4.83 from 78 votes
Prep Time : 45 minutes minutes
Cook Time : 20 minutes minutes
Make gluten free croissants this weekend — it's really not as hard as you think! With this gf croissant recipe, you'll enjoy the the most tender, flaky results ever.
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If you have ever wondered if you could make gluten free croissants at home—whetheryou couldreally do it—this recipe should settle the issue once and for all. You can do it. Youshould do it. Here's how, step by step.
The best gluten free croissant you'll ever make
These croissants are the absolute real Frenchie-style, unbelievably melt-in-your-mouth flaky deal, but they’re actually quiteeasy to do. Yes—that’s right. I said that traditional, yeasted croissants areeasy.
The number of step-by-step photos you see in the photos and the video is not because it’shard to make these beautiful pastries happen. It’s because I know you might fret over the whole business, so I thought some hand-holding was in order. That’s all!
Believe it or not, traditionalgluten free croissantsare one of the most common recipes requests I have received over all the years of writing this blog. It’s not like it’s every day that I’m positively buried with requests from readers simply dying to make their own croissants, though.
It’s more like a steady drip-drip-drip of requests over the years. Over time I’ve mostly pointed readers in the direction of these custard-filled danishes from years ago, since danishes are made from yeasted puff pastry, which is really what croissant dough is.
I’ve also suggested to readers that they just use my recipe for gluten free puff pastry (no yeast involved), and call it a day. After all, that's a delicious recipe that makes really flaky gf pastries.
The secret to making a perfect croissant
Traditional croissants are, indeed, made with what is essentially a yeasted puff pastry dough, making these the most delicate and flaky of pastries as they get lift both from yeast and from “laminated” dough (lamination is simply the process by which you encase layer after layer of cold butter in layer after layer of pastry dough). That’s the only time you’ll hear any “fancy” terms, though, in this whole business. Period full stop.
Read through the instructions below, stare at the step-by-step photos, and watch the video. Follow the temperature instructions to the letter (sometimes ingredients and doughs are room temperature, sometimes (usually) they’re cold), and remember that pastry dough is much less a matter of chemistry than it is a matter of architecture.
Layers and layers of butter surrounded by layers and layers of gluten free flour. The yeast gives these an extra lift over puff pastry, but really the general puff pastry architecture is what does the heavy-lifting of creating the flakiness we crave.
Think of it like this: unlike flour, butter expands as it warms. When the butter layers (created in the “turns” described below) are properly chilled, they hit the heat of the oven and puff up, forcing the flour layers up and out.
Gluten free croissant ingredients
- Gluten free pastry flour – For this easy gluten free croissant recipe, you need a pastry flour, which you can easily make yourself by combining Better Batter all purpose flour, cornstarch, and dry milk.
- Instant yeast – Yeast is what distinguishes gluten free croissant dough from pastry dough. During a proofing period, it causes your croissants to puff up, revealing all those amazing layers. Here, we use instant yeast, since it doesn't have to be hydrated in liquid first, but can be whisked right into the dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, you'll need 25% more of it, by weight, and to let it proof first in some of the milk.
- Sugar – There's only a little sugar in this gluten free croissant recipe to “feed” the yeast.
- Salt – Salt is a must to complement the intense buttery flavor, and to control the yeast.
- Butter – This is the star of the show. It's what gives you that incredible flavor and mouthfeel, but as the gf croissants bakes, it's also what releases steam for maximum flakiness.
- Milk – This is the liquid that brings the gluten free croissant dough together.
- Eggs – We only need one egg for this gf croissant recipe, to brush on before baking, so you can achieve a rich, golden brown crust.
Equipment you need
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap
- Pastry cutter or pizza cutter
- Baking sheets
- Basting brush
Gluten free croissants vs. gluten free crescent rolls
Be honest: Have you been using the words croissant and crescent roll interchangeably? It's okay if you have, as many people do in the gluten free baking world (and the world at large).
The baked goods do look similar, both being shaped into a crescent after having been rolled. But there's a huge difference when it comes to preparation and ultimately taste and texture.
Gluten free crescent rolls are made using a gluten free bread flour blend that you roll out and shape. Compared to making croissants, a gluten free crescent roll recipe is a very quick and simple affair.
