Sourdough Croissants

Sourdough croissants look fancy! All those flaky layers and the buttery aroma! They have a reputation for being complicated to make, but they’re not actually hard to make. They’re just slow. And slow isn’t a bad thing, you just need to plan for it.

This sourdough croissant recipe walks you through the process in a calm, manageable way, using your sourdough starter to build flavor while time does most of the work. If you can use a stand mixer and a rolling pin, you can make these. No professional pastry training required. (And yes, the rolling absolutely counts as an arm workout.)

The result is a batch of tender, flaky croissants with delicate layers and a subtle sourdough tang — perfect for weekend baking, holiday mornings, or anytime you want a project that feels special without being stressful.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s an easy recipe: This process is about patience, not complicated techniques. If you can roll dough and follow a schedule, you can make these.
• Balanced sourdough flavor: The sourdough adds depth without overpowering the buttery layers. You get a subtle tang that makes these feel special, not sour.
• A slow, flexible recipe: Most of the time is hands-off, with built-in resting and chilling that fits easily around real life. It’s the kind of project you can stretch over a couple of days without stress.

If you enjoyed working with laminated dough, there are plenty more ways to keep playing. Try your hand at sourdough pie crust for flaky savory or sweet bakes, or dive into sourdough Danish pastry for another buttery, layered project that feels bakery-worthy but totally doable at home. Sourdough pop tarts are a fun next step if you want to practice layering with a playful, less formal bake. Each of these builds on the same skills, helping you grow confidence while making something truly special.

How to make homemade croissants with sourdough starter

Here is a brief overview of how to make this recipe so you can get a good understanding of the recipe. For the full set of directions, including ingredient amounts, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

Step One: Make the levain

The night before, mix your starter, water, and flour to create a simple levain. This can be made with discard or fed starter. Cover and leave it at room temperature overnight.

Step Two: Make the dough

The next day, mix the dough with milk, egg, sugar, salt, and a small amount of butter, then combine with the levain. Knead for a few minutes until it is slightly elastic, tacky to the touch, and fairly smooth. Let it rest at room temperature for 3-4 hours, until slightly puffy, before chilling overnight. This slow rest helps develop flavor and strength.

Step Three: Prepare the butter block

While the dough chills, shape the butter between two sheets of parchment paper into a neat square about 7.5″ across. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Keeping the butter cold (but pliable) is key for clean layers later.

Step Four: Laminate the dough

Take the chilled dough out of the fridge and roll it on a lightly floured surface into an 11-inch square. Place the chilled butter in the center so it sits like a diamond on top of the dough. Fold the corners of the dough up and over the butter so it’s completely enclosed.

Roll the dough into a large rectangle, always rolling from the center outward so the butter spreads evenly. Trim the short ends to square them off and expose the butter layers — neat edges help the layers form cleanly later. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter, keeping the edges lined up. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Repeat this process two more times: roll the dough into a large rectangle, trim the short edges, fold into thirds, then chill for 1 hour between each fold. These folds are what create the layered structure that gives croissants their signature flake.

If the dough ever feels warm or the butter starts to soften, stop and chill it before continuing.

Step Five: Shape the croissants

Once the dough is fully laminated and chilled, it’s time to shape the croissants. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 10×16-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then roll each half into a 9×18-inch rectangle.

Trim all the edges neatly to expose the butter layers — clean edges help the croissants rise evenly and create better definition as they bake. Cut each rectangle into three smaller rectangles, then cut each one diagonally to form triangles.

Starting at the wide end of each triangle, roll the dough up tightly, ending with the point tucked underneath. This helps the croissants hold their shape as they proof and bake.

Place the shaped croissants on a lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Cover loosely and let them proof at room temperature for 2–3 hours. They’re ready to bake when they look puffy and gently jiggle if you nudge the pan.

For a deeper sourdough flavor, you can also refrigerate the shaped croissants overnight and bake them the next day.

Step Six: Bake

The croissants are brushed with egg wash and baked until deeply golden, crisp on the outside, and tender inside.

Recipe Note About Butter:

The butter you use does affect the end result of your croissants. You want to make sure you use unsalted butter here. The salt in the salted butter will pull extra moisture from the dough, making the layers less defined. 

You also want to make sure you use a high quality butter with a higher fat content. Go ahead and splurge for the best butter you can buy here.

Baker’s schedule

Knowing how this bread recipe fits into your schedule is an important step for knowing when you should start to have it be done on time. I like to work backwards from when I want the bread to be done baking and figure out when I should feed my starter.

• Forming the levain – 12 hours
• Mixing the dough – 20 minutes
• Proofing – 3 to 4 hours, and then an overnight in the fridge
• Laminating the dough – 4 hours for folding and chilling
• Forming the croissants – 20 minutes with a 2-3 hour final proof
• Baking – 25 minutes

*NOTE: The timing of this schedule is dependent on the temperature of your house. Dough will proof faster in a warmer house, and slower in a colder house. Watch the dough here, not the clock! For reference, the temperature of my house is 70 F. 

Storing and Freezing

Sourdough croissants are best the day they’re baked, once they’ve cooled just enough to handle.

• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days
• Freeze baked croissants for up to 3 months
• Rewarm in the oven to bring back some crispness