Croissants are not just pastries to me. They’re not just two days worth of work, careful rolling, and dough laminating. They’re not just butter-laden, flaky bits of heaven.
Croissants represent the mission of Willow Bird Baking: to inspire home cooks to build their kitchen confidence by repeatedly tackling challenging new recipes. In July, I issued the Croissant Challenge where I asked home cooks who had never made homemade croissants before to whip up a batch. Many croissant newbies jumped at the challenge and became Croissant Masters (see their work here: page 1, 2, 3). Their enthusiasm confirmed for me that successfully taking on a challenging recipe can be an exhilarating, satisfying, galvanizing experience.
Thank you so much for voting me through to Project Food Blog Challenge #4 to create a phototutorial. Now it’s time for me to turn the tables on you — because I’m not only completing a challenge, I’m issuing a challenge.
Will you join the proud group to have mastered croissants? No matter your skill level or experience, you can do it, and I’m here to help. If you’re willing to commit to croissant, leave a comment below! Let’s walk through my (slightly ridiculous) version of the process together.
Willow Bird Baking is a contestant in Project Food Blog, a contest comprised of a series of 10 challenges to find the next food blog star. Voting for Challenge #4 is now open! To vote for this Croissant Tutorial, register for a Foodbuzz account. Once you’re registered, sign in and go here. To vote, click the heart next to the words “Vote for this Entry.” I am so grateful for your support!
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OMg. I’ve tried making croissants before. I FAILED miserably. Of course, I was stupid and did it in an unair-conditioned kitchen on a hot summer day. Yours turned out terrific. Truly impressive!
I can picture the buttery mess you must have been in, Sophia!! I say you need to try again on a cool day for a confidence boost 😉 Thanks so much!
YUM!! Absolutely fabulous post…homemade croissants are the ultimate! Best of luck in this round 🙂
Thanks so much, girlichef!
I hereby name this post “Awesome Awesomeness.”
What a treat from start to finish!
Aw, thanks so much, Rose!
Holy craaaaaaap! That looks like so much fun! You know what? I AM DOING THIS. FOR SURE. YEAH. 😀 Croissant party, here I come!
ALL RIGHT WEI-WEI!! That’s the spirit!!! I can’t wait to see your croissant masterpieces!
By the way – how do I do that 7 minutes of kneading without a stand mixer or bread machine?? 😦
No worries! It’s totally doable by hand — with some elbow grease! Just push the dough back with the palm of your hand and then roll it forward, push back, roll forward, etc. I’m sure there are great youtube videos of kneading. Just do it on a floured surface and stick with it! 🙂
I am up for the croissant challenge! Yours look delicious! You have my vote (again):)
HURRAY LORA!! I can’t wait to see your croissants!! Thanks so much 🙂
I absolutely LOVE your entry, so entertaining and the croissants look delicious!!! The picture of you with the mask is hilarious, don’t call my name croissant dough. Hahaha. You did a fantastic job with this challenge, wooohoooo! Best of luck. You’re incredible, I’m voting for you!!
Aw, such a sweet comment! Thank you, Lindsey 🙂 I so appreciate it!
Great post…nomnomnom!
Thanks, Liz!!
Totally and completely awesome! Now I really want a (homemade) croissant 🙂
Thanks, Winnie 😉
I don’t even think I would attempt to make croissants, but I am beyond impressed with your initiative! they look great!
All you’re missing is a puppy in the post;)
I knew I forgot something!! And the grandma, too!
Absolutely gorgeous pictures but I think still too complicated for a pastry novice like me! Can I please order a dozen? 😉 Good luck – hope to see you in Round 5!
I promise it’s not! The truth is, croissants are mostly just tedious — rolling, waiting, rolling, waiting — rather than difficult, which is why it’s such a nice bit of pastry to “cut your teeth” on and feel really proud 🙂
Thank you!
WOW. These look like the real deal 😉
They totally are! 😉 Thanks, love.
Wow…just wow.
Now I really have no excuse…
You can do it!!!!
The laying on the sofa part (exhausted) I could handle. Fortunately these instructional pics (almost) make me think I could do this. GREG
You can, you can! And you should! The feeling afterward (the satisfaction — not the exhaustion) is so worth the effort 🙂
Okay, you’ve inspired me. Now I just need some free time…
Yay, Meghan! You can do it! I know your croissants would be beautiful.
Ok, you make this look like something I could do. I’ve shied away from even attempting croissants, but now I’m thinking this might need to be a project for VERY SOON! You’ve got my vote 🙂
Hurray, Mara!! You can do it! It’s a bit sticky and a bit scary until after the first fold, but once it’s in the fridge, it’s all easy-sailin’ from there 🙂 And SO worth it!
My question is, why have I not tried my hand at croissants even after seeing all of your croissant challenges? Hmm. No idea.
Great post! Super funny. I’ll be voting!
Thank you, Joanne! You should definitely give ’em a go!!
Wow your croissants look like they’re from a bakery! And thanks for the step-by-step method.. I find pictures are more helpful than a list of directions!
Thank you, Elsa! 🙂
YUM!!! Bring us some quick!! 🙂 Jason is here and would love some…
I wish I could, mom, but I just realized I froze the rest and forgot to thaw them last night 😦
Okay fine. You’ve convinced me that croissants aren’t as difficult as I make them out to be. But I’m unsure if I’m ready to face that much butter. Sigh. Lovely post.
The butter’s the best part! 😀 Puff pastry has even more butter, believe it or not!
Thank you 🙂
LOL!!! I love this post!!!! I love the pictures of you being goofy as well. Congrats on making it to level 4. I will definitely be voting for you to make it to level 5 (not that I haven’t voted for you all the other times). Good luck doll!!!
Thank you, Maranda!! 🙂
I’ve been wanting to make my own homemade croissants for awhile now…like since your challenge post this summer…but I have yet to take the plunge. I am now re-energized to finally do this. Why? (1) because I love how you get so happy when your readers make their own croissants; and (2) because I too want to flop melodramatically on the sofa in my heels after completing Fold #4.
You’ve got my vote again…good luck!
Hurray for being re-energized!! It’s worth it for the sofa-flop alone, not to mention the pastry! 😉
Thanks so much, Suzy!
One day, I will definitely make these! I have been wanting to, but 3 kids make it rough! I will for sure try for the holidays, though. What better excuse to do something you love and make a loved one watch the children while doing so? 🙂
Thanks for the post! love it ❤
I can imagine that 3 little ones would, indeed, make it rough! Here’s hoping for a good babysitter for you for Christmas 🙂 I know you will love the process!
Thanks, Meggie!
Holy cow, girl! Your croissants look amazing! I had NO idea how much butter went into these bad boys!! My husband is drooling over your pictures. Guess I’ll have to make these soon. 🙂
Thanks so much, Duchess 😉 Hope you do!!
You have done a fantastic job with this pictorial! I can use this is my class! I know that you will advance to the next level. Good luck!
Thanks so much!! I hope you can use it and your class enjoys 🙂
That is okay..we are stuffed! (Angel Biscuits!) They do look lovely this time, though!
Mmm angel biscuits!!
love the sleeping on the couch photo! superb post 🙂
Thanks so much, Tandy!
Adorable! I especially like the nap part LOL! But seriously, nicely done – the diagrams are very helpful! I’ll be cheering you on to challenge 5!
Thanks so much, Liren! Loved your post too!
I LOVEd this post! I have never made croissants before so this is totally going to come in handy 🙂 We’re moving this week and the plus? I now have ample counter space to finally try making croissants! I just printed the recipe.. sooo excited!!
Hurray, Evan!! I can’t WAIT to see your croissants! It’s such a rewarding process!
And hurray, also, for ample counter space!!
Thank you 🙂
Love that you issued this challenge! I am not sure I am willing to take it on, because I can’t eat the darn things (too many carbs for poor diabetic me), although I love them beyond belief. But maybe I will get around to making them someday, and if I do, I will let you know!
