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Make irresistible vegan croissants from scratch! Let me show you how to make homemade French croissants – it’s doable, trust me! Bring that tempting smell of a French boulangerie to your home!
A Culinary Treat From France
Anyone who has ever been to France knows that a fresh French croissant from a traditional Boulangerie is an unforgettable experience!
Crispy, buttery, airy, and simply irresistibly delicious! Not to be compared with the half-hearted croissants you get at the supermarket!
The good news is that you don’t have to travel to France every time you are longing for that mouthwatering taste! Make them at home! I will help you!
Making croissants at home? Can I do that? Isn’t it super difficult and kind of undoable? Help!
Yes, you can! I believe in you! With my tips and the visual step-by-step recipe guide I created for you, which is coming with lots of pictures, you can do it.
Admittedly, the recipe is not easy, and it takes a lot of time. The dough has to be laminated 3 times (work the butter layer into the dough) and needs to rest in the fridge overnight. Only on day two you can form the croissants, let them rise again, and finally bake them until golden brown and crispy.
It takes some practice to make the perfect homemade croissants! If they are not perfect the first time, please don’t give up. All good things need some practice.
Are you ready? Let’s do this together!
Vegan Croissant Recipe
This visual guide with step-by-step pictures should help you along the way- definitely recommended if you are preparing homemade croissants for the first time.
If you are a pro, skip right to the recipe at the end of the post, where you will also find the exact quantities and everything else you need to know to make this recipe.
Late Afternoon/Early Evening
- Mix all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add lukewarm milk (warmed in the microwave or over the stove – if you can stick a finger into the milk and the temperature feels good, the milk has the right temperature) and knead for 10 minutes at low speed until you have a smooth dough.
- Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a floured surface.
- Roll it into a long rectangle (approx. 14×6 inches | 35x15cm) using a rolling pin. The rectangle should be as straight as possible, use your hands to help stretching/forming it.
- Aline’s Laminating Cheat Step: Cut the cold vegan butter into equal thin pieces. → This saves you the tedious step of forming a butter square.
- Place them evenly in the middle of the dough, leaving approx. 1inch/2cm space on each side. → This prevents the butter from leaking when laminating and baking.
- Fold the upper and under third into the middle.
- “Seal” the two sides with your fingers or press them slightly together.
- 1st Round Laminating: Roll the dough into a long rectangle (there should be no cracks/no butter coming out).
- Fold the top third into the middle, then fold the upper third into the middle on top of the other. Wrap with plastic wrap and place it for 30 minutes in the fridge to chill.
- 2nd Round: Turn the dough 90° and repeat the steps from the 1st round (↑). Place it for a further 30 minutes in the fridge.
- 3rd Round: Repeat the steps from the 2nd round (↑). Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and leave overnight in the refrigerator. → The dough will rise again overnight, don’t wrap it too tight.
→ Laminating gives the croissants the many buttery and airy layers!
Next Morning
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a long rectangle. → The dough is hard, but be gentle, take your time, and don’t roll with too much pressure.
- Cut into 12 equally sized triangles.
- Cut a ½ inch (1cm) slit at the wide end of the triangle, then roll up into a croissant. → It is unnecessary to bend it into a crescent shape, but you can do so if you like.
- Slightly press in the end.
- Divide them between two with parchment paper lined baking sheets, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let the croissant rest for 2 hours at room temperature. → It’s important that they prove long enough. Otherwise, the butter can leak during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C) 30 minutes before baking.
- Brush each croissant with the vegan egg wash. → Do you see how the croissants have noticeably increased in volume again? Don’t bake them until they have risen properly, otherwise the butter may leak out!
- Bake the first sheet for 15 minutes until golden brown, then place on a rack to cool. Repeat with the second sheet.
Chilled Dough: It is very important that you always refrigerate the croissant dough as indicated in the recipe. Otherwise, the butter becomes too soft and leaks faster. You can also let the dough rest for 1 hour instead of 30 minutes during the lamination process on sweltering days.
Recipe FAQ
- Can I keep leftovers? Eat the croissants within one day and freeze any leftovers.
- Can I freeze vegan croissants? Absolutely! It’s best to freeze the croissants in a freezer bag right after they are cooled for up to 3 months. Reheat? Place frozen in the cold oven and bake for 15 minutes at 355°F (180°C).
