Gluten-Free Croissants (Printable)
Light and flaky gluten-free croissants with buttery layers, perfect for breakfast or an elegant treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum (285 g)
02 - 2 tbsp sugar (20 g)
03 - 1 tsp salt (5 g)
04 - 1 packet instant dry yeast (7 g)
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (180 ml)
06 - 1 large egg, room temperature
07 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (40 g)
→ Butter Layer
08 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (115 g)
→ Egg Wash
09 - 1 egg yolk
10 - 1 tbsp milk (15 ml)
# How To Make It:
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 butter into rectangle approximately 5 x 7 inches. Refrigerate until firm.
03 - Roll chilled dough on lightly floured surface into 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Place butter layer in center. Fold dough over butter to completely encase. Gently roll out to 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
04 - Repeat rolling and folding process two more times for total of 3 folds, refrigerating 30 minutes between each fold.
05 - Roll dough into 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 triangles. Starting from wide end, roll each triangle into croissant shape. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down.
06 - Cover croissants loosely with plastic. Let rise in warm place for approximately 2 hours until doubled in size and puffy. Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk egg yolk with milk for glaze. Brush evenly over risen croissants. Bake for 18-20 minutes until deep golden brown.
07 - Transfer croissants to wire rack. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow interior structure to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The moment you tear into that warm, buttery center and realize gluten-free pastries can actually rival the real thing
- Your house will smell like a French bakery, which is basically self-care that you can eat
02 -
- If your butter starts breaking through the dough during rolling, pop everything in the fridge for 15 minutes—I learned this the hard way after patching holes like a desperate pastry surgeon
- A warm, draft-free spot is crucial for proofing—too cool and they wont rise enough, too hot and the butter might start melting before they hit the oven
03 -
- Weigh your ingredients instead of using cups—gluten-free baking is chemistry, and precision matters more than intuition
- If your kitchen is warm, work on a chilled surface like a marble slab or even a baking sheet from the fridge