Aw, I’m sad that you can’t eat them, Carolyn! But I still hope you’ll enjoy making them! 🙂 Thank you!
Great job, Julie! You make it look so easy..I will have to try these soon- when I have some mommy time!! 🙂
Thank you, Beth!!
a very challenging undertaking!!! well done.
Thank you, Amelia!
What a great post. This is something I’ve always wanted to try and now I have your step-by-step instructions. PS – LOVE YOUR SHOES!!!
Thank you, Flotch!! I hope you’ll give it a try and love the process! I totally love these shoes too, btw — don’t have many events to wear them to, but I figured making croissants was as good as any occasion 😉
Wow. these look really great. I have never made my own croissants because it seems so complicated. But you broke it down really well, and made it seem easy (if time consuming). Nicely done. I voted for you again!
Good luck! hope to see us both in round 5!!! =)
Thank you so much!! Good luck to you too!
I made croissants once in culinary school and it was an exhausting process, though I do love the pounding butter part; and yes, it was very loud. I’m really impressed that you have successfully showed us how to make these through your post and pictures. Great job and you got my vote. Good luck!
Thanks so much for your vote! It IS a long process — but I was thrilled to discover after the first time I made them that though it was lonnnng, it wasn’t that *hard*! And so rewarding! 🙂
great post! Just gave you a vote!!
Thank you, Lindsay!!
That was way more fun than my blog’s croissant tutorial….even though I definitely did lay on the couch dramatically AND throw a mardi gras mask-involved party after the fact. 😉
LOL — love it, Heather! Thank you! I’m going to go see yours!
It’s been years since I’ve tried to make croissants and that’s probably because of the love you must have to make them, oh and lots and lots of time! These look wonderful. Great job. You’ve got my vote!
Thank you, Therese! 🙂
WOW that was a crazy amount of steps!! great job!
I promise it’s easier than it looks! Just time consuming 🙂 Thank you Steph!
I LOVE this post! I’ve always wanted to try making croissants and you just nudged me over the edge. They look so good and your photo tutorial was fantastic! You got my vote. Hope you get to advance!
Margaret, I can’t wait to see your croissants!! It is SUCH a rewarding experience to pull these babies out of the oven 🙂 Thank you!
What a great post! I love that you’ve set this Croissant Challenge and inspired so many people – now I feel compelled to try it too! 🙂
I don’t have a mixer so will I need an extra hour for kneading…arrgh!
Good luck with the competition, you so deserve to get to the next round!
Hungry Jenny x
I’ve had a person or two do it with no mixer and succeed beautifully, so don’t worry (well, except for your wrists) 😉 I can’t WAIT to see your croissants, Jenny!! Thank you for joining in the fun!
hurray! great job on the croissants 🙂 they look lovely. great step-by-step guide too! grats on round 4 🙂 +1 vote
Thank you so much for the vote!!
Those croissants are beautiful! They look like a project that would be fun when my kids come for a visit in November- I’m bookmarking! Thanks!
Thanks so much, Betty!! Have fun with them! 🙂 I can’t wait to see yours — I know they’ll be beautiful!
I wish I could vote for you over and over again. Seriously who makes croissants from scratch? No one. You totally deserve to advance.
Aw, thank you so much, Damaris!! 🙂
I LOVE croissants. And pretending to wear high heels in the kitchen. My vote’s in. Good luck!
ME TOO, Heena 🙂 Thank you so much!
Beautiful croissants! I love the damsel in distress picture and the par-tay pictures. I can tell you had alot of fun putting this together. Good luck, I’ll be rooting for you to advance to the next round!
Thank you so much, Julie! It was a lot of fun!!
Wow – looks like you did a fab job on quite the challenge! Croissants. From Scratch. I’m impressed! Good luck and hope to join you in the next round 🙂
Thanks so much!! I hope the same!
Wow, they look great! Every time I look at your entries, I gain 2 pounds! You definitely have my vote.