- Is butter leaking during baking? It can happen that the butter is leaking during baking. If it’s only a little, don’t worry too much. Making perfect croissant needs a little practice. It can be that the butter was leaking during laminating, that you have tiny cracks in the dough, or that you under-proofed the croissants.
- Which vegan butter is the best to make this recipe? Make sure you use dairy-free butter which is hard when cold (same consistency than regular butter) and not the one which is soft like margarine. If you are unsure what to buy, go with Earth Balance Vegetable Oil Buttery Sticks!
- Not vegan or no vegan butter at hand? It’s totally ok if you prefer to make this recipe using regular butter if you don’t follow a vegan diet. The measurements listed in the recipes card are the same if using regular or plant-based butter.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Homemade Vegan Puff Pastry
- French Brioche Bread
- French Crepes
- Vegan French Toasts
- Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants)
Did You Try This Recipe?
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Vegan Croissants
Ingredients
Croissant Dough
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) oat milk warm
- 1 tsp salt
"Butter" Layer
- 1 cup (250 g) vegan butter cold
Vegan Egg Wash
- 1 tbsp oat milk or plant-based milk of choice
- ½ tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
Instructions
Late Afternoon/Early Evening
- Mix all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add lukewarm milk (warmed in the microwave or over the stove – if you can stick a finger into the milk and the temperature feels good, the milk has the right temperature) and knead for 10 minutes at low speed until you have a smooth dough.
- Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it into a long rectangle (approx. 14×6 inches | 35x15cm) using a rolling pin. The rectangle should be as straight as possible, use your hands to help stretching/forming it.
- Aline's Laminating Cheat Step: Cut the cold vegan butter into equal thin pieces and place them in the middle of the dough leaving approx. 1inch/2cm space on each side. → This prevents the butter from leaking when laminating and baking.
- Fold the top third into the middle, then fold the upper third into the middle on top of the other.
- 1st Round: Roll the dough into a long rectangle, fold the top third into the middle, then fold the upper third into the middle on top of the other. Wrap with plastic wrap and place it for 30 minutes in the fridge to chill.
- 2nd Round: Turn the dough 90° and repeat the steps from the 1st round (↑). Place it for a further 30 minutes in the fridge.
- 3rd Round: Repeat the steps from the 2nd round (↑). Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and leave overnight in the fridge. → The dough will rise again overnight, don't wrap it too tight.
Next Morning
- Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out into a long rectangle. → The dough is hard, but be gentle, take your time, and don't roll with too much pressure.
- Cut into 12 equally sized triangles. Cut a ½ inch (1cm) slit at the wide end of the triangle, then roll up into a croissant. Divide them between two with parchment paper lined baking sheets, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let the croissant rest for 2 hours at room temperature. → It's important that they prove long enough, otherwise, the butter can leak during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C) 30 minutes before baking.
- Brush each croissant with the vegan egg wash, bake the first sheet for 15 minutes until golden brown, then place on a rack to cool. Repeat with the second sheet.
Notes
- Eat the croissants within one day and freeze any leftovers.
- Freeze Croissants: It’s best to freeze the croissants in a freezer bag right after they are cooled for up to 3 months. Reheat: Place frozen in the cold oven and bake for 15 minutes at 355°F (180°C).
- Butter Leaking During Baking? It can happen that the butter is leaking during baking. If it’s only a little, don’t worry too much. Making perfect croissant needs a little practice. It can be that the butter was leaking during laminating, that you have tiny cracks in the dough, or that you under-proofed the croissants.
- Not vegan or no vegan butter at hand? Swap the vegan butter with regular butter.
Joanne says
You recommend proofing before baking for 2 hours….could I change timing and leave out to proof over night and then bake first thing in the morning?
Aline Cueni says
Hi Joanne, proofing the croissants overnight will end up in over-proofed croissants. Sorry! 🙃
Maristella says
Can you substitute the vegan butter for vegan margarine or coconut oil?
Aline Cueni says
I only recommend preparing the croissants with vegan butter. However, if you find a vegan margarine that’s hard when cold (same consistency than butter), feel free to try it. But soft margarine or oil won’t work, as this would leak while laminating the dough.