Sourdough Croissant Bread

Ingredients

The Dough

An enriched sourdough base. The starter does the lifting, the yolk and butter keep it soft.

• 350g (2¾ cups) bread flour
• 60g (¼ cup) active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
• 180g (¾ cup) whole milk
• 18g (1 large yolk) large egg yolk
• 25g (1 tbsp) honey
• 7g (1¼ tsp) fine salt
• 28g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

The Lamination Butter

This is the butter that makes the layers. Keep it frozen hard until the moment you grate it.

• 113g (8 tbsp (1 stick)) unsalted butter, frozen

Egg Wash

• 50g (1 large egg) large egg
• 15g (1 tbsp) whole milk

Total flour: 350g

Hydration: 54%

Pro tip: Build this around your weekend. Feed the starter Friday night, mix and laminate Saturday, cold proof overnight, and bake fresh Sunday morning.

Equipment

Method

Feed Your Starter

Start with a strong, active levain. A sluggish starter is the number one reason an enriched sourdough stalls, so give it a good feed the night before.

1. Feed and Wait. The evening before baking, feed your starter and leave it at room temperature overnight. By morning it should be bubbly, domed, and roughly doubled. The float test is a good check: a spoonful should float in water.

Wait: PT10H

Tip: If your kitchen is cold, a starter home keeps it in the sweet spot so it's ready by morning.

Mix the Dough

We build a soft enriched dough first. Layers come later. Right now you want a smooth, supple dough.

1. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the active starter, milk, egg yolk, and honey until blended.
2. Add the Flour, Salt, and Soft Butter. Add the bread flour, salt, and softened butter. Mix until no dry flour remains, then knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth.

Tip: Enriched doughs take longer to come together than lean doughs. The milk, yolk, and butter slow down gluten development, so give it the full knead.

Bulk Fermentation

Sourdough works slower than yeast. This bulk fermentation is where the flavor and the rise build.

1. Fold and Ferment. Cover and let the dough ferment at room temperature. Over the first 2 hours, do two or three rounds of stretch and fold, spaced 30 minutes apart. Then leave it to rise.
2. Watch the Dough, Not the Clock. Bulk is done when the dough has grown by about a third and feels light and airy, usually 4 to 6 hours depending on your kitchen and starter strength.

Wait: PT5H

Laminate the Butter (This is the part everyone's talking about)

Now the croissant magic. We grate frozen butter into the dough and fold it in, building thin sheets of butter between layers of dough. No butter block needed. This is lamination for the rest of us.

1. Roll It Out. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and roll it into a rectangle about 12 by 16 inches, long side facing you. The dough will be soft from fermentation, so handle it gently.
2. Grate the Frozen Butter. Working fast, grate the frozen butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough using the large holes of a box grater. Spread it evenly and keep your warm hands off it.
3. Letter Fold. Fold the bare top third down over the middle, then fold the buttered bottom third up over that, like folding a letter. Pinch the edges to seal.
4. Chill, Roll, Fold (Turn 2). Wrap and chill 20 minutes. Roll back out to the same size, do a second letter fold, wrap and chill 20 more minutes. The moment the butter starts to smear or soften, stop and chill.
5. Roll, Fold (Turn 3). Roll out one last time, do a third letter fold, then wrap and chill 20 minutes. Three turns total gives you 27 layers of butter and dough — that's the flaky payoff.

Wait: PT1H

Tip: Soft sourdough plus soft butter is a recipe for no layers. Keep the dough cold and move quickly through the folds.

Shape and Cold Proof (Overnight in the fridge)

A long cold retard finishes the proof slowly and deepens the sourdough flavor. This is what gives the loaf its tang.

1. Shape Into a Log. Roll the laminated dough into a rectangle the length of your pan, then roll it up snugly from a short side into a log. Seal the seam.
2. Into the Pan and the Fridge. Place the log seam side down in a buttered 9x5 inch loaf pan, cover, and refrigerate 10 to 16 hours, or overnight.

Wait: PT12H

Final Proof and Bake (The next morning)

Bring the loaf back to life, give it a egg wash, and bake.

1. Finish the Proof. Pull the pan from the fridge. The dough may have crowned overnight, or it may need 1 to 2 hours at room temperature to rise an inch above the rim. Use the poke test: a gentle press should fill back in slowly.
2. Egg Wash. Whisk the egg with the milk and brush it gently over the top. Don't press down.
3. Bake. Bake at 375F (190C) for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and 190F (88C) inside. Tent with foil for the last 10 minutes if it browns too fast.
4. Cool Before Slicing. Cool on a rack at least 45 minutes before slicing. Enriched sourdough needs the extra rest, or it slices gummy.

Shape the Loaf

A snug log gives flaky layers running through every slice and a tall sandwich-loaf crown.

Sandwich Loaf (recommended)

The most reliable shape for a 9x5 pan and a clean cold proof.

1. Roll. Roll the laminated dough into a rectangle the length of your pan.
2. Log. Roll it up snugly from a short side and seal the seam.
3. Pan. Set it seam side down in the buttered pan, then cold proof.

Proof test: After the fridge and any room-temp finish, the side should take a slow-filling dent under a floured finger. Cold dough springs back faster, so give it time to warm if it's stiff.

Bake

A moderate oven sets the layers without scorching the butter or the enriched crust.

Oven: 190°C / 375°F. Internal temperature when done: 88°C / 190°F.

Loaf Pan in a Standard Oven (recommended)

No Dutch oven or added steam needed for this enriched loaf.

Equipment: 9x5 inch loaf pan

1. Preheat. Preheat to 375F (190C) with a rack in the center.
2. Bake. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden and 190F (88C) inside.
3. Tent if Needed. Tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes if the top darkens too quickly.

Note: Bake to temperature, not color. The enriched top browns fast, so a thermometer keeps you honest about doneness.

Storage

• Room temperature: 3 to 4 days wrapped in a bread bag or cloth. The sourdough keeps it fresher a touch longer than the yeasted version.
• Refrigerated: Not recommended. The fridge stales it and dulls the flaky layers.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice before freezing so you can toast what you need.
• Refresh: Warm slices in a 325F (160C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes to revive the layers and butter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from the yeasted version?

Same flaky technique, slower build. The sourdough version ferments longer and cold proofs overnight, which gives you that signature tang and a slightly more open crumb. It takes 2 to 3 days instead of an afternoon.

Can I use sourdough discard instead of active starter?

No, this one needs a strong, active levain. Discard has no lifting power, and an enriched dough this rich needs all the strength your starter can give. Feed it the night before and wait for the float test.

My starter isn't very strong. Should I still try?

Build it up first. Feed it once or twice a day for a few days until it doubles reliably and bubbles up tall. A weak starter will leave you with a dense loaf no matter how good your lamination is.

My butter melted into the dough. What happened?

The dough was too warm, which is easy to do with fermented sourdough. Chill harder and work faster. Cold dough, frozen butter, and short fridge rests between folds are what keep the lamination layers intact.

Why didn't I get distinct layers?

Usually the butter warmed up and blended in, or the chill rests got skipped. The cold keeps the butter in sheets. With sourdough you have to be a little more disciplined about it than with yeasted dough.

How long can it cold proof?

10 to 16 hours is the sweet spot. Up to about 18 hours is fine if your fridge runs cold. Past that it can overproof and the layers start to slack. Overnight into the next morning lines up perfectly.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice): 250 calories, 29g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 12g fat, 1g fiber, 295mg sodium. Makes 10 servings.