Perform a second letter fold in the same way, then wrap and refrigerate for another 30–45 minutes.
- Repeat the rolling into a 20 x 50 cm rectangle and perform a third and final letter fold, then wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- When ready to shape, roll the laminated dough into a large rectangle about 25 x 60 cm and 4–5 mm thick.
- Trim the edges slightly with a sharp knife or pizza cutter to reveal clean layers.
- Using the knife or cutter, cut long triangles with a base width of about 8–9 cm and full height of the dough strip.
- Make a 1–2 cm notch in the center of each triangle base to help with shaping.
- Starting at the base of each triangle, gently stretch the dough and roll it up toward the tip, keeping tension without squashing the layers.
- Curve the ends slightly inward to create the classic crescent shape and place each croissant on parchment-lined baking sheets with space between them.
- Cover the trays loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and proof at a warm room temperature (22–24°C) for 4–6 hours until puffy, jiggly, and nearly doubled but not collapsed.
- Near the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 200°C (395°F) with a rack in the middle position.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 15 g milk to make the egg wash.
- Gently brush the proofed croissants with a thin, even layer of egg wash, taking care not to deflate them or let wash drip onto the cut edges.
- Bake the croissants for 10 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (355°F) and bake for another 10–15 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Transfer the baked croissants to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow the crumb to set.
Notes
Cynthia Weatherford is a seasoned chef and culinary enthusiast who serves as the Recipe creator of Somonday. With decades of experience in the kitchen and a passion for exploring diverse cuisines, Cynthia brings a blend of creativity and technique to every dish. Known for transforming simple ingredients into show-stopping meals, Cynthia believes that cooking is an art form anyone can master. Dedicated to inspiring home cooks, Cynthia shares approachable recipes, pro tips, and culinary wisdom to make every meal memorable.