Just imagine if you were eating them! HA! I have to be careful about that . . . 😉
THANK YOU!!
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Wow! I’m totally scared of making my own croissants, but I really, really love them. You make it seem totally approachable and worth it! When I’m ready to try my own, I’ll definitely be looking back at this tutorial 🙂
You can do it, Sues!! It’s such a satisfying process 🙂 Totally more lonnng than it is hard!
Thanks 🙂
Very clever post Julie! Can’t wait to vote for you next week.
Hope I get there, Sarah 🙂
I’m so down for this challenge! I’ve been dying to make croissants and am so happy I came across your site and this awesome tutorial!
Hurray Jen!! Cannot wait to see your croissants!! Enjoy the process 🙂
Thank you!
Love it! Voted! my first job was as the icing girl at Brumby’s Bakery – I would spend all morning making cream buns and watching the bakers make 400 croissants. I’ve always thought them way too tricky for the home cook til now – will have to give these a go!
Actually, I was wondering – how do you shape the pains au chocolate? How do you roll the chocolate batons into the dough? Thanks 🙂
Those are the easiest, Wei-Wei! They’re rectangles, and you just place the chocolate baton on one side with about 1/4 inch border and roll up into a little log.
you have my vote! I love croissants!
Thanks so much Marta!!
Can I just say that that is the cutest outfit ever? ‘Cause it is. Right down to the so-fantastic shoes.
Sorry to be distracted from the croissant awesomeness. Just. So cute!
Aw, thank you Mary Beth!! My mom made that apron, can you believe it? She’s a superstar. I love it times a billion!
Awesome! Making your own croissants is difficult but rewarding – and requires muscles to beat that butter down. Great idea for a how-to post. Voted!
Thanks so much for your vote! I so appreciate it!
WOW! I’m impressed! As someone who regularly burns toast and has never even successfully cooked rice, your presentation had me feeling all empowered and made me want to head straight to the kitchen and go crazy on some dough. For as much as my children love croissants, I am seriously going to give this a shot!
Oh, and good luck!! 🙂
YOU CAN DO IT, Lynda!! Just follow step by step! There’s nothing that goes wrong that a little flour (if the butter pokes through) or refrigeration (if anything gets gloppy) can’t fix!! 🙂
Thank you!!
Best post yet – full of life and fun. I think I could actually make these – nothing better than a fresh croissant! -chris
Aw, thanks so much, Chris!! I know you can do it!
I actually made croissants for the first time this year – great tutorial! I sent a little red heart your way – Good luck!
Thanks so much, Crystal — isn’t the process rewarding? I always feel like a rockstar (obviously) when I’m pulling them out of the oven!
Great post! I love the random intermittent pictures of you throughout the process. And the tutorial is excellent.
Thanks so much 🙂 I had a lot of fun with this!
Your croissants are so perfect! I am definitely up for this challenge. Fun post and I’m voting for you right now!
GO FOR IT, Jeanne!! I’d love to see your croissants!! Thank you so much for the vote!
Awesome post, Julie! Those step-by-step pictures are wonderful. As someone who has made croissants and puff pastry before, I know how difficult it must have been to stop the process and take pictures along the way.
That picture of you on the couch is too funny!
Great job!
Thanks so much, Megan!!
Masterful! Perhaps even I will make croissants someday (where someday is definitely after PFB is over 🙂 )
I know how you feel! PFB is one time-consuming competition!
Thank you!!
I’ve never tried making croissants myself but what a great photo tutorial to mark for future reference. This is a perfect recipe choice for this challenge because the photos help so much. Good luck this round!
Thank you!! You should jump in — so satisfying! 🙂
This pleases my heart 🙂 I’m trying to conquer my fear of baking and croissants were going to be my next project. I was a bit intimidated but your phototutorial has eased my fear…slightly. You’ve got my vote and good luck!
You’ll be great, Kashia! Just give your board a good flourin’ and keep the fridge clear and ready! You can do it!! Can’t wait to see your end result 🙂
Thank you so much!!
