A close up look at a croissant covered in melted cheddar cheese.

Easy Flaky Homemade Cheese Croissants

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By Rebecca St.Clair

There’s nothing more magical than pulling a tray of freshly baked cheese croissants out of the oven. The smell of warm, buttery pastry and melty, lightly browned cheese fills your kitchen, in the perfect cozy, comforting aroma.

Experiment with different cheeses from sharp cheddar to creamy Brie, or even adding a sprinkle of garlic or herbs, you can create the perfect rich and savoury snack or breakfast treat.

Some cheese croissants on a slate table.

These homemade cheese croissants are a melt-in-your-mouth experience with each bite. The layers of buttery, flaky pastry are the perfect contrast to the melty, savoury cheese inside, and golden crusty outside layer, giving you the ultimate combination of textures that makes them irresistibly delicious.

I fell in love with croissants when traveling in Paris, a little over 10 years ago. Ever since, I have been making homemade croissants. For me, it is the perfect super soft croissant dough. Light and pillowy, with a golden, flaky outside. While still being easy enough for anyone to make at home.

A look at the inside of a cheese croissant.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Versatile – Fill will a variety of hard and soft cheese even mix with garlic or fresh herbs.
Simple Ingredients – Made with only simple kitchen staples.
Taste and Texture – The perfect soft of the inside and a delicate crisp outside and full of melt-in-your-mouth pull apart layers.

An overhead view of a croissant with melted cheese on top.

Storage

Cheese croissants are at their best warm and fresh the first day. However if stored properly, you can prolong the freshness.

Room temperature

  • Allow the cheese croissants to cool to room temperature
  • Store in a bread bag or airtight container not completely sealed so they can breath
  • Store on the counter for up to 3 days

Freezer

Make your cheese croissant dough ahead of time, roll into croissants and freeze them. That way you can bake them anytime you would like! Perfect!

  • Make the recipe up to the final rise
  • Place the dough cheese croissants onto a lined baking sheet and freeze in a single layer for 2 hours
  • Remove the cheese croissants and store in an airtight container or freezer bag
  • Freeze for up to 3 months
  • When ready for use, remove and allow to defrost spread out on the baking sheet
  • Allow them to rise until just about doubled and continue with the recipe
A group of croissants on a baking sheet. Some have melted cheese on top.

The best cheese for making cheese croissants

  • Gruyère– This cheese is slightly sweet, nutty, and salty. An amazing choice for cheese croissants.
  • Cheddar– This is, perhaps, the most popular choice for cheese croissants. There are many varieties of this popular cheese. Marble, mild, sharp, and aged cheddars, to name a few. All would be ideal choices for cheese croissants depending if you want a stronger or more subtle cheesy flavour.
  • Asiago– I would use this as part of a cheese mixture. Asiago is a delicious hard cheese, similar to parmesan. It is frequently used with breads, usually melted on top.
  • Mozzarella – This, very mild flavoured cheese, is perfect if you want a very subtle cheese flavour. You know it’s going to be good, I mean pizza and mozzarella go hand in hand. So cheese croissants with mozzarella, seems like a no-brainer!
  • Gouda– This cheese has a sweet, light, buttery flavour. It is an excellent choice in baking, as it melts well. Try smoked gouda for a slightly different flavour.
  • Provolone – This is a great semi-hard cheese. It has buttery, nutty flavours and can range from sharp to milk depending on the variety and age you choose.
Croissants on a baking sheet. Some are covered in melted cheese.

Words to know for making Croissants

Détrampe – This is the main bread dough

Beurrage – This is the butter layer that you will be folding inside of the détrampe.

A close up look at a croissant covered in melted cheddar cheese.

Tips and Tricks

Take your time- It can take a couple days to make cheese croissants. You really cannot rush the process and expect to get a perfect croissant at the end.

Use butter– The best cheese croissants, in my opinion, are made with a high-fat butter. Anything low-fat will not make the best croissants

Chill the dough and butter- Soft butter will ooze out everywhere when you are rolling it between the layers of the dough.

Proofing cheese croissants- The final step, before baking, is to proof the croissants. It is important to give them enough time to rise. The temperature of your environment can make proofing time vary. It it a good idea to go by look not just time alone. Your cheese croissants should just about double in size.

Egg wash– This really makes a difference on the glossy golden-brown on the outside of your croissants. The egg wash can be substituted with a brush of high-fat cream before going into the oven.

The roll– Don’t roll the croissants too tightly or the dough too thinly. This will make it harder for them to fully expand and make all those light paper thin layers on the inside.

Have Fun- Once you are comfortable with the basic process of croissant making, have fun with different variations. Croissant dough is a puff pastry and the dough can be used for other appetizers and desserts.

