Classic French Cheese Croissants

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 05/4/21
Croissants on a baking tray
Tim Platt/Getty Images
Prep: 3 hrs
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
240 Calories
15g Fat
21g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 47mg 16%
Sodium 349mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 70mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Warm and buttery, Classic French Cheese Croissants are a savory version of the famous French pastry which comes in many forms including filled with almond and make an essential part of a French breakfast. 

These treats, however, come stuffed with cheese, so make a perfect complement to sweet brunch foods, and these croissants can be served with soup and salad for a cafe-style meal later if you have any leftovers, which is highly unlikely. 

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons instant dry yeast

  • 1/2 cup warm water

  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour, more as needed

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 8 ounces Camembert cheese, rind removed and thinly sliced

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Steps to Make It

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, dissolve the yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes. Add the bread flour, milk, sugar, melted butter, and salt to the dissolved yeast and water and mix the dough on medium speed for about 2 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of extra flour at a time, until the dough is just firm enough to hold a shape.

  2. Shape dough into a ball and loosely cover it with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Roll the dough into a 10-inch by 15-inch rectangle, and then cover it loosely and allow it to rise for 40 minutes.

  3. Brush the rectangle with the softened butter and then fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Roll the long, thin rectangle back into the original 10-inch by 15 shape. Fold the dough into thirds, again, and then cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Repeat this process one more time.

  4. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough diagonally to make 20 triangles. Pull the tip of each triangle taut, place the cheese slices in a single layer over the dough, and then roll the croissants up from the base curving the ends slightly to make a crescent shape. Arrange each finished croissant on a lightly greased baking sheet with at least 1 1/2 inches between each pastry. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they are nearly doubled in size.

  5. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons milk together to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash across the surface of each pastry. Bake the croissants for 12 to 14 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown.