Gluten-Free Croissants (Print Version)

Buttery, flaky French croissants made entirely gluten-free for a perfect breakfast treat.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
02 - 2 tablespoons sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 packet (7 grams) instant dry yeast
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (dairy or non-dairy)
06 - 1 large egg, room temperature
07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Butter Layer

08 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

→ Egg Wash

09 - 1 egg yolk
10 - 1 tablespoon milk

# Directions:

01 - Combine gluten-free flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl. Whisk warm milk and egg together, then pour into dry ingredients. Mix until soft dough forms. Beat in softened butter until fully incorporated. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
02 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into a 5 x 7-inch rectangle. Transfer to refrigerator until firm.
03 - Roll chilled dough on lightly floured surface into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Position butter layer in center and fold dough edges over to completely encase. Roll gently back to 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
04 - Repeat rolling and folding process two additional times for three total folds. Chill for 30 minutes between each fold.
05 - Roll dough into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 equal triangles. Starting from wide end, roll each triangle into croissant shape. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, curved ends pointing toward each other.
06 - Cover loosely and let rise in warm place for approximately 2 hours until puffy and doubled in size.
07 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
08 - Whisk egg yolk with milk. Brush mixture evenly over proofed croissants.
09 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown and flaky.
10 - Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that authentic French bakery experience without the gluten, and honestly nobody can tell the difference
  • The laminating process becomes almost meditative once you find your rhythm
02 -
  • If your butter starts melting into the dough during laminating, wrap it up and chill immediately
  • The dough might feel slightly stickier than wheat dough, so keep your work surface lightly dusted with gluten-free flour
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients instead of using cups for the most consistent results
  • Use a ruler or your rolling pin guides to keep rectangle edges straight during laminating

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