GF croissants take more time and effort because you laminate the dough, or fold in a butter packet with multiple folds to create flaky layers. You also use a pastry flour blend that contains dry milk.
Tips for making gluten free croissants
Don't try to rush the process
Look, I will just come right out and say that making gf croissants isn't the kind of task that you take up on a busy Friday night when you're in a rush to get dinner on the table. It's not even the kind of thing that you do on a slow Wednesday afternoon when you have an hour to burn.
It's takes time to make gluten free croissants, and if you try to rush the process — say, by skipping the several refrigeration steps or reducing the number of turns — you're not going to end up with the same buttery, flaky goodness you see in all these pictures.
The first time you decide to make gluten free croissant rolls, set aside a weekend. Give yourself plenty of time to get familiar with the preparation steps and practice, practice, practice. It's the only way you'll build the confidence and skill to do these right.
Splurge on the butter packet
I would argue that the butter packet is the star of this show. And because you don't need a ton of it (despite the fact that it adds the most flavor), it's the perfect place to splurge when buying ingredients.
If you can swing it, I highly suggest trying a European-style butter. Overseas, butter is made with more fat, so it's so incredibly rich and flavorful.
Shaping gluten free croissants
These gluten free croissants look really fancy, but I promise that getting them into that shape isn't nearly as hard as it looks.
Once you've rolled out your dough a final time, you cut out equally sized rectangles. Then you slice those rectangles diagonally to create long triangles.
I suggest using a pastry wheel for this step, but a pizza cutter or sharp knife will work too. You need a sharp tool as crisp lines help maintain definition.
All that's left to do now is put a small slit at the widest part of the triangle, and then roll the croissants up from the base, just slightly turning the edges away from each other as you go.
Don't hesitate to refrigerate
Remember how I said that the butter is the star of the show? Like a celebrity, it can be a bit moody and demanding.
As you prepare this gluten free croissants recipe, you have to take care that the butter doesn't melt. This means working quickly in short bursts, putting the dough back into the fridge frequently so that the butter stays solid.
There may be times when you notice signs that the butter is melting. The dough may become sticky or difficult to handle. Even if the recipe doesn't call for refrigeration at any particular time, don't hesitate to throw it in there whenever you need — even if it's just so you can take a break.
How to store gluten free croissants so they stay fresh
Baked gluten free croissants can sit at room temperature in an airtight container, and they'll stay fresh for two to three days.
Note that the longer they sit, the more they'll harden and go stale. If you get to that point, you can quickly refresh a gluten free croissant to restore softness by popping it into the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Can I freeze baked gluten free croissants?
Absolutely! If you've made too many or are simply meal planning, you can freeze extra croissants to enjoy another time.
First, make sure that they are completely cool. Place them on a baking sheet, and pop the whole thing into the freezer. When the croissants are mostly frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer safe, ziptop bag. They'll stay good for a couple of months.
When you're ready to defrost, you can leave the croissants on the counter or in the fridge, and then bake them for a few minutes at 350°F until they're heated through.
Gluten free croissants: substitutions
Gluten free, dairy free croissants
There's quite a bit of dairy in this gluten free croissants recipe. There's the dry milk in the gluten free pastry flour blend, the liquid milk for combining the dough, and of course, the butter.
In place of dry milk, you can try using a substitute like coconut milk powder or soy milk powder. Soy milk tends to toughen baked goods, though, so I'd be more inclined to try the coconut milk powder.
You can use a dairy free milk of your choice in place of the liquid milk. Almond milk or coconut milk will probably work fine.
For the butter, you can likely substitute your favorite vegan butter. My favorite brand is Melt, and when I can't find that, I go with Earth Balance.
Gluten free, egg free croissants
We only use egg as a wash prior to baking these gluten free croissants. It helps create a gorgeous golden-brown crust, but if you can't have eggs, you can easily use melted butter or melted vegan butter in its place.
Gluten free, vegan croissants
For gluten free, vegan croissants, you'll want to follow all of my suggestions above for replacing the dairy and eggs.
Gluten free croissant variations
There aren't a lot of variation options when it comes to traditional gluten free croissants, but there is one you'll likely be interested to know about.
And that would be gluten free pain au chocolat — gluten free chocolate croissants.
Does that sound amazing? Absolutely! Will it involve lots of recipe deviation and extra time? Absolutely not!
A gluten free chocolate croissant recipe is exactly the same as the traditional croissants recipe, except before you roll your triangles, you drop a few small pieces of chocolate onto the dough.
That's it! Bake as instructed, and you'll enjoy crispy, flaky croissants with a touch of luscious, melted chocolate.
FAQs
Are croissants gluten free?
No, traditional croissants are not gluten free. That's because they're made using a wheat based flour. All those croissant options you see at the store? Unless they're specifically marked gluten free (and there won't be many), they're off limits.
Is it hard to make gluten free croissants?
Thankfully, making your own gluten free croissants isn't hard at all.
Yes, it takes time, but the steps themselves are quite simple. So long as you follow my recipe closely and afford yourself plenty of time for refrigeration and proofing, you'll be fine!
What the best flour for gluten free croissants?
For my gluten free croissant recipe, I use a homemade pastry flour. This gluten free flour blend combines Better Batter all purpose flour, corn starch, and dry milk to create the perfect consistency for these delicate breads.
If you want to go the prepared route, you can also use Cup4Cup gluten free flour as that's a pastry flour with all the necessary ingredients.
What's the difference between gf croissant dough and puff pastry dough?
The biggest difference between gluten free croissant dough and puff pastry is that the first uses yeast and the second doesn't.
Preparation of the two is very similar with the butter packets and the laminating, but adding yeast gives croissants a puffier, flaky consistency.
Are gluten free croissants and gluten free crescent rolls the same thing?
While a gluten free croissant and a crescent roll may look similar at a distance, they are distinct baked goods.
Croissants require laminating to create layer upon layer of flaky goodness.
Crescent rolls are quicker and easier to make as you just pull together the dough, roll it out, and get to shaping.
What does it mean to laminate gluten free croissant dough?
Laminating may sound technical, but it just describes the process of folding a butter packet into dough.
It's not a hard process at all, but it's a requirement if you want all the flaky layers for which croissants are known.
Can I make gluten free croissant rolls in advance?
Yes, there are several ways that you can make croissants in advance to save some time.
First, you can put together the gluten free croissant dough, even shape it into croissants, and let them proof. Then, after they've expanded, freeze the raw croissants in a single layer on a baking sheet that's small enough to fit in your freezer for up to a month. When you're ready to make croissants, defrost the dough and then continue with shaping and proofing.
Last, you can freeze croissants that you've already baked. Make sure the baked croissants are cool, and then put them in a ziptop bag before transferring to the freezer. When you need them, you can defrost them on the counter or in the fridge, and then bake them for a few minutes before serving.
Can I double this gluten free croissant recipe?
Yes, you can double this gf croissant recipe, but I don't recommend it if you're making them for the first time.
There's a bit of an art of making the best gluten free croissants, and you don't want to put undue pressure on yourself by having to work with tons of dough. For your first go, follow the recipe exactly as written.
Once you've got some experience under your belt, feel free to double the recipe and enjoy even more of these wonderfully buttery treats.
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Homemade Gluten Free Croissant Recipe | So Buttery, Flaky, and Easy!
Make gluten free croissants this weekend — it's really not as hard as you think! With this gf croissant recipe, you'll enjoy the the most tender, flaky results ever.
Course: Pastry
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Chilling time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 4 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
Yield: 10 croissants
Author: Nicole Hunn
Equipment
Rolling Pin
Pizza wheel or pastry wheel, for slicing/shaping
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) gluten free pastry flour or Cup4Cup gluten free flour (the “real” thing, or my mock Cup4Cup), plus more for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) whole milk at room temperature
For the butter packet
- 16 tablespoons (224 g) unsalted butter chilled
- ¼ cup (36 g) gluten free pastry flour or Cup4Cup gluten free flour (the “real” thing, or my mock Cup4Cup)
- Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten well), for brushing
Instructions
Make the dough.
In a large bowl, place the flour, yeast and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the butter and milk, and mix until the dough comes together.
Add more flour by the half-teaspoonful if necessary to bring the dough together.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top very lightly with more flour, and roll into a 9-inch round.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the butter packet.
Prepare the butter packet.
Sprinkle a piece of unbleached parchment paper with 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) of the flour, and place all 16 tablespoons (preferably in 2 whole sticks) of butter on top and press together.
Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, and cover with another piece of unbleached parchment paper.
Pound the butter with a rolling pin until it flattens and melds together.
Uncover and fold the flattened butter in half, cover again with the parchment and pound again until you have a 5-inch square butter packet.
Cover the butter packet completely with parchment, and place in the refrigerator to chill for 5 minutes or until firm.
Wrap the dough around the butter packet.
Remove the 9-inch round dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Place the chilled butter packet directly in the center of the dough and score the sides of the dough lightly to represent the exact size of the butter. Remove the butter and set it aside.
Using a rolling pin and sprinkling the dough lightly with flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking, begin at the site of each of the four scorings and roll the edges of the dough away from the center to create 4 flaps, leaving the center of the dough intact.
Return the butter packet to the intact center of the dough, and wrap the flaps of the dough around the butter packet like you would a present.
Roll out the dough with the butter and complete the first “turn.”
Sprinkle the dough-and-butter-packet lightly with more flour, and roll out into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.
Fold the rectangle over on itself in thirds, as you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour.
With the length of the 3-layer rectangle of dough running parallel to your body, roll the dough away from you into a rectangle that is again about 1/2-inch thick.
Turn the left and right sides of the 1/2-inch thick rectangle over on themselves again, as you would a business letter.
You have just completed the first “turn.” Wrap the folded dough tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Complete the remaining 4 to 5 “turns.”
Once the dough has finished chilling after its first turn, repeat the process of rolling the 3-layer dough out into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, then refolding the dough like a business letter, at least 4 more times, (for good measure, 5 more times). After each turn, keep track by pressing a notch in the dough with one knuckle to represent the number turn you're on (e.g., after 4 turns, make 4 notches).
Be sure to wrap and chill the 3-layer rectangle of dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or the freezer for 10 minutes) in between turns. If you let the dough chill for too long, it may become difficult to roll out smoothly. Just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling it back out.
Shape the croissants.
Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
Roll out the prepared 3-layer croissant dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
Using a pastry wheel or pizza wheel (or very sharp knife—well-defined edges are essential here), square the edges, then cut out as many 4-inch x 6-inch rectangles as you can.
Slice each rectangle diagonally into two triangles and separate the shapes from one another.
Sprinkling lightly with flour as necessary to prevent sticking, roll each triangle out to elongate it to about 8-inches from base to tip.
Slice a notch into the base of each triangle about 1/2-inch deep, and roll each triangle into a coil from base to tip, turning the edges slightly away from each other as you roll.
Place on the prepared baking sheets, seam side down, about 2-inches apart from one another.
Proof the croissants.
Cover lightly with oiled plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free location until nearly doubled in size. You will see the individual layers in each fold begin to separate slightly from one another once the croissants are fully proofed.
Uncover the baking sheets and brush the tops and sides of the croissants with the egg wash.
To avoid gluing the coiled layers of each croissant together, brush with the egg wash by beginning in the center of each pastry and brushing out to the sides in one motion on each side, with the “grain” of each coil, not against.
Chill the proofed croissants.
Place the shaped and proofed croissants in the refrigerator to chill for at least 10 minutes or until mostly firm.
Bake the croissants.
While the shaped croissants are chilling, preheat your oven to 400°F.
Place the chilled and proofed croissants in the center of the preheated oven, one baking sheet at a time, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown all over and firm to the touch.
Allow to cool briefly before serving.
Notes
Originally published on the blog in 2014. Most photos, video, and most text new; recipe largely unchanged.
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Homemade Gluten Free Croissant Recipe | So Buttery, Flaky, and Easy!
Make gluten free croissants this weekend — it's really not as hard as you think! With this gf croissant recipe, you'll enjoy the the most tender, flaky results ever.
Course: Pastry
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Chilling time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 4 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
Yield: 10 croissants
Author: Nicole Hunn
Equipment
Rolling Pin
Pizza wheel or pastry wheel, for slicing/shaping
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) gluten free pastry flour or Cup4Cup gluten free flour (the “real” thing, or my mock Cup4Cup), plus more for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) whole milk at room temperature
For the butter packet
- 16 tablespoons (224 g) unsalted butter chilled
- ¼ cup (36 g) gluten free pastry flour or Cup4Cup gluten free flour (the “real” thing, or my mock Cup4Cup)
- Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten well), for brushing
Instructions
Make the dough.
