Croissant dough
A yeast dough laminated with a slab of butter through a series of folds, which bakes into the many flaky, crisp layers of a croissant.
- Doughs, batters and pastry foundations
Also called: laminated yeast dough
Croissant dough starts with a lightly sweetened yeast dough called the détrempe. A flat block of cold butter is enclosed in it, and the package is rolled out and folded several times, usually three letter folds, chilling between each. Three letter folds give 27 thin layers of butter between layers of dough.
In the oven, water in the butter turns to steam and pushes the layers apart. The key is keeping the butter cold but pliable, so it rolls out in sheets instead of breaking or melting into the dough. The same dough is used for pain au chocolat and pain aux raisins.
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RecipeClassic Croissant Dough11 hr 18 min · Makes 12 croissants - Baking Academy lessonCroissant school 1 croