Easy Homemade Chocolate Croissants || Classic Pain au Chocolat
By Rebecca St.Clair
Chocolate croissants, or more classically called pain au chocolat, is a delicious symbol of French pastry expertise. You can achieve that sense of European elegance and culinary skills right in your own home! Enjoy the taste of a quaint café in Paris with this comforting treat that transports you to a world of leisurely mornings and simple pleasures.
This easy chocolate croissant recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours. The sweetness of the rich melty chocolate wrapped with the buttery, soft and crisp, feather light layers of pastry gives it a lovely savoury depth of flavour.
This classic pastry is perfect for a decadent breakfast or a rich and flaky treat to satisfy your sweet and savoury cravings.
I fell in love with croissants when traveling in Paris, a little over 10 years ago. Ever since, I have been making this recipe. 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.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Rich and Indulgent – A crisp and buttery pastry filled with dark or milk chocolate is the perfect rich treat.
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 surround a layer of melty chocolate.
Storage
Croissants are at their best warm and fresh the first day. However if stored properly, you can prolong the freshness.
Room temperature
- Allow the 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 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 croissants onto a lined baking sheet and freeze in a single layer for 2 hours
- Remove the 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
Can I use this with store bought pastry?
Yes! This is the perfect quick and easy to way to make delicious chocolate croissants. You can buy premade frozen puff pastry and allow it to defrost, then continue on with the recipe.
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.
Tips and Tricks
Take your time- It can take a couple days to make croissants. You really cannot rush the process and expect to get a perfect croissant at the end.
Use butter– The best 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 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 is a good idea to go by look not just time alone. Your 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.
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.
Chocolate – Use your favourite chocolate from dark to milk.
Vanilla glaze – While this is optional this simple vanilla glaze is make with only water, icing sugar, vanilla, butter, and a pinch of salt.
How to make homemade chocolate croissants
Method
- Allow a store bought package of puff pastry thaw until cold but able to roll out with a rolling pin. Or grab my favourite croissant dough recipe here!
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. (About 48 cm long and about 34 cm tall) It is not necessary to measure it.
- With a pizza cutter, or a knife, cut into 8 to 10 rectangles.
- Take a rectangle and place a line of chocolate across one end. Gently roll it upwards onto itself to seal in the chocolate.
5. Add another line of chocolate and then roll the dough up fully to form a fat rectangular bun shape. Continue with the rest of the dough.
6. Place all of the chocolate 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 Chocolate Croissants
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C)
- (optional) In a small bowl, mix the egg and gently brush on the top of the risen croissants with a pastry brush.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) and bake for another 15 minutes or until deeply golden.
Optional Vanilla Glaze
- In a bowl add the 1 Tablespoons softened butter with 2 Tablespoons warm water. Stir to soften the butter with the warm water.
- Add in 2 cups icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Whisk together to form a smooth glaze.
- Brush the tops of the warm croissants with the glaze, it will go on milky and runny but will set to a semi-solid translucent shell over the top of the pastry as it cools.
- (Optional) Melt ¼ cup of chocolate and place in a piping bag to decorate the top of each croissant.
Homemade Chocolate Croissants (Classic Pain au Chocolat)
The perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours. The sweetness of the rich melty chocolate wrapped with the buttery, soft and crisp, feather light layers of pastry.
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry (or homemade)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate of choice 175 g
- 1 egg (optional)
(optional) Glaze
- 1 Tablespoon butter 15 g
- 2 Tablespoons warm water 30 ml
- 2 cups icing sugar 260 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1 g
- ¼ cup chocolate chips 44 g
Instructions
- Allow a store bought package of puff pastry to thaw until still cold but able to be rolled out with a rolling pin. Or grab my favourite croissant dough recipe.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle.
- With a pizza cutter, or a knife, cut into 12 rectangles.
- Take a rectangle and place a line of chocolate across one end. Gently roll it upwards onto itself to seal in the chocolate.
- Add another line of chocolate and then roll the dough up fully to form a fat rectangular bun shape.
- Pinch the seam together to seal.
- Place all of the chocolate 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 Chocolate Croissants
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
- (optional) In a small bowl, mix the egg with a teaspoon of water. Gently brush on the top of the croissants.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) and continue to bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
Optional Vanilla Glaze
- In a bowl add the 1 Tablespoons softened butter with 2 Tablespoons warm water. Stir to soften the butter with the warm water.
- Add in 2 cups icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Whisk together to form a smooth glaze.
- Brush the tops of the warm croissants with the glaze, it will go on milky and runny but will set as a semi-solid shell over the top of the pastry as it cools.
- (Optional) Melt ¼ cup of chocolate and place in a piping bag to decorate the top of each croissant.
Notes
Use good quality chocolate for the best results.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 204Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 18mgSodium 31mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 1gSugar 32gProtein 2g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
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