Breads & Doughs, Breakfast

Homemade Chocolate Croissants

4.61 from 214 votes
Learn how to make Homemade Chocolate Croissants with a much easier baking method than a regular croissant — and much sweeter!
Homemade Chocolate Croissants

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Hi Bold Bakers!

Croissants are delicate and delicious pastries that require technique but they’re much easier to make than most people think. I will show how easy these lovely treats are to create. 

Although Homemade Chocolate Croissants do require a few steps, the good thing is that it’s the same step over and over. Once you get the hang of it, you will make them faster each time.

My dough is not made using the traditional croissant method. I freeze my butter and grate it into my dough. I freeze the butter because I want it as cold as possible and it gets down to pea size pieces which gets easily distributed throughout the dough.

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This dough can be made by hand, no kitchen mixer needed.

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They are incredibly soft and flaky, and you can make them ahead of time, freeze them, and bake them off fresh whenever you want.

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I always opt for an addition of chocolate whenever I  can but if you like to keep them plain that’s ok too.

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Homemade Chocolate Croissants are a labour of love, I’m not gonna lie. However when see you your hard work coming out of the oven all golden brown it is well worth it.

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Here is a step by step of the folds you have to do to your dough. I need visuals when I bake so I hope these help you tooHomemade Chocolate Croissants, croissants, Chocolate croissants, Homemade croissants, homemade pastries, Breakfast pastries, baking, Homemade breakfast pastries, Gemma Stafford, bigger bolder baking, baking, breakfast, pastries, Danish, bold baking, chocolate, chocolate recipes

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Homemade Chocolate Croissants Recipe

4.61 from 214 votes
Learn how to make Homemade Chocolate Croissants with a much easier baking method than a regular croissant — and much sweeter!
Author: adapted from Super Golden Bakes
Servings: 6 -8
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Learn how to make Homemade Chocolate Croissants with a much easier baking method than a regular croissant — and much sweeter!
Author: adapted from Super Golden Bakes
Servings: 6 -8

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120ml/4floz) warm milk
  • 1 3/4 cups (250g/ 8 ¾ oz) strong bread flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 11 tablespoons (150g/5.3 oz) butter, frozen
  • 4 tablespoons (50g/ 1 ¾ oz) sugar
  • 2 tsp (7g /1 sachet) dry yeast
  • Chocolate chips or bar (I recommend 72% cocoa solids)
  • 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk to glaze

Instructions

  • Warm your milk until it is body-temperature (just warmed)
  • In a large bowl add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast and whisk to combine.
  • Grate the frozen butter straight into your flour. You want pea sized pieces of cold butter
  • Pour in the milk and gently combine to a dough using a spoon until the dough just comes together. You want the butter to remain in pea-sized pieces so don't be too enthusiastic when mixing the dough! don’t add liquid
  • Turn the dough out of a lightly floured work top and press together to form a square. It will be soft. Wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 90 minutes
  • Lightly dust your worktop and rolling pin with flour.
  • Roll your dough out to a rectangle roughly 14 ½ inches by 10 inches
  • Fold the short sides of the dough into the middle (follow the pictures above the recipe)
  • Rotate the dough by a quarter turn. Roll out slightly to lengthen. Fold the short ends towards the middle
  • Flip the dough over so the seams are underneath. Roll it out again repeating the folding steps 2 more times. The dough will become more elastic as you are rolling and folding it. If at any point the butter softens too much, cover and pop in the freezer to firm it before continuing with rolling and folding.
  • The dough should be formed into a smallish rectangle. Wrap it twice with cling film and put in the fridge for a couple of hours or, ideally, overnight.
  • Roll the dough out to a rectangle three times as long as it is wide and at least 4mm thick. Trim the edges with a pastry scraper
  • Cut the dough into triangles about 30cm/12in long and 8cm/3in at the base.
  • Cut a small slit in the centre of each triangle base
  • Gently stretch the corners and tip, add your chocolate to the wide end then loosely roll the dough up. Place, tip side down, on a large tray lined with baking paper.
  • Repeat with the rest of the dough, spacing the croissants a few inches apart on the tray
  • Cover loosely with greased cling film and let the croissants rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature - sorry, there are no shortcuts here!
  • Preheat the oven to 230C | 450F. Brush the croissants with the egg wash and bake for ten minutes then reduce temperature to 190C | 375F and bake for another 5 ish minutes or until the croissants are a deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

 

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Elke Barter
3 years ago

Ohhh my goodness, Gemma, thank you! These are incredible!! I love that they’re not huge also. I doubled the recipe and did half chocolate and half plain. You are my favorite baking teacher (guru)–thank you for posting great videos and recipes!

Nupur
4 years ago

Hi Gemma.. thank you for this amazing croissant recipe. My family loves them. I was hoping to make savoury croissants this time, how much of the sugar should I leave out( considering I ll need some to activate the yeast). Also can you suggest some vegetarian filling ideas..
Thanks in advance😃

Stuti Lohia
Stuti Lohia
3 years ago

Hi
I’ve tried out this recipe for the first time and had a question. I’ve made the croissants as instructed by you. But I wanted them for another day. So I’ve frozen them. How would you recommend I go upon the proofing method for when I need them? Should I first let them defrost or from the time I take it out I just let it sit for 2-3 hours and then bake it

Jayaharini
Jayaharini
3 years ago

Hi Gemma, I didn’t think i will be able to pull it off in my first attempt ,but the end result is so amazing . Thanks to your recipe it was very easy and helpful . thank you so much

Sana
Sana
2 years ago

Hey Gemma! Can I halve this recipe to make a smaller batch?

James rebelo
James rebelo
3 years ago

Hi
I’ve tried out this recipe for the first time and had a Good result nice and tasty, thanks for wonderful yummy recipe

Hazel
Hazel
3 years ago

After wrapping the dough in cling film after folding it, what is the minimum amount of time it can be put in the fridge, if not overnight?

harshi
harshi
3 years ago

i made this recipe.. but i had to add more flour because my dough never formed.. is that ok gemma?

Kiranmayee
2 years ago

Hi Gemma, I made these Croissants and they turned out very well.Just wondering if I can use Nuttelex or butter substitute instead of Butter? Thank you

Kiran Nandivada
Kiran Nandivada
2 years ago

Hi Gemma,
I made the croissants and they turned out so good. So glad i found your recipe, it is simple, straightforward and sooo doable.Thank you so much.Also do you think I could try replacing the butter with Nuttelex or a butter substitute?
Kiran

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About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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