Description
This croissant bread loaf is a buttery, flaky twist on classic bread. With its rich layers and soft interior, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a satisfying snack.
Ingredients
Dough:
1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast
3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted or salted butter, softened and cut into 3 pieces
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
Lamination:
3/4 cup (170g) salted butter, slightly softened
Egg Wash:
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon (15ml) water
Instructions
1. Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Add salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Add remaining flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Add more flour as needed.
4. Knead dough for 5 minutes in a mixer or by hand until smooth and slightly tacky.
5. Grease a bowl, place dough inside, cover, and let rise for 1.5–2 hours until nearly doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and flatten into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Chill for 20 minutes.
7. Place sliced butter down the center third of dough. Fold like a letter and seal edges.
8. Roll into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds again. Chill for 20 minutes.
9. Repeat folding and chilling twice more (total 3 laminations).
10. Final roll into a 9-inch log, slice into 5 rolls, and place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
11. Let rise 45–60 minutes until slightly puffy. Preheat oven to 350°F.
12. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 1 hour, tenting foil over top after 25 minutes.
13. Cool 30 minutes in pan, then remove and cool 15 minutes more before slicing.
Notes
You can store leftover croissant bread at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freeze baked or shaped dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and bake as directed.
Use salted butter for best flavor during lamination.
Do not double or halve the dough recipe for best texture.
Add dry fillings only (like cinnamon sugar or chocolate chips) before rolling the dough into a log.
- Prep Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-American