Chocolate Croissants (Printable)

Flaky, buttery croissants filled with rich chocolate, perfect for breakfast or a special treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 cold unsalted butter

→ Filling

08 - 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate batons

→ Egg Wash

09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon milk

# Directions:

01 - Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter to the yeast mixture. Mix until a rough dough forms, then knead for 5-7 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 a rolling pin and roll into a 6 x 8-inch rectangle. Return to refrigerator if it becomes too soft.
05 - On a floured surface, roll dough into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Place butter slab on one half of the dough, then fold the other half over it, pressing edges to seal.
06 - Roll dough gently into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
07 - Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, rotating the dough 90 degrees before each roll and chilling for 30 minutes between folds.
08 - Roll 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 and let rise at warm room temperature for 2 hours until puffy and doubled in size.
10 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
11 - Whisk together egg and tablespoon of milk. Brush generously over the surface of each croissant.
12 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The buttery layers melt in your mouth while the chocolate stays warm and gooey
  • Freezing unbaked croissants means fresh pastry on busy weekday mornings
  • Nothing beats pulling a tray of golden croissants from your own oven
02 -
  • Keep everything cold, especially the butter, or layers will merge instead of staying separate
  • Do not skip the resting periods between folds, they prevent the dough from shrinking back
  • European style butter has less water, which means more flaky layers in your final croissant
03 -
  • Use a pizza cutter for the cleanest cuts when dividing the dough
  • If the kitchen is warm, chill your rolling pin in the freezer for fifteen minutes
  • The egg wash should not pool in the crevices or it will prevent proper browning

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