Description
This Croissant Bread Loaf recipe combines the flaky, buttery layers of classic croissants with the convenience of a loaf form. Using a laminated dough technique with multiple folds and rests, this bread offers a tender, airy crumb and a golden, crisp crust. Perfect for slicing and enjoying as breakfast, snack, or alongside your favorite meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted or salted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 3 equal pieces
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed and for lamination
Lamination
- 3/4 cup salted butter, slightly softened (about 12 tablespoons)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes until foamy. Add salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Add remaining flour and beat on low until soft dough forms and pulls away from sides. Add 2–3 tablespoons more flour if too sticky.
- Knead the dough: Beat dough in mixer for an additional 5 minutes or knead by hand on floured surface until smooth and elastic. Dough should be soft and pass the windowpane test, slowly bouncing back when poked.
- First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl, place dough inside, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1.5–2 hours until nearly doubled in size.
- Flatten dough and chill: Punch down dough and place on a floured or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Prepare lamination butter: Slice salted butter into 1/4-inch thick pieces and ensure it is pliable but not too soft, around 60°F (15°C).
- First lamination: Remove dough from fridge, lay butter along center third of dough length, fold edges over butter like a business letter, pinch ends to seal. Rotate and roll out to 9×12 inches rectangle, fold edges over again like business letter. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Second and third laminations: Remove from fridge, rotate dough, roll out to 9×12 inches, fold like business letter. Repeat rolling and folding one more time. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Final lamination and shaping: Remove from fridge, roll out to 9×12 inches, fold edges like a business letter one last time, roll out again to 9×12 inches. From 9-inch side, roll dough tightly into a log. Cut into 5 even rolls.
- Second rise: Grease 9×5 inch loaf pan. Place rolls seam side down in pan. Cover tightly and let rise for 45–60 minutes until slightly puffy.
- Preheat oven and egg wash: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Whisk egg and water to make egg wash. Generously brush risen loaf with egg wash.
- Bake the loaf: Bake for 1 hour until golden brown, loosely tent with foil after 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bread is done when center registers 195°F (90°C) on instant-read thermometer.
- Cool the bread: Remove loaf from oven, place loaf pan on wire rack, cool 30 minutes in pan. Run knife around edges and remove bread from pan. Cool at least 15 more minutes on wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Overnight dough option: After shaping (step 10), cover shaped rolls tightly and refrigerate up to 15 hours. Remove 1–2 hours before baking to rise at room temperature.
- Freezing dough: Freeze shaped dough after step 10 (up to 3 months). Thaw in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, then rise at room temperature before baking.
- Butter for lamination should be pliable but not greasy or overly soft; ideally around 60°F (15°C) to match dough temperature for easy rolling.
- Use whole milk for best results but lower-fat or non-dairy milk can be substituted; avoid nonfat milk.
- You can add dry fillings like cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips before rolling in step 10. Wet fillings like jam are not recommended due to excess moisture.
- If dough is sticky while kneading or rolling, sprinkle lightly with flour but avoid adding too much to prevent dryness.
- Do not extend refrigeration times during lamination steps to avoid over-expansion of dough.
- Recommended tools: Stand mixer or large mixing bowl and wooden spoon, silicone baking mat, rolling pin, loaf pan, pastry brush, instant-read thermometer, cooling rack.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/5 loaf)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
