Easy Sourdough Croissants

# What you’ll need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups bread flour

02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

03 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

04 - 1 cup whole milk, cold

05 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter at 100% hydration

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Butter Block

07 - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

→ Egg Wash

08 - 1 large egg

09 - 1 tablespoon milk

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine bread flour, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt. Add cold milk, sourdough starter, and softened butter. Mix until just combined, then knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 8 minutes.

02 - Shape dough into a rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

03 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into an 8 by 6 inch rectangle. Chill until firm but still pliable.

04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 16 by 8 inch rectangle. Position butter block on one half, fold dough over, and seal edges securely.

05 - Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll into a 24 by 8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds using a letter fold technique, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.

06 - Repeat the rolling and folding process two additional times, chilling for 1 hour between each turn to maintain proper lamination.

07 - After the final fold, wrap dough and refrigerate overnight for 8 to 12 hours to develop deep sourdough flavor and proper structure.

08 - Roll dough to a 24 by 12 inch rectangle approximately 1/5 inch thick. Cut into 12 long triangles using a sharp knife or pastry cutter.

09 - Starting from the wide end of each triangle, roll toward the point into a crescent shape, tucking the tip underneath. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets.

10 - Cover loosely and allow croissants to proof at room temperature until doubled in size, approximately 2 to 3 hours.

11 - Heat oven to 400°F (200°C) approximately 15 minutes before baking.

12 - Whisk together egg and milk. Brush croissants lightly and evenly with egg wash for golden color development.

13 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown with a crisp exterior. Cool briefly before serving for optimal texture.

# Cooking tips:

01 -

Your sourdough starter finally gets its moment to shine beyond bread, adding a subtle tang that makes people ask what makes these different.
The overnight chill means less stress on baking day and deeper, more complex flavor than standard croissants.
Those shatteringly crisp, golden layers are proof that patience in the kitchen actually pays off.

02 -

The temperature of your dough and butter is everything—if either gets too warm, your layers blur together and you'll end up with dense, greasy croissants instead of those shattered, crispy ones you're after.
Don't rush the final proof; underproofed croissants won't have that delicate crumb, but overproofed ones will collapse in the oven, so poke gently and trust what you see.

03 -