In a large bowl, place the flour, yeast and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the butter and milk, and mix until the dough comes together.
Add more flour by the half-teaspoonful if necessary to bring the dough together.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top very lightly with more flour, and roll into a 9-inch round.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the butter packet.
Prepare the butter packet.
Sprinkle a piece of unbleached parchment paper with 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) of the flour, and place all 16 tablespoons (preferably in 2 whole sticks) of butter on top and press together.
Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, and cover with another piece of unbleached parchment paper.
Pound the butter with a rolling pin until it flattens and melds together.
Uncover and fold the flattened butter in half, cover again with the parchment and pound again until you have a 5-inch square butter packet.
Cover the butter packet completely with parchment, and place in the refrigerator to chill for 5 minutes or until firm.
Wrap the dough around the butter packet.
Remove the 9-inch round dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Place the chilled butter packet directly in the center of the dough and score the sides of the dough lightly to represent the exact size of the butter. Remove the butter and set it aside.
Using a rolling pin and sprinkling the dough lightly with flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking, begin at the site of each of the four scorings and roll the edges of the dough away from the center to create 4 flaps, leaving the center of the dough intact.
Return the butter packet to the intact center of the dough, and wrap the flaps of the dough around the butter packet like you would a present.
Roll out the dough with the butter and complete the first “turn.”
Sprinkle the dough-and-butter-packet lightly with more flour, and roll out into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.
Fold the rectangle over on itself in thirds, as you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour.
With the length of the 3-layer rectangle of dough running parallel to your body, roll the dough away from you into a rectangle that is again about 1/2-inch thick.
Turn the left and right sides of the 1/2-inch thick rectangle over on themselves again, as you would a business letter.
You have just completed the first “turn.” Wrap the folded dough tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Complete the remaining 4 to 5 “turns.”
Once the dough has finished chilling after its first turn, repeat the process of rolling the 3-layer dough out into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, then refolding the dough like a business letter, at least 4 more times, (for good measure, 5 more times). After each turn, keep track by pressing a notch in the dough with one knuckle to represent the number turn you're on (e.g., after 4 turns, make 4 notches).
Be sure to wrap and chill the 3-layer rectangle of dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or the freezer for 10 minutes) in between turns. If you let the dough chill for too long, it may become difficult to roll out smoothly. Just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling it back out.
Shape the croissants.
Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
Roll out the prepared 3-layer croissant dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
Using a pastry wheel or pizza wheel (or very sharp knife—well-defined edges are essential here), square the edges, then cut out as many 4-inch x 6-inch rectangles as you can.
Slice each rectangle diagonally into two triangles and separate the shapes from one another.
Sprinkling lightly with flour as necessary to prevent sticking, roll each triangle out to elongate it to about 8-inches from base to tip.
Slice a notch into the base of each triangle about 1/2-inch deep, and roll each triangle into a coil from base to tip, turning the edges slightly away from each other as you roll.
Place on the prepared baking sheets, seam side down, about 2-inches apart from one another.
Proof the croissants.
Cover lightly with oiled plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free location until nearly doubled in size. You will see the individual layers in each fold begin to separate slightly from one another once the croissants are fully proofed.
Uncover the baking sheets and brush the tops and sides of the croissants with the egg wash.
To avoid gluing the coiled layers of each croissant together, brush with the egg wash by beginning in the center of each pastry and brushing out to the sides in one motion on each side, with the “grain” of each coil, not against.
Chill the proofed croissants.
Place the shaped and proofed croissants in the refrigerator to chill for at least 10 minutes or until mostly firm.
Bake the croissants.
While the shaped croissants are chilling, preheat your oven to 400°F.
Place the chilled and proofed croissants in the center of the preheated oven, one baking sheet at a time, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown all over and firm to the touch.
Allow to cool briefly before serving.
Notes
Originally published on the blog in 2014. Most photos, video, and most text new; recipe largely unchanged.
