Easy Sourdough Croissants (Printable)

Flaky, buttery croissants with sourdough tang and a crisp, golden crust made with an overnight rest.

# What you need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups bread flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
04 - 1 cup whole milk, cold
05 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter at 100% hydration
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Butter Block

07 - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

→ Egg Wash

08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 tablespoon whole milk

# How to make it:

01 - In a large bowl, combine bread flour, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt. Add cold whole milk, active sourdough starter, and softened unsalted butter. Mix until just combined, then knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 8 minutes.
02 - Shape dough into a rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
03 - Place 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into an 8 by 6 inch rectangle. Chill until firm yet pliable.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 16 by 8 inch rectangle. Position butter block on one half, fold dough over, and seal all edges securely.
05 - Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll into a 24 by 8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds in letter-fold style, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.
06 - Repeat the rolling and folding process two additional times, chilling for 1 hour between each turn to maintain lamination.
07 - After the final fold, wrap dough and refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours, to develop flavor and allow gluten to relax.
08 - The following morning, roll dough to a 24 by 12 inch rectangle, approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 12 long triangles of equal size.
09 - Starting from the wide end of each triangle, roll tightly into a crescent shape, tucking the pointed tip underneath. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets.
10 - Cover loosely and proof at room temperature until doubled in volume, approximately 2 to 3 hours.
11 - Heat oven to 400°F and position racks in the center.
12 - Whisk together 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon whole milk. Brush mixture lightly over each croissant.
13 - Bake 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown with a crisp exterior. Cool slightly before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The sourdough starter gives you serious flavor depth without needing commercial yeast or a proof box, just time and a patient overnight in the fridge.
  • Once you understand the folding rhythm, you'll realize croissants aren't actually mysterious—just butter, dough, and folds repeated until you get those crispy, shattering layers.
  • You can prep these the night before and simply bake them in the morning, which feels like a small miracle when guests arrive to fresh croissants.
02 -
  • The butter temperature is everything—if it's too hard, it'll shatter and create holes in your layers; too soft and it'll absorb into the dough instead of creating distinct lamination.
  • Don't skip the overnight rest after your final fold; this is where the sourdough tang really develops and the gluten fully relaxes, making for tender, flaky croissants rather than tough, dense ones.
03 -
  • If you accidentally warm up your dough while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes—rushing this is the quickest way to end up with greasy, dense croissants.
  • The egg wash makes a huge visual difference, so don't skip it, but apply it gently so you don't deflate all the puffiness you've worked to create.
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