Costco Croissant Recipe

This Costco Croissant Recipe is a classic and buttery recipe, which is a homemade copycat of the famous bakery croissants. This is an advanced, multi-day recipe that yields incredibly flaky, layered pastries.

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Costco Croissant Recipe Ingredients

For the Dough (Détrempe):

• 85 g milk (⅓ cup), lukewarm
• 60 g water (¼ cup), lukewarm
• 6 g active dry yeast (about 2 tsp)
• 5 g honey (1 tsp)
• 25 g butter (1 ½ tbsp), melted and cooled
• 20 g white sugar (generous 1 ½ tbsp)
• 250 g AP flour (2 cups, spoon and leveled)
• 5 g salt (about 1 tsp)

For the Butter Block (Tourrage):

• 140 g butter (10 tbsp), cold

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp milk and/or cream

How To Make Costco Croissants (3-Day Process)

Day 1: Making the Dough (Détrempe)

1. Activate the yeast: In a mixing bowl, dissolve the honey in the lukewarm milk, then whisk in the yeast. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes until the yeast is activated and foamy.
2. Mix the dough: Add the water, melted butter, sugar, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand for 1-2 minutes.
3. Knead and first rise: Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 4 minutes until smooth. Place it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Shape and freeze: Punch the air out of the risen dough. On a large piece of parchment paper, shape the dough into a 7×10 inch rectangle. Fold the parchment over, wrap it all tightly in plastic wrap, and place it on a small baking sheet. Freeze overnight.

Day 2: Making the Butter Block and Lamination

1. Prepare the butter block: Arrange thin slices of cold butter on a piece of parchment paper to form a 5×6.5 inch rectangle. Fold the parchment over to enclose it. Use a rolling pin to pound and roll the butter until it fills the rectangle evenly. Refrigerate this butter block until completely firm (at least 1 hour or overnight).
2. Enclose the butter: Remove the dough from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to become pliable but still very cold. The dough and butter should have a similar consistency. Place the unwrapped butter block on one half of the dough rectangle, leaving a small border. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter and press the edges to seal it in completely.
3. First Lamination (Double Fold): On a well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a long rectangle, about 16 inches long, keeping the width at 5 inches. Brush off any excess flour. Fold about 2-3 inches of one end toward the middle. Bring the other end to meet it, leaving no gap. Now, fold the entire piece of dough in half, like closing a book. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes.
4. Second Lamination (Single Fold): On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough out again into a long rectangle, about 15 inches long and 5 inches wide. Brush off excess flour. Fold one-third of the dough into the center, then fold the opposite third over the top (like a letter). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Day 3: Shaping, Proofing, and Baking

1. Final roll (Sheeting): On a floured surface, roll the dough out to about a 9.5-inch width and a thickness of 4-5 mm.
2. Cut the croissants: Trim the long edges to create a clean 9-inch wide rectangle. Make marks every 3.5 inches along one long edge. On the opposite edge, make your first mark halfway between the first two marks on the other side (at 1.75 inches), and then continue marking every 3.5 inches. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to connect the marks, creating 6-7 long triangles.
3. Shape the croissants: Make a small, 1 cm cut in the center of the short base of each triangle. Gently stretch the two corners of the base outwards and begin to roll the croissant up towards the tip. Place the rolled croissant on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the tip tucked underneath.
4. Proof the croissants: Cover the baking sheet loosely with plastic wrap and let the croissants proof in a warm place for 2-3 hours, until they have doubled in size, are very pillowy, and jiggle when the pan is shaken.
5. Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the egg yolk and milk together to make an egg wash. Gently brush the tops of the proofed croissants with the egg wash. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until deep golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Why is temperature so important? The entire process of making croissants is a battle to keep the butter cold. If the butter melts into the dough at any point, you will lose the flaky layers. If the dough or butter gets too soft, don’t hesitate to return it to the refrigerator to chill.
• How to get those beautiful layers? The process of folding and rolling the dough with a block of butter inside is called lamination. This creates hundreds of alternating layers of dough and butter. In the oven, the butter melts and creates steam, pushing the dough layers apart to create that classic honeycomb interior.
• Why does the dough need to rest so much? Resting the dough in the refrigerator between folds allows the gluten to relax. If you try to roll the dough and it keeps shrinking back, it needs to rest longer.
• What is the “windowpane test”? This is a way to check if your dough has been kneaded enough. A small piece of well-kneaded dough should be able to be stretched out so thin that you can see light through it without it tearing.

What To Serve With Croissants

Freshly baked croissants are a delicacy on their own, but they are also perfect with:

• A simple spread of good quality butter and jam
• Sliced ham and cheese for a classic sandwich
• A cup of strong coffee or a latte
• As a base for eggs Benedict

How To Store Croissants

Room Temperature: Croissants are at their absolute best on the day they are baked. Store any leftovers in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat: You can refresh day-old croissants by warming them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until they are crisp again.

Costco Croissant Nutrition Facts

• Serving: 1 croissant
• Calories: 376kcal
• Carbohydrates: 37g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 23g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 61mg
• Sodium: 527mg

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on specific ingredients used.

FAQs

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