Description
This Croissant Bread Loaf recipe combines the rich, flaky texture of croissants with the convenience of a loaf bread. Featuring a laminated dough enriched with butter and a tender crumb, it requires multiple rises and folds to develop the signature layers, resulting in a golden, buttery bread perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted or salted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 3 equal pieces
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
Lamination
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) salted butter, slightly softened
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, cold or room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) water
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar together until foamy, then add salt, butter, and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scrape bowl, then add remaining flour and beat on low until soft dough forms. Add 2-3 tablespoons flour if dough is too sticky.
- Knead the dough: Knead in mixer or by hand for 5 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. Perform windowpane test to ensure gluten development.
- First rise: Lightly grease a bowl, place dough inside, cover, and let rise in warm place for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours until nearly doubled in size.
- Flatten dough: Punch down dough, shape into 10×14-inch rectangle on floured surface or silicone mat. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Prepare lamination butter: Slice 3/4 cup salted butter into 1/4-inch thick pieces and ensure it is pliable but not overly soft.
- First lamination: Place butter along center third of dough. Fold dough edges over butter like a business letter and seal ends. Roll out to 9×12-inch rectangle, fold edges over again, cover, and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Second and third laminations: Repeat rolling to 9×12 inches and folding like a business letter twice more, covering and refrigerating for 20 minutes each time.
- Final lamination and shaping: Roll out dough a final time to 9×12 inches, fold like a letter, roll from a 9-inch side into a log. Cut log into 5 even rolls.
- Second rise: Grease 9×5-inch loaf pan, place rolls seam side down inside, cover tightly, and allow to rise for 45-60 minutes until slightly puffy.
- Preheat oven and egg wash: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Whisk egg and water for egg wash.
- Brush and bake: Brush risen loaf with egg wash. Bake for 1 hour, loosely tenting with foil after 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bread is done when internal temperature reaches 195°F (90°C).
- Cool: Remove loaf from oven and pan, cool in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool at least 15 more minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Overnight Dough: After shaping, cover shaped rolls and refrigerate up to 15 hours. Allow to rise 1-2 hours before baking.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze shaped dough after final lamination for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator, then rise 1-2 hours before baking.
- Butter Temperature: Lamination butter should be pliable but not greasy or hard, ideally around 60°F (15°C) for best layering.
- Yeast: Both instant and active dry yeast work; active dry may require slightly longer rise times.
- Milk: Whole milk is ideal; lower-fat or non-dairy milks can be substituted but avoid nonfat milk.
- Fillings: Dry fillings like cinnamon sugar or nuts work; wet fillings like jam add excess moisture and affect baking.
- Recipe Scaling: Avoid halving or doubling; freeze extra dough if needed.
- Rolling Tips: If dough tears while rolling, sprinkle flour on exposed butter; rest dough 5 minutes if difficult to roll.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 80g)
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
