Description
This Croissant Bread Loaf is a buttery, flaky bread made by laminating dough with salted butter through multiple folds and rises, resulting in a soft, tender loaf with delicate layers reminiscent of classic croissants. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, it’s a delightful homemade treat combining the richness of croissants with the convenience of a 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 attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. If mixing by hand, do this in a large bowl and mix dough with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
- Mix dough ingredients: Add the salt, butter, and 2 cups (250g) flour to the yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour, scrape down, and beat on low speed until a soft dough forms that pulls away from sides. Add 2–3 more tablespoons flour if very sticky.
- Knead the dough: Beat dough for an additional 5 minutes in the mixer or knead by hand on lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until dough feels soft but not sticky. Perform the windowpane test to check gluten development.
- First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with foil, plastic wrap, or towel. Let rise in warm place for 1.5–2 hours until nearly doubled in size.
- Flatten dough: Punch down dough to release air. Place dough on a silicone mat or parchment-lined baking sheet and gently stretch into a 10×14-inch (25x35cm) rectangle. Lightly cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Prepare lamination butter: Slice salted butter into 1/4-inch thick slices and keep slightly softened, about 60°F (15°C), to match dough temperature for easy lamination.
- First lamination: Remove dough from refrigerator, place butter slices down the center third of dough. Fold one edge over butter, then fold the other edge over like a business letter, sealing short ends. Rotate dough so long edge is horizontal, lightly flour top, and roll to a 9×12-inch (23x30cm) rectangle. Fold edges over again like a letter, cover, and refrigerate 20 minutes.
- Second and third laminations: Repeat rolling dough out to 9×12-inch rectangle and folding like a letter twice more, rotating dough horizontally before second fold. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes after each fold.
- Final lamination and shaping: Roll dough to 9×12-inch rectangle, fold edges like letter, then roll again to 9×12 inches. From 9-inch side, roll dough up like a jelly roll. Cut roll into 5 even pieces.
- Second rise: Grease a 9×5-inch (23x13cm) loaf pan and place rolls seam side down inside. Cover tightly and let rise until puffy, about 45–60 minutes.
- Preheat oven and prepare egg wash: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Whisk together egg and water for egg wash.
- Brush and bake: Generously brush risen rolls with egg wash. Bake for 1 hour, tenting with foil after 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Bread is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in center reads 195°F (90°C).
- Cool the bread: Remove from oven and cool in loaf pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around edges, remove bread and cool at least 15 more minutes on wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Overnight Dough: After shaping into rolls and placing in loaf pan, cover and refrigerate for up to 15 hours. Remove and let rise on counter for 1–2 hours before baking. Alternatively, refrigerate dough after first rise for up to 12 hours, then let rise 2 more hours before proceeding.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze shaped dough after final lamination (step 10) for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator at least 3 hours, then allow to rise on counter 1–2 hours before baking.
- Butter Temperature: Lamination butter should be pliable but not greasy soft, around 60°F (15°C), for best layering and rolling.
- Flour Type: Use all-purpose flour for dough; spoon and level for accuracy.
- Filling Options: Dry fillings like cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips can be added before rolling. Avoid wet fillings as they add moisture that hinders baking.
- Storage: Store leftover bread covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 1 week. Freeze up to 3 months for longer storage.
- Tools: Recommended tools include stand mixer with dough hook, silicone baking mat, rolling pin, loaf pan, pastry brush, instant-read thermometer, and cooling rack.
- Milk Substitute: Whole milk is ideal; lower-fat or non-dairy milk can be used but avoid nonfat milk.
- Yeast: Both active dry and instant yeast work; active dry may require slightly longer rise times.
- Do not halve or double recipe; make the dough exactly as written for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 90g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 320 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: 55 mg
