Croissant Recipe (Yeast Method)

ByNatalya Syanova
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No matter how hard I’ve tried and wanted to make croissants with sourdough starter, or hybrid method… yeast croissant remains the winner. 

So light and airy, crunchy on the outside, soft inside.

The original recipe was generously shared by @season_adam on his Instagram page.

What makes this croissant recipe so special is its consistency and incredible texture. The layers develop beautifully during lamination, creating that classic honeycomb crumb and delicate flakiness every baker hopes to achieve. As the croissants bake, the butter creates dozens of crisp, golden layers while the interior remains light, airy, and wonderfully tender. The aroma alone is enough to make the entire process worthwhile. Whether enjoyed plain, filled with chocolate, or served alongside coffee for breakfast, these croissants deliver authentic bakery-quality results. Sometimes the simplest approach produces the best outcome, and this yeast-based recipe is a perfect example of that.

I wanted to share it with you and save it here.

Main Dough (for 7-8 croissants)

  • 350 g bread flour (protein 12-13%) (100%)
  • 108 g water (31%)
  • 109 g milk (31%)
  • 32 g sugar (9 %)
  • 8 g salt (2.3 %)
  • 3.85 g instant yeast (1.1%)
  • 205 g roll-in butter (pastry butter with 82% fat or more) (58.5%)

Night before

  • Dissolve yeast in water and milk mixture, add sugar, salt and all flour. Mix by hand , or on a slow speed of your mixing machine. No need to develop gluten. Dough can remain little lumpy. Gluten will develop by itself overnight.
  • Cover in plastic wrap, put in the fridge until next morning.

Next day

  • Prepare butter for rolling. Butter has to be playable, not too soft, use parchment paper to roll it into a block, about 12-14 cm each side), transfer it to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before rolling.

Please note, the butter shouldn’t be too cold, or too warm: If its too cold, then during lamination, it will start to break into pieces. if its too warm it will melt in between the layers.

  • Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll it as a square, big enough to place the butter block inside. (About 25cm x 25 cm). 
  • Place butter block inside the dough, the way it showed on the picture.
  • Seal the edges, to let butter stay inside.
  • Start rolling by pushing the butter from 1 side to another (lengthwise).
  • Cut the edges. Place on top of the dough. It will release the tension during rolling 
  • Fold the dough as a letter.
  • Turn the dough 90 degrees, and continue rolling lengthwise. Cut the edges, put them aside, fold the dough as a letter.
  • Cover, transfer it to the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Repeat the same letter folding.

Note: you can do 3 letter folds in total, or 1 book and 1 letter fold.

  • Cover, transfer it to the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge.
  • Roll it in a rectangle with a narrow side about 23-26 cm.
  • The dough should be 4-5mm thick.
  • Cut the dough (the base of croissant has to be 8cm).
  • Shape them and cover.

Note: at this point you can transfer covered shaped croissants to refrigerator until 9-10pm, then you can remove them and let them proof overnight at 68-72C/20-22C. And you’ll be able to bake fresh croissants for breakfast.

Or 

  • Cover croissants and let them proof for about 4-5 hours at 74-78C / 24-26C  until they double in volume and become jiggly.
  • Egg-wash (mix one egg with 2 tbs of water).
  • Brush croissants with egg mixture.
  • Preheat the oven to 375F.
  • Bake croissants for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Croissant (Yeast)

Croissant Recipe (Yeast Method)

3021kcal
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Prep 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 19 hours 10 minutes
This classic recipe delivers exceptionally light, airy croissants with a shatteringly crunchy golden exterior and a beautifully open, honeycomb interior crumb. By using a slow overnight cold ferment, the gluten relaxes naturally without intensive kneading, allowing the butter layers to roll smoothly during lamination.
Servings 8 croissants
Cuisine French

Ingredients

The Main Dough Base (Night Before)
The Roll-In Butter Block
  • 205 g Pastry roll-in butter 82% fat content or higher / 58.5%
The Golden Glaze
  • 1 Whole egg
  • 2 tbsp Water

