If you have ever wanted to make fresh, flaky croissants or sweet morning pastries at home, you might have been put off by traditional French lamination methods. Standard croissant recipes require making a rigid butter block, chilling for hours, and constantly worrying about butter shattering or leaking.
This quick laminated dough method removes the stress! By making a soft, spreadable butter paste, you can fold beautiful, flaky layers into your dough quickly and easily right in your home kitchen.
Watch the Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
Prefer to watch the full process before getting started? Walk through every step with me in my video tutorial below:
Watch the Quick Laminated Dough Tutorial on YouTube
Ingredients Needed
For the Dough:
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Flour: 4 cups (568g) all-purpose flour
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Sugar: 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (65g) granulated sugar
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Salt: 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
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Melted Butter: 2 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter, melted
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Yeast: 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
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Water: 1 1/2 cups (360g) lukewarm water
For the Butter Layer:
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Butter: 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted or salted butter, softened slightly
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Flour: 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For Baking:
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Egg Wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bloom the Yeast
In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the active dry yeast and lukewarm water. Let sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy and bubbly.
Step 2: Mix & Rest the Dough
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Pour in the bloomed yeast mixture.
Mix with a dough hook for about 3 minutes until a rough dough forms. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
Step 3: Make the Butter Paste
While the dough rises, prepare your butter layer. In your mixer bowl, beat the 3 sticks of butter with 1 tablespoon of flour until smooth and spreadable. Mixing in that single tablespoon of flour helps absorb excess moisture and prevents the butter from slipping while rolling!
Step 4: Spread, Fold & Chill (The Turns)
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Spread: Roll your rested dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. Spread the whipped butter mixture evenly across the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
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Fold: Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter.
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Quick Freeze: Place the folded dough in the freezer for 6 minutes so the butter sets up without getting rock-hard.
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Repeat: Remove from the freezer, roll out into a rectangle again, and fold into thirds. Freeze for another 6 minutes. Repeat this roll-and-fold process one last time (3 turns total).
Step 5: Shape Croissants & Bake
Roll the laminated pastry out to an 8×20-inch rectangle. Cut it down the middle lengthwise, then cut across to create 8 squares. Slice each square diagonally into two triangles.
Roll each triangle up from the wide end to the tip to form classic croissant shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, brush generously with egg wash, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–22 minutes until deep golden-brown and flaky!
Baker’s Tips for Success
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Use the 6-minute freezer trick: Popping the folded dough into the freezer for 6 minutes between turns keeps the butter at the perfect pliable consistency without needing long refrigerator rests.
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Versatile pastry dough: This same laminated dough works wonderfully for pain au chocolat, fruit danishes, or savory cheese twists!
