Gluten-Free Croissants (Printable)

Buttery, flaky pastries made entirely gluten-free for a perfect breakfast treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
02 - 2 tablespoons sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 packet instant dry yeast
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk
06 - 1 large egg, room temperature
07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Butter Layer

08 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

→ Egg Wash

09 - 1 egg yolk
10 - 1 tablespoon milk

# How to Make:

01 - Combine gluten-free flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a large bowl. Whisk warm milk and egg together, then add to dry ingredients. Mix until soft dough forms. Beat in softened butter until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
02 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into a 5 x 7-inch rectangle. Refrigerate until firm.
03 - Roll chilled dough on lightly floured surface into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Place butter layer in center and fold dough over to completely encase butter. Roll out gently to 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Fold dough into thirds like a letter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling process two more times for total of three folds.
04 - Roll dough into 12 x 16-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 triangles. Starting from wide end, roll each triangle into croissant shape. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
05 - Cover loosely and let rise in warm place for 2 hours until puffy. Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk egg yolk and milk for glaze and brush over croissants. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
06 - Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that unmistakable buttery aroma filling your whole apartment, the kind that makes neighbors wish they'd accepted your dinner invitation
  • The texture is genuinely flaky and tender, not the dense, crumbly disappointment that usually comes with gluten-free pastry attempts
  • These freeze beautifully, so you can wake up to homemade croissants on Tuesday without the Sunday labor
02 -
  • If your butter starts melting through the dough during rolling, stop immediately and pop everything back in the fridge—trying to push through warm dough will destroy your lamination
  • The proofing time varies wildly depending on your kitchen temperature and humidity; look for that jiggly, puffy look rather than watching the clock too closely
03 -
  • Use a ruler or template for your initial rectangle measurements—uneven rectangles create uneven layers and some croissants will have better texture than others
  • Brush off excess flour between folds, otherwise you'll end up with dry, floury spots inside those beautiful layers

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