Equipment

Method

Night Before – Rough Mix & Cold Gluten Relax
  1. 10:00 PM – The No-Knead Dough: In a large bowl, completely dissolve the 3.85g of instant yeast into the mixture of 108g of water and 109g of milk. Add the 32g of sugar, 8g of salt, and all 350g of high-protein bread flour.
  2. The Overnight Fridge Rest: Mix the ingredients thoroughly by hand or on the lowest speed of your mixing machine just until a cohesive mass forms. Do not over-knead or try to develop a strong gluten network at this stage. The dough can remain slightly lumpy; the gluten matrix will naturally organize and develop all on its own overnight. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator until the next morning (roughly 10 hours).
Day 2 – Butter Block Prep & Lamination Folds
  1. 8:00 AM – The Pliable Butter Block: Cut your 205g of cold high-fat pastry butter into sheets and place them in the center of a large piece of parchment paper. Fold the paper edges inward to form a clean, closed 12×14 cm (approx. 5×5.5 inch) square envelope. Flip the package over and roll firmly with your rolling pin to push the butter flat into the corners of the paper. Place the butter envelope into the fridge for 15 minutes to chill down. (The Temperature Sweet Spot: The butter must be completely pliable—bends easily without cracking—yet remain cold. If it’s rock-hard, it will shatter inside your dough layers; if it’s too soft, it will melt into the flour).
  2. Enclosing the Butter: Remove your cold dough from the fridge. Dust your counter lightly with flour and roll the dough out into a clean square large enough to comfortably enclose the butter (about 25×25 cm / 10×10 inches). Place the cold butter block diagonally in the center of the dough, pull the four exposed corners of the dough into the center like an envelope, and pinch the seams tightly together to trap the butter inside.
  3. 1st & 2nd Letter Folds: Gently tap the dough with your rolling pin to spread the butter evenly, then roll it out lengthwise into a long rectangle. Trim the folded uneven skin at the very top and bottom edges and place those scraps on top of the dough to relieve rolling tension. Fold the bottom 1/3 of the dough sheet up over the center, then fold the top 1/3 down over it like a letter. Rotate the dough package 90 degrees, roll out long a second time, trim the ends, and fold it into a letter once more. Wrap tightly and chill in the fridge for 1 full hour.
  4. 3rd Final Fold: Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Roll it out lengthwise a third time, trim the uneven ends, and execute your third and final standard letter fold. Wrap the dough and place it back into the refrigerator for 1 final hour to completely relax the gluten.
Day 2 – Precision Cutting, Rolling, and Proofing
  1. 10:30 AM – Rolling the Sheet: Remove your laminated dough from the fridge. Carefully roll it out into a long, flat rectangle until it reaches a uniform thickness of 4 to 5 mm (about 0.15 inches), ensuring the short side of your rectangle measures roughly 23 to 26 cm (9 to 10 inches) wide.
  2. Triangle Cutting: Use a long, sharp knife or pizza wheel to trim away all uneven outer edges cleanly to expose the inner lamination. Cut out elongated triangles from the sheet, ensuring the base of each triangle measures exactly 8 cm (approx. 3.1 inches) wide.
  3. Shaping the Horns: Grab the base of a triangle, stretch it slightly in width, and gently elongate the tip with your fingers. Roll the dough up smoothly from the wide base all the way to the narrow tip, ensuring the point rests squarely on the bottom of the roll to prevent unravelling. Place the shaped croissants onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving ample space between them.
  4. The Voluminous Jiggly Proof: Cover the croissants loosely. Let them proof undisturbed for 4 to 5 hours at a warm room temperature of 74–78°F (24–26°C) until they completely double in size, reveal distinct side layers, and wobble like jelly when you gently shake the pan. (The Baker’s Timeline Alternative: If you prefer freshly baked morning pastries, you can place the covered sheet into the fridge until late evening, then pull them out to proof overnight on your kitchen counter at a cool 68–72°F / 20–22°C to bake first thing in the morning).
Day 2 – The Golden Flaky Bake
  1. Baking: Preheat your home oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk 1 whole egg with 2 tablespoons of water until completely smooth. Use a pastry brush to sweep the egg wash gently across the top ridges of each proofed croissant, making sure the egg doesn’t pool in the laminated layers.
  2. Cooling: Slide the baking sheet onto the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastries turn a deep, uniform golden brown. Transfer them to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before cracking into those buttery, shatteringly crisp layers!

