Croissant Sourdough Bread Recipe

Croissant sourdough bread recipe—those are the first words I whispered to myself the day I tried it for the first time. It was quiet in my kitchen, just me, the hum of the oven, and the memory of my grandmother kneading biscuit dough on a worn oak table in rural Georgia. I didn’t know then that buttery layers and tangy fermentation could create something so comforting it felt like a hug.

This croissant sourdough bread recipe is everything I love about baking: it’s slow, soulful, and a little fancy without trying too hard. If you’ve ever had a croissant and thought, “I wish this were thicker, toastier, and had a little Southern backbone,” this one’s for you.

If you’ve already made my chocolate peanut butter spread, you’ll want it on this bread the minute it cools. Just trust me.

Let’s start with what makes this hybrid loaf so wildly good.

Part 1: What Makes Croissant Sourdough Bread Recipe So Special

Croissant Sourdough Loaf

This isn’t your average crusty boule or delicate pastry. The croissant sourdough bread recipe combines everything flaky and indulgent about a French croissant with the chewy, tangy, heartwarming structure of sourdough. The magic happens when butter is laminated into fermented dough—creating tight, buttery layers that puff as they bake.

The loaf rises with the character of wild yeast, and because it’s baked as a loaf rather than a pastry, it’s heartier. Toast a slice, and the outer edge crisps just enough to break cleanly between your teeth. The inside? Airy, rich, slightly sour, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

I like baking this loaf in a standard pullman or sandwich tin—nothing fancy—because it encourages a uniform rise and keeps those flaky layers intact. And every slice becomes an invitation: smear with butter, jam, or yes, even that leftover chocolate covered strawberry protein shake you didn’t finish.

Sourdough Croissants vs Normal Croissant

The croissant sourdough bread recipe relies on natural fermentation, not commercial yeast. That slow rise makes a world of difference.

Normal croissants are beautiful, sure—but they lack depth. Sourdough croissants (and this bread) have soul. You’ll notice:

• Flavor: deeper, with notes of tang and dairy-rich warmth
• Texture: heartier crumb with a gentle chew
• Digestibility: easier on the gut thanks to long fermentation

Most of all, the croissant sourdough bread recipe gives you permission to be patient. And in return? You get a loaf that feeds your body and spirit.

Part 2: How to Make Croissant Sourdough Bread Recipe

Ingredients for Croissant Sourdough Bread Recipe

This recipe yields one glorious loaf. Every ingredient here plays a role in building flavor and structure over time, so don’t rush it—and don’t skip the butter.

For the Dough:

• 100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• 250g all-purpose flour
• 150g bread flour
• 10g salt
• 30g granulated sugar
• 200g whole milk, warm
• 1 large egg
• 50g unsalted butter, softened

For the Butter Block (Lamination):

• 125g unsalted European-style butter, cold but pliable

Optional Glaze:

• 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk, whisked

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Dough (Night Before)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine your starter, flours, salt, sugar, milk, and egg. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Add softened butter and knead 8–10 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest at room temp for 4 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

This rest gives the croissant sourdough bread recipe that signature tang without overwhelming the butter.

Step 2: Prepare the Butter Block
Place your butter between two sheets of parchment and roll into a 6×6-inch square. Chill until firm but still pliable.

Step 3: Laminate That Dough
Roll the cold dough into a 12×12-inch square. Place the butter block in the center like a diamond, then fold the corners of dough over it like an envelope. Seal edges tightly.

Roll into a rectangle (about 8×20 inches), fold into thirds (like a letter), rotate 90°, and repeat this process 2 more times. Chill between each fold for 30–60 minutes.

This part feels like a meditation. You’ll see layers form with every fold—the very soul of your croissant sourdough bread recipe.

Step 4: Final Shape and Proof
After your final fold, roll dough into a 9×12 rectangle. Roll it up like cinnamon rolls, jelly-roll style, and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely and proof at room temp for 4–6 hours, or until doubled and jiggly.

Step 5: Bake It Beautiful
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush with egg wash for shine. Bake 35–40 minutes, until golden brown and the center registers 200°F.

Let it cool for at least an hour. Yes, that’s hard. But it’s worth it.

This is where I usually make a strong cup of coffee and slice off the heel—still warm—and pair it with a little swipe of strawberry protein smoothie I chilled from earlier. Unexpected, but magical.

