Homemade Chocolate Croissants (Printable)
Flaky croissants with rich chocolate filling and a buttery texture, perfect for breakfast or indulgent moments.
# What's Needed:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
→ Butter Layer
07 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
→ Filling
08 - 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or 8 chocolate batons
→ Egg Wash
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon milk
# How to Make It:
01 - Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter with yeast mixture. Mix until rough dough forms, then knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Shape dough into a rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
04 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound with rolling pin and roll into a 6 x 8-inch rectangle. Refrigerate if butter becomes too soft.
05 - Roll chilled dough on lightly floured surface into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Place butter slab on one half of dough, fold remaining dough over butter, and seal edges by pressing with rolling pin.
06 - Roll dough gently into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter (letter fold). Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
07 - Repeat rolling and folding process two more times, rotating dough 90 degrees before each roll. Chill for 30 minutes between each fold.
08 - Roll laminated dough into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 equal rectangles. Place chocolate at one end of each rectangle and roll tightly into a log, placing seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet.
09 - Cover loosely with plastic wrap or clean towel. Let rise at warm room temperature for 2 hours until puffy and doubled in size.
10 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
11 - Whisk egg with milk until blended. Brush egg wash gently over surface of each croissant, avoiding excess pooling.
12 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- The first bite shatters into hundreds of buttery layers hiding warm melted chocolate centers
- Your kitchen will smell like a Parisian bakery, making even rainy Saturdays feel special
02 -
- If butter leaks through dough during rolling, dust with flour and chill immediately, fighting soft dough only makes things worse
- Overproofed croissants lose their defined layers and bake into bread-like buns, they should jiggle not droop
03 -
- Use a ruler during rolling, precise rectangles make even folding and uniform croissants
- Egg wash gently without letting it pool in crevices, pooled egg wash creates gummy spots