Description
This Croissant Bread Loaf recipe combines the buttery, flaky layers of a classic croissant with the convenience of a loaf form. Perfect for breakfast or an indulgent snack, it uses a multi-step lamination process to create delicate layers, resulting in a tender, rich bread with a golden crust. Ideal for bread lovers seeking a flaky texture in an easy-to-slice loaf.
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 and for lamination
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 the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add salt, butter, and 2 cups (250g) flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add remaining flour, beat on low speed until soft dough forms, adding 2–3 more tablespoons if sticky.
- Knead the dough: Beat in the mixer or knead by hand on a floured surface for 5 minutes until dough passes windowpane test and feels slightly tacky but not sticky.
- First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl, place dough inside, cover, and allow to rise in warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours until nearly doubled.
- Flatten and chill dough: Punch down dough, place on a silicone mat or parchment-lined baking sheet, gently stretch into 10×14-inch rectangle. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Prepare lamination butter: Slice salted butter into 1/4-inch thick pieces; ensure butter is pliable but not too soft.
- First lamination: Remove dough from fridge, place butter down center third of dough. Fold edges over butter like a business letter and pinch ends to seal. Rotate, flour top lightly, roll to 9×12-inch rectangle, fold edges like a letter again. Cover and chill 20 minutes.
- Second and third laminations: Remove dough, rotate, flour, roll out to 9×12 inches, fold edges over like a letter twice more, covering between each fold. Refrigerate 20 minutes after each fold.
- Final lamination and shaping: Roll out dough to 9×12 inches twice as before. Roll dough from a 9-inch side into a log. Cut into 5 even rolls.
- Second rise: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, place rolls seam side down inside, cover tightly, and let rise until slightly puffy, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Apply egg wash and bake: Whisk egg and water, brush loaf generously. Bake for 1 hour, loosely tenting with foil after 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bake until internal temperature reaches 195°F (90°C).
- Cooling: Remove loaf from oven, cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes, then release from pan and cool an additional 15 minutes before slicing to prevent crumbling.
Notes
- Overnight Dough Option: After shaping rolls, cover and refrigerate for up to 15 hours. Remove 3 hours before baking and allow to rise 1–2 hours at room temperature before baking.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze shaped dough after shaping step for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator at least 3 hours before baking, then let rise 1–2 hours at room temperature.
- Butter Temperature for Lamination: Butter for lamination should be pliable but not greasy or too cold; ideally about 60°F (15°C) to ease rolling and folding.
- Adding Filling: Dry fillings like cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips can be added before rolling into a log. Avoid wet fillings like jam to prevent sogginess.
- Ingredient Substitutions: Whole milk is preferred, but lower fat or non-dairy milk can be used. Use salt butter for lamination and either salted or unsalted butter in dough.
- Mixing Without Mixer: Dough can be mixed by hand using a large spoon or spatula and kneaded on a floured surface if no stand mixer is available.
- Storage: Store leftover bread covered at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10 loaf)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