Part 3: Two Sweet Twists — Bonus Recipes

Sourdough Croissants

There’s something sacred about shaping a croissant. It’s not just baking—it’s ritual. I remember making these in a quiet bakery kitchen in Rome, right before sunrise. The soft clatter of rolling pins, the smell of fermentation in the air. That’s what I want you to feel when you make these.

Ingredients:

• 100g active sourdough starter
• 250g all-purpose flour
• 150g bread flour
• 35g sugar
• 10g salt
• 200g cold milk
• 1 large egg
• 225g cold unsalted European butter (for lamination)

Instructions:

1. Make the Dough: Mix starter, flours, sugar, salt, milk, and egg until combined. Knead until smooth. Chill overnight.
2. Prepare Butter Block: Shape the cold butter into a flat 6×6-inch square using parchment. Chill.
3. Lamination (3 Folds): Roll dough into a square, encase butter, and complete 3 letter-style folds, resting 30–60 min between each in the fridge.
4. Shape Croissants: Roll dough into a large rectangle (about 9×18 in). Cut into triangles. Roll from base to tip. Place on a tray, tip side down.
5. Proof: Let proof at room temp for 5–6 hours until puffy.
6. Bake: Brush with egg wash. Bake at 375°F for 18–22 minutes until deep golden and flaky.

Serve them warm, maybe with a swipe of big mac pizza sauce—don’t judge until you try it.

Chocolate Chip Croissant Sourdough Bread

This one’s pure indulgence. I created this recipe after watching my son sneak dark chocolate into our sourdough scraps one Saturday morning. That turned into a tradition, and now… here we are.

Ingredients:

• Base dough from croissant sourdough bread recipe (see above)
• 120g dark chocolate chips (chopped if large)
• Egg wash (1 yolk + 1 tbsp milk)

Instructions:

1. Follow the croissant sourdough bread recipe up to the final lamination step.
2. After final roll-out, sprinkle chocolate chips evenly across the dough.
3. Roll up dough jelly-roll style and place into a greased loaf pan.
4. Proof 4–6 hours until doubled.
5. Brush with egg wash and bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes.

The top will caramelize slightly from the chocolate, and the inside? Gooey, flaky, tangy. The kind of loaf you sneak slices from at midnight.

Part 4: Tools You’ll Need

• Stand Mixer (Optional but Helpful): You can absolutely knead by hand—Lord knows I have—but a stand mixer helps when you’re dealing with sticky, enriched dough. It keeps things clean and saves your arms for the real work: laminating.
• Rolling Pin: A sturdy rolling pin—wooden or marble—helps you get that dough flat and even without tearing it. A tapered French-style pin gives you better control for those all-important folds.
• Parchment Paper: This keeps everything from sticking, especially when you’re rolling out your butter block. It also lines your loaf pan and makes cleanup easier than Sunday morning.
• Bench Scraper: You’ll use this more than you think. It helps move the dough without stretching it, scrape up flour, and trim edges clean for precise layers.
• Loaf Pan (8×4 or 9×5 inches): A reliable metal loaf pan with straight sides gives the croissant sourdough bread recipe its tall, proud shape. It holds those buttery folds together beautifully.
• Digital Scale: This is non-negotiable in my kitchen. Grams over cups—always. Precision in measurements means consistency in flavor and texture.
• Pastry Brush: Perfect for that golden, glossy egg wash that turns your loaf from “that looks good” to “where did you buy that?”
• Dough Ruler or Tape Measure: You’ll want accurate sizing during folds and shaping. This keeps your layers consistent and your lamination uniform—because baking is part math, part love.

FAQs about Croissant Sourdough Bread Recipe

Conclusion: Layered With Love

Baking this croissant sourdough bread recipe isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up. About taking a slow breath on a Sunday morning, rolling dough that listens to your hands, and waiting while butter and wild yeast do their quiet dance.

When I slice into this loaf, I think about the first time I made it and how it felt like magic. I think about my grandmother’s wooden table dusted in flour, her patience, her knowing. That’s the energy I bake with now, and that’s what I want you to taste.

So take your time with this croissant sourdough bread recipe. Get flour on your elbows. Let the layers teach you something.

And once that loaf is golden, slice into it and maybe pair it with something playful—like the leftovers from my cookie monster ice cream recipe. Why not?

If you make it, share your story in the comments below. Or tell me what memory came up while your dough rested. I’d love to hear it.

Let’s keep baking with soul, together.

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