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Sourdough Croissants Made with Sourdough Starter Recipe

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4 from 2 reviews

This recipe guides you through making classic sourdough croissants using an active sourdough starter. The process involves preparing a buttery laminated dough with a slow fermentation to develop rich flavors and flaky layers. With detailed steps on feeding the starter, kneading, laminating with high-quality unsalted butter, shaping, proofing, and baking, you’ll enjoy tender, flaky croissants with a delightful tang from the sourdough.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 150 grams active sourdough starter
  • 113 grams filtered water
  • 113 grams whole milk
  • 50 grams butter, melted
  • 450 grams organic unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 45 grams granulated sugar
  • 9 grams sea salt

Butter Filling (Le Beurrage)

  • 250 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

  1. Feed your Sourdough Starter: Begin with 150 grams of active sourdough starter, which means it should have been fed equal parts flour and water 4-6 hours prior and be bubbly and doubled in size. If needed, prepare this by mixing 50g starter, 50g flour, and 50g water.
  2. Mix the Dough: Whisk together the sourdough starter, melted butter, filtered water, and whole milk in a bowl. Add flour, sugar, and salt. Mix by hand or with a dough whisk until a dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a clean surface (no added flour). Knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Shape into a ball.
  4. Bulk Fermentation: Place dough into a butter-greased glass bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap, and allow to rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours until doubled and puffy.
  5. Cold Fermentation: Refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours, up to 3 days, keeping it covered to prevent drying.
  6. Prepare the Butter (Le Beurrage): On baking day, prepare 250g room temperature unsalted butter by slicing it 1/4″ thick and enclosing it in an 8×8″ pre-folded parchment paper packet. Roll to fill corners evenly and chill in fridge for about 6 minutes until pliable but not hard.
  7. Laminate the Dough: Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface into an 8×17″ rectangle. Place the butter packet on the bottom half and fold the top half over to fully cover the butter.
  8. Roll and Fold #1: Turn the dough 90 degrees, roll out to about 18″ long. Fold the top 3/4 down and the bottom up to meet it, forming a square then fold in half.
  9. Roll and Fold #2: Turn dough 90 degrees, roll lengthwise to about 20″ long, focusing on lengthening rather than widening.
  10. Roll and Fold #3 (Pamphlet Fold): Fold the top 2/3 down, then bring the bottom over it like closing a pamphlet. Chill if butter is too warm, about 10 minutes in fridge.
  11. Final Roll: Roll dough 90 degrees to a final rectangle about 8×24″.
  12. Shape Croissants: Trim edges for straight sides. On the long side, mark every 3.5 inches. Make connecting diagonal cuts to form triangles. Roll each triangle from wide end to point into a croissant, pinching point under. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
  13. Proof Croissants: Whisk an egg and brush over croissants to prevent drying. Proof croissants in a draft-free spot or inside a cool oven for 2-4 hours until doubled in size.
  14. Bake: Preheat oven to 380°F (193°C). Brush croissants again with egg wash and bake for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown.
  15. Cool and Serve: Let croissants rest undisturbed on baking sheet for 15 minutes to allow residual cooking and butter reabsorption. Enjoy your flaky, sourdough-flavored croissants fresh!

Notes

  • Ensure your sourdough starter is very active and bubbly before beginning for best rise and flavor.
  • Keep butter pliable but cold during lamination to prevent it from breaking through the dough.
  • Use good quality, high-fat unsalted butter for the best flaky layers.
  • If butter softens too much, chill dough before continuing with rolling and folding.
  • Proof croissants in a draft-free area and avoid overheating the proofing environment to prevent melting butter.
  • Do not skip resting croissants after baking; it allows layers to set perfectly.
  • Recipe yields 10-12 croissants depending on shaping size.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/sourdough-croissants-made-with-sourdough-starter-recipe/