A table full of labeled ingredients.
For Croissant Dough

Ingredients

Milk and water – I use a mixture of milk and water for this recipe for added richness.
Sugar – This will help activate the yeast and give a subtle sweetness to the pastry.
Yeast – Use dry-active yeast for this recipe.
Salt – Flavour
Flour – I use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but bread flour can also be used for a softer pastry.
Butter – Mixed into the dough for richness and folded between the layers. Use all butter for best results, nothing low-fat.
Egg – This optional ingredient is whisked and brushed on top of the croissants just before baking for a golden crust. This can be substituted with high-fat cream.
Cheese – Use your favourite cheese inside the croissant and sprinkle cheese on the outside before baking.

A table with labeled ingredients.
For Cheese Croissants

Method

Dough

  1. In the bowl of the stand mixer with the dough hook or in a large bowl if making the recipe by hand, add ¾ cup warm water, ¾ cup milk, and ¼ cup sugar. Mix to dissolve the sugar.
  2. Add 2 ¼ teaspoons (or 1 packet) yeast, by sprinkling it evenly over top.
  3. Wait a few minutes to allow the yeast to soften and become foamy. This will take 5-10 minutes.
  4. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 3 ½ cups flour. Mix with the dough hook until a smooth dough forms.
  5. Knead in 2 Tablespoons soft butter. Mix a few minutes to form a smooth dough. (I alternate between the slowest speed of my mixer, to one or two speeds up to mix the dough fully.) It will take about 5 minutes if using a stand mixer or 8 minutes kneading by hand.
  6. Cover and let the dough rest 30 mins.
A glass bowl with softened yeast.
A glass bowl with a ball of dough inside.

7. Onto a rectangular cookie sheet, lined with plastic wrap, spread the dough out with your hands to form a rectangle. Cover and let rest and rise for 1½ hours.

8. Place covered in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

A rectangle of dough on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap.
Butter spread out into the bottom of a square casserole dish lined with plastic wrap.

Beurrage

  1. Meanwhile, using softened butter, form the butter into a square. (I place plastic wrap inside of a 8in. square casserole dish and squish the butter out evenly into the dish to form an easy square.
  2. Place the butter in the refrigerator to chill slightly. The dough and butter should be a stiff buy pliable consistency for easy rolling.

The first roll

  1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place the chilled beurrage in the centre of the dough square, but turned so it is in a diamond shape.
  2. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter layer and press to completely seal it in.
A woman is placing a square of butter in the centre of croissant dough.
Croissant dough folded around a square of beurrage.

3. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle. (It should be about three times the width of the cookie sheet you are resting it on.)

4. Fold the dough into thirds. (This will give you three laminated layers of butter and dough. Place back onto the lined cookie sheet. (It should fit the dimensions perfectly.)

Croissant dough rolled out into a long rectangle. There is a marble rolling pin off to the side.
Croissant dough being folded into thirds.

5. Cover and place back into the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

Croissant dough being folded into thirds.
Croissant dough on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap.

Subsequent folds

  1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll it out the opposite way you did last time. Roll it into a long rectangle. (About 3-4 times the width of the cookie sheet.)
  2. Fold the dough in thirds or fourths and place back on the cookie sheet.
  3. Cover and place back into the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
  4. Remove from the refrigerator and roll out in the opposite direction from your previous roll.
  5. Roll into a long rectangle. (3 to 4 times the width of your cookie sheet.)
  6. Fold the dough into thirds or fourths and place, covered, back into the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.

Final roll-out

  1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a very large rectangle. (About 48 cm long and about 34 cm tall) It is not necessary to measure it.
  2. With a pizza cutter, or a knife, cut into triangles.
  3. In the bottom of each triangle cut about an inch slit upwards.
Croissant dough rolled into a rectangle.
A rectangle of puff pastry cut into triangles.

Forming the Croissants

  1. Take a triangle and slightly pull apart the centre slit. Lay a slice of cheese and roll to enclose.
  2. Lay another slice of cheese and fully roll it upwards onto itself to form a croissant. Continue for all of the triangles of dough.
  3. Place all of the croissants spread out onto lined cookie sheets. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. They should just about double in size.
A woman is rolling a triangle of puff pastry with cheese inside.
A woman is rolling cheese into a triangle of puff pastry.

Baking the Croissants

  1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
  2. (optional) In a small bowl, mix the egg with a tablespoon of water. Gently brush on the top of the croissant dough.
  3. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes.
  5. Reduce the temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) and bake for another 15 minutes or until deeply golden.
  6. Serve warm!
A woman holding an unbaked croissant with cheese inside.
A baking sheet full of baked croissants. Some have melted cheese ontop.
A group of croissants on a baking sheet. Some have melted cheese on top.
Yield: 12

Rich and Flaky Cheese Croissants

Prep Time: 1 day
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rise Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 1 day 2 hours 20 minutes

Flaky pastry filled with anything from sharp cheddar to creamy Brie. The perfect rich and savoury snack or breakfast treat.