Nutrition

Calories3021kcalCarbohydrates293gProtein59gFat180gSaturated Fat110gPolyunsaturated Fat10gMonounsaturated Fat46gTrans Fat7gCholesterol630mgSodium2001mgPotassium778mgFiber9gSugar39gVitamin A5555IUVitamin C0.3mgCalcium279mgIron4mg

Notes

  • The Secret Behind the No-Knead Main Dough: Traditional bread recipes demand intensive kneading to build early structure, but croissant dough requires the opposite approach. Mixing the flour and liquids just until rough and shaggy at 10:00 PM stops the gluten from overdeveloping early on. As the dough rests in the cold fridge overnight, the flour proteins hydrate perfectly on their own, leaving you with an incredibly extensible dough that won’t resist you or shrink back during lamination.
  • Why Pastry Butter with 82% Fat is Mandatory: Standard grocery store butter carries a high water content, which creates steam pockets that break the delicate dough layers and cause your butter to leak during rolling. To achieve a gorgeous honeycomb pattern, always source European-style or professional pastry butter containing at least 82% fat or higher. This ensures the butter remains highly plastic, stretching thin alongside the dough without snapping or tearing.  
     
  • The Golden Rule of the Croissant Proofing Temperature: When proofing your shaped croissants, never let your environment exceed 80°F (27°C). If the proofing area gets too hot (such as inside an oven with the light turned on), the internal roll-in butter layers will melt entirely into the surrounding flour matrix. This destroys your hard-earned lamination, turning your croissants into heavy, dense, oily bread rolls instead of light, flaky pastries.

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104 Comments

  1. Thank you!
    I didn’t see the butter (not the one for rolling..) in the recipe. Should it be in the first mixing step?

    Reply

  3. Thank you for this recipe, I made them today and they came out great.
    The butter rolling was a little confusing to me – you wrote the size of the rolled butter in inches, then the size of the rolled dough in cm. The rolled butter came out very thin. Just making sure, should be inches or cm? Thanks!

    Reply

  5. Hi Natasha,
    Thank you so very much for this recipe. I’m about to start the lamination! Was wondering if I could proof the dough during the day then refrigerate and bake straight from the fridge tomorrow? My kitchen is very warm, and I dont have a scale that measures decimals so may have added a tiny bit more yeast (scared they’ll overproof if I leave them on my counter tonight)

    Reply

    1. I would shape, let them proof 70% and put in fridge overnight. Then they will slow ferment and will be 100% proof by the morning.

      Reply

      1. Hey I saw this question and your reply and I was wondering, we are only two in the house so : would it be possible to proof at 70% then put them in the freezer for later use?
        Then let them unfreeze and come at room temperature, then bake them?

  6. Hi Nat,
    I have made these beautiful croissant. Yummy indeed.
    But one problem, Mine didnt get those hollow crumb like yours.
    More to a bread crumb.
    What should I do to make those beautiful crumb inside?
    What factor that can make those crumb?
    Thank you so much 😊

    Reply

      1. Hello Natasha, when you roll out the dough prior to thirst letter fold, what are the measurements of the finished rectangle?

    2. Could some one guide me to Natasha’s Croissant loaf please. I don’t see on Natasha’s baking website.
      Thank you
      Rand in Orlando

      Reply

  14. Hey,
    I tried this recipe today, all ingredients are correct, but for some reason, it kept raising while in the fridge. I had to try deflating the dough to fold it…
    Even the final shaping was quite hard cause it was already puffy.
    Plus I have the feeling my butter melted away as I don’t see clear layers of dough/butter like in your pictures…

    Currently my kitchen is 20°C and tried not to overwork my dough while folding. Do you have any clues why it happened?

    Reply

    1. Hi!
      When you first make a dough and let it rest overnight in the fridge it is normal for the dough to get puffy. Work fast on folding and rolling the dough, then the butter won’t melt inside the layers.

      Reply

  15. Hello Natasha,

    I am really thankful for your recipe. I would like to ask, if I can use All purpose flour instead of bread flour. Or If you have any tips which flour substitute is the best?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi!
      Thank you!
      From my experience. Only strong flour with protein content 12% and more can give you that beautiful honeycomb pattern of the crumb.
      I’m using King Arthur bread flour (12.7%)
      But the best crumb I was getting from Sir Lancelot flour (14% protein)

      Reply

  16. Hi Natalya, thanks for the recipe, I would like to ask if we can work directly with the main dough without having to rest it in the fridge for overnight? Thanks.