I don’t even know what’s better than a home-made croissant.
Lisa.
Not too many foods, that’s for sure!!! Thanks, Lisa 🙂
I could live a happy fulfilled life on croissants and various fillings. I loved this recipe and your blog looks amazing 🙂 Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thanks so much, Katrina!! 🙂
Sadly my first attempt at croissants failed dismally and ended up in the bin. I think it was due to the high temperatures outside here in the Middle East (although I had the a/c on Artic). I’m waiting for it to cool down to have another try and I’ll be visiting these brilliant step by step instructions to help me. Love the shot of you reclining on the sofa in high heels. And you got my vote – good luck.
So sorry the first attempt didn’t work out, Sally! Heat is definitely the enemy! Here’s hoping the second try is MUCH better 🙂
Thanks so much!
Bravo for making croissants. This is one thing I’ve never tried but then again living in the croissant capital makes it easier to buy than to make. They are delicious home made. Thanks for the easy to make instructions . Good Luck
Thank you! It would be hard to go through the effort when you could pop over and buy a great one 🙂 So fun, though!
HAHA Julie, croissant dough? i love it! I can’t wait to meet you at foodbuzz fest, will you please bring some croissants though?
Excited to meet you too, Whitney 😀 I just may find a way to stuff some croissants into my suitcase 😉
Thank you!
Yeah.. croissants from scratch is hard.. but sooo delicious! Great tutorial!!
Thanks so much! 🙂
beautiful! i now have a daily craving for fresh baked croissants. Fantastic job on the photologue! can’t wait to see whats next for challenge #5!
Thanks so much! Hope I get to #5 — I have a fun idea!
This was such a cute, informative post (you don’t find those two adjectives in the same sentence often). I love your diagrams. Good luck this week, voting for you!
Lick My Spoon
Thanks so much!! I appreciate the vote!!!!
YUM! I had voted on your post earlier in the week but didn’t realize I didn’t comment. Been a heck ova week I tell you. I bet a nice flaky croissant would be WONDERFUL as a pulled pork and melty cheese swammich huh? Perfect! Great job.
Thank you SO much Heather! I agree that that would be one heck of a sandwich!
lovely humor and well executed tutorial!
Thank you, Amelia!!
Ok…you made it look approachable, and I even have teen-aged boys to eat them for me. But….do I really need to put $14 worth of butter in them? Because if they turn into little rocks I’m not gonna be happy…
: )
Ha, don’t worry! First off, only 3 sticks — so just a few dollars! Second off, I PROMISE it’s not difficult — just time-consuming. Make sure your house is cool, you have a fridge ready, and you have plenty of flour — I know it’ll be great! 😉
Lol great post and great looking croissants! I want some! But I’d rather you make them for me 😉
Thanks, Anne 😀
i can eat a LOT of croissants all by myself, no need for a party =P thanks for this awesome tutorial!
The party is to showcase your greatness, of course! No one else gets to EAT any croissants, silly 😉
Thanks!
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fabulous tutorial for such a difficult recipe!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Awesome tutorial. I really need to get around to making puff pastry, I love it, but I’m scared!!
P.S – What color KA is that? I’m trying to choose mine, the color choices are driving me crazy!
Thank you, Avanika! The fridge is your best friend during the process — anytime things are looking iffy, you can just chill the dough and go from there 🙂
This KA is silver metallic — my family all pitched in to buy it for my birthday this year. So sweet! I didn’t know if I’d ever have one!
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I came across your blog today and I´m totally in awe. I just printed the recipe and will serously try to make the homemade croissants. Wish me luck
I have a question, do we need to proof the croissants? why is this step important?
Hey Annabelle! I’m SO excited that you’re going to give them a shot — it’s so rewarding!!
The proofing step is necessary because that’s when the yeast actually does it’s thing and leavens the bread (makes it rise). It’s why the final product has the right texture and is light and fluffy.
I hope you’ll send a picture along when you’re finished — I’d love to see!!