Pain au Chocolat

Jun 13, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Vanilla: Beans Medium

Golden, flaky pain au chocolat on parchment, one torn open to show the honeycomb layers

Classic French laminated croissant dough wrapped around rich dark chocolate sticks, with a hint of real vanilla in the dough for subtle aromatic depth. Flaky, buttery pastries perfect for breakfast or a decadent snack.

Prep 60 min

Cook 18 min

Cooling 8 hr

Total 10 hr 48 min

Yield 8 pastries

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pastries

4.0 cups (480.0 g)bread flour
¼ cup (50.0 g)granulated sugar
2.0 tsp (2.0 g)instant yeast
1 ½ tsp (9.0 g)fine salt
1 ¼ cups (300.0 ml)cold whole milk
2.0 tbsp (28.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
1.0 cup (226.0 g)cold unsalted butter, for laminating
8.0 slicesdark chocolate sticks or batons, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long
1.0 large (50.0 g)egg
1.0 tbsp (15.0 ml)milk, for egg wash

Make it at home

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Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, and fine salt.
In a small saucepan, warm the cold whole milk just until lukewarm (about 90°F/32°C). Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir them into the milk.
Add the milk with vanilla seeds and the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Mix and knead with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 7-8 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly.
Meanwhile, prepare the butter block for laminating by pounding and shaping the cold unsalted butter into a 7-inch (18 cm) square between parchment paper. Keep chilled.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 10x20 inch (25x50 cm) rectangle. Place the butter block on one half of the dough, fold the other half over to encase it completely, sealing the edges.
Roll the dough out lengthwise to about 10x24 inches (25x60 cm). Perform the first letter fold (fold the dough into thirds like a business letter). Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour.
Repeat the rolling and folding two more times for a total of 3 folds, chilling 1 hour between folds to keep the butter cold and dough relaxed.
After the final fold and chill, roll the dough to about 12x24 inches (30x60 cm) and cut into 8 equal rectangles, about 3x6 inches (7.5x15 cm).
Place one dark chocolate stick near the short edge of each rectangle. Fold the dough over the chocolate, then roll up tightly. Seal the edge with a little water.
Put the rolled pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and proof at around 75°F (24°C) until they puff and almost double in size, about 90 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk the egg and milk together and gently brush the tops of the proofed pastries with the egg wash.
Bake for 15-18 minutes until pastry is golden brown and flaky with melted chocolate inside.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack before serving. Best enjoyed slightly warm.

Tips

Keep all dough and butter cold between folds to ensure distinct buttery layers and flakiness.
Use a split vanilla bean in the dough for a subtle real vanilla aroma that complements the chocolate filling.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pain au chocolat?

Plan on 60 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of cooking, plus 9 hours 30 minutes to rise and chill. The recipe makes 8 pain au chocolat pastries.

How should I store pain au chocolat?

Store cooled pain au chocolat in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a low oven (300°F/150°C) for 5-7 minutes to refresh crispness.

Can I make pain au chocolat ahead?

Pain au chocolat dough can be prepared and laminated up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated before shaping and proofing.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

463 Calories / serving

29.7g Fat

41.9g Carbs

8.1g Protein

15.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3704 cal · 238g fat · 335g carbs · 65g protein · 124g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 463 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 88 min·5.1 mi·~10300 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 63 min·3.2 mi·~6300 steps
Moderate cycling 47 min·9.4 mi
Swimming laps 65 min
Jogging 45 min·3.8 mi·~7200 steps
Stair climbing 43 min·~3850 steps
Dancing 75 min
Bodyweight circuit training 47 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 108 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.