    Reply

  17. Ithank you for the detailed description, I really want to try it soon.
    Also, in one of your steps I think you meant “F” in the first instance?
    “Cover croissants and let them proof for about 4-5 hours at 74-78C / 24-26C until they double in volume and become jiggly.”

    Reply

  18. I made your recipe last night and tried the overnight proofing. Put it in the oven at 9pm and had exactly 20C
    However, the next morning the croissants were very overproofed. Do you think it was because I used fresh yeast instead of instant ?

    Thank you so much in advance 😉

    Reply

    1. Sorry about that.
      Could be the yeast.
      If you’ll use fresh yeast next time, add little less.
      Then it should work.

      Reply

      1. Thank you for your quick response. I will try that!

        In your opinion: is there any downside from instant yeast to fresh yeast?

  20. Please, is it possible to write the liquid in ml because the grams of liquid differ according to its temperature. and also did you use powdered or liquid milk?
    Thank you for sharing your secret with us .

    Reply

    2. You are wrong, the Mass(grams) doesn t differ according with the temperature. It s the volume (ml) that change according with It. If you want to be accurate you must measure the ingredients by grams.

      Reply

  21. Hi Natasha, just curious you say to leave the dough overnight for the first step. Would it affect the dough if I made the dough for the day and night then next day started on the butter ?

    Reply

    2. Hello Natasha, when you roll out the dough prior to thirst letter fold, what are the measurements of the finished rectangle?

      Reply

  22. Hi Natasha , so I’ve managed to make the recipe for the crossiants just notsure why after 5hours of proofing why they go flat did I over proof them or maybe the heat of the room?

    Reply

  23. Thank you so much for this recipie !!! They were superb!!!! We al loved them. Is it possible to freeze them before cooking??? And then just putting them in the oven to have them fresh any time??

    Reply

  25. Thank you so much! I have tried so many croissant recipes and these are finally THE ONES! This recipe was fabulous. They came out so beautiful and tasty as can be. I honestly can’t thank you enough for ending what seemed the never ending search for the perfect recipe 🙂 Cheers!

    Reply

    2. Thank you so much for sharing so Many and delicious recipies!! You explain so well!! You Make me bread addict 🙈

      Reply

  26. Hi Natalie,
    Thank u for sharing!
    This recipe doesnt need kneeding the dough at all? So how the gluten web will active in the dough?

    Reply

  27. Hallo,
    My dough when adding the butter and rolled it , after chilled starts to separate
    Why ?!?
    Not all, some layers and the butter becomes without dough in some areas
    Anyway, I started baking it
    😅🙈

    Reply

  28. Hi Natasha, thank you for the recipe!
    I need one explanation. After placing butter block inside the dough, should I let the dough to rest before I start rolling?

    Reply

  29. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and knowledge! My dough didn’t grow at all! It’s that normal? Water should be worm when is mixed?

    Reply

  31. Hi Natasha!

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I finally worked up the courage to attempt croissants for the first time and though definitely not perfect, I was so pleased with the results! They were a beautiful golden brown, flaky and so delicious! I will admit the inside was a little more bready and chewy, certainly not open crumb. I wonder if my dough was too dry? I measured the dough ingredients by weight and the dough turned out a little more dry than anticipated but I decided to just trust it and stick it in the fridge anyways.. the next day when I took out the dough it felt a bit stiff and it didn’t want to stretch very much. What should the dough consistency be? Should I have added a little more water?

    Reply

    1. Hi!
      Thank you for your feedback.
      The dough should be more on a stiff side.
      Please keep practicing, and result will be getting much better.

      Reply

  32. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I want make it eggless, so may i use another substitute instead of eggs? Please suggest me.

    Reply

  34. Hey there,

    Made this recipe for the first time today. Everything went absolutely perfectly… UNTIL baking. Your recipe states 375F and in the comments you replied to someone and said you use a fan/convection oven, so I set my oven at 375F and slid them in. 10 min later I checked on them and they were burnt. I’m super confused as to how that happened. Any time I make a new recipe I always split the baking time into two increments and check halfway through to be safe, and I double checked the temp and my timer. 375F and Siri set my timer for 10 minutes. Any suggestions?