Ingredients

Détrampe

  • ¾ cups room temperature water 175 ml
  • ¾ warm milk. 175 ml
  • ¼ cup sugar 50 g
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 7 g
  • 1 teaspoon salt 5 g
  • 3½ cups all-purpose (or pastry) flour 525 g
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened 45 g

Beurrage

  • 1¼ cups softened butter 285 g

Extras

  • 5 cups cheese, sliced and grated 400 g

Instructions

    Dough

    1. In the bowl of the stand mixer with the dough hook or in a large bowl if making the recipe by hand, add ¾ cup warm water, ¾ cup milk, and ¼ cup sugar. Mix to dissolve the sugar.
    2. Add 2 ¼ teaspoons (or 1 packet) yeast, by sprinkling it evenly over top.
    3. Wait a few minutes to allow the yeast to soften and become foamy. This will take 5-10 minutes.
    4. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 3 ½ cups flour. Mix with the dough hook until a smooth dough forms.
    5. Knead in 2 Tablespoons soft butter. Mix a few minutes to form a smooth dough. (I alternate between the slowest speed of my mixer, to one or two speeds up to mix the dough fully.) It will take about 5 minutes if using a stand mixer or 8 minutes by hand.
    6. Cover and let the dough rest 30 mins.
    7. Onto a rectangular cookie sheet, lined with plastic wrap, spread the dough out with your hands to form a rectangle. Cover and let rest and rise for 1½ hours.
    8. Place covered in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

    Beurrage

    1. Meanwhile, using softened butter, form the butter into a square. (I place plastic wrap inside of a 8in. square casserole dish and squish the butter out evenly into the dish to form the perfect square.
    2. Place the butter in the refrigerator to chill. The dough and butter should be about the same consistency for easy rolling.

    The first roll

    1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place the chilled beurrage in the centre of the dough, but turned so it is in a diamond shape.
    2. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter layer and press to seal it in.
    3. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle. (It should be about three times the width of the cookie sheet you are resting it on.)
    4. Fold the dough into thirds. (This will give you three laminated layers of butter and dough.) Place back onto the lined cookie sheet.
    5. Cover and place back into the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

    Subsequent Rolls

    1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll it out the opposite way you did last time. Roll it into a long rectangle. (About 3-4 times the width of the cookie sheet.)
    2. Fold the dough in thirds or fourths and place back on the cookie sheet.
    3. Cover and place back into the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
    4. Remove from the refrigerator and roll out in the opposite direction from your previous roll.
    5. Roll into a long rectangle. (3 to 4 times the width of your cookie sheet.)
    6. Fold the dough into thirds or fourths and place, covered, back into the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.

    Final roll-out

    1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle. (About 48 cm long and about 34 cm tall) It is not necessary to measure it.
    2. With a pizza cutter, or a sharp knife, cut the dough into triangles.
    3. In the bottom of each triangle cut about an inch slit upwards.

    Forming the Croissants

    1. Take a triangle and slightly pull apart the centre slit. Lay a slice of cheese and roll to encase the cheese.
    2. Lay a second slice of cheese gently roll it upwards onto itself to form a croissant. Continue for all of the triangles of dough.
    3. Place all of the croissants spread out onto lined cookie sheets. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. They should just about double in size.

    Baking the Croissants

    1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
    2. (optional) In a small bowl, beat the egg with a tablespoon of water. Gently brush on the top of the croissants.
    3. Sprinkle the top of each croissant with grated cheese.
    4. Bake for 10 minutes.
    5. Reduce temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) and bake for another 15 mins or until golden.
    6. Serve warm!

    Notes

    Fill will a variety of hard and soft cheese even mix with garlic or fresh herbs.

    Nutrition Information

    Yield

    12

    Serving Size

    1
    Amount Per Serving Calories 356Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 21gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 93mgSodium 562mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 0gSugar 5gProtein 8g

    Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

    Did you try it?

    Let us know how it was!

    © Flour and Filigree
    Cuisine: French / Category: Bread
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    A Pinterest pin for cheese croissants.

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    Hi, I'm Rebecca!
    I'm a Mom of 4 who is passionate about simple living, vintage whole food meals, and old-fashioned skills. Here on my blog, you will find comfort food recipes, delicious breads, and easy decadent desserts to share with your family, along with old-fashioned skills and simple living projects to make your home cozy.

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