    Reply

  35. hi! what do you think is the trickiest part/part that takes the longest to perfect to make croissants?

    Reply

  37. Thank you for the recipe.
    I want to try it but can you explain what do you mean by : « 68-72C/20-22C« ?
    Thank you

    Reply

  40. Hi there, tried the recipe and they were nice and fluffy when I put them in the oven and during baking for deflated ☹️. What might have been the problem?!
    Thanks in advance

    Reply

  41. This recipe works! Thank you for passing along. Was much easier than other recipes with better results.

    Used 14% gluten King Arthur flour. Added tiny bit extra milk abt 1/5-1 tsp extra milk as the flour package suggested that this flour absorbed more liquid. Worked well.

    Rolling was hard but kept at it. Found pounding with rolling pin worked better than careful rolling. I trimmed bottom and top and placed in center where butter split then folded – did twice. Did extra folds – due to mishaps. Determination resulted in wonderful croissants. Crispy and tasty. Worth the effort and will do often.

    Reply

  42. Hi!! Would love to make the raspberry danish from your instagram. Do you use this croissant recipe or hybrid? Thanks so much! So excited to make them

    Reply

  43. I was wondering how you would go about freezing these? Could you complete all the steps up until the overnight proof and then freeze, thaw when ready, let rise, and bake? Or would you suggest letting them rise, par-baking, and then freezing? Is there another method that might work better? Let me know!

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your question! Freezing cinnamon rolls is a great way to have them on hand for a quick and delicious treat. You have a couple of options for freezing them:

      1. You can complete all the steps up until the overnight proof, then freeze the rolls on a baking sheet until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the rolls in the refrigerator overnight, let them rise at room temperature, and then bake as

      Reply

  44. Hi Natasha, I’m excited to try this recipe. Most others that I’ve tried include some softened butter in the dough itself. Do you find you get better results without this addition?

    Reply

    1. Catherine, hi! For beginners is so much easier to use the dough without butter in it. But if you are advanced, you can add 10%-15% butter into the dough.

      Reply

  45. Hi there! Thank you for the recipe.

    I have two questions about the process:

    1. After one hour in the fridge the butter in the dough is quite hard, and when I started rolling it creased. You don’t leave a comment about it so I assumed I should roll it straight away. Shall I wait for butter to become softer?

    2. I don’t have anything to maintain the 24-26 temperature. I live in the UK and it is never 22 C inside the house. What I tried is to heat the oven for 50, wait and put the party there. And the butter melted away 🙁 are there any tips on how to maintain the temperature with basic kitchen appliances?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi! Thanks for your questions. The butter has to be playable (about 16-17C)
      Butter will start to melt at 28C
      so you can proof yours for longer time at 22C or turn light on inside oven (it creates warmer environment. But be carefull, sometimes the temperature can go up)

      Reply

    1. Thank you for your question! We used a convection oven to bake those delicious treats. Convection ovens are great for even croissant cooking and browning, making them perfect for baking. Let us know if you have any more questions!

      Reply

  47. Hi, thank you so much for the recipe, I have made the croissant cups twice using your recipe, both times so far I have made with raspberry curd then topped with the poached peach, just delicious.

    Reply

    1. Susanne, we really appreciate your feedback, and we are so glad you liked the recipe. Happy baking!

      Reply

  50. okay but what do i do now? after rolling out the dough? how long do i let them rise and at what temperature do i back them and for how long?? (referring to your cherry cheescake danish video)

    Reply

  51. Saludos desde Argentina quería saber para que oh por que cuando hace los laminados manda a la heladera, eso no hace que tarde el tiempo de leudado? Gracias

    Reply

  52. Hi Nat,
    I am a VERY young baker and I was wondering if you could say how long this recipe takes in all and also any other baking recipes and tips to starting off my journey!!! Thank you!

    Reply

  53. If you don’t have pastry butter, which incidentally is very expensive, is there a way to compensate for the lower fat level in normal butter?

    Reply
  56. Pingback: Croissants: Puff, Buttery & Crispy Breakfast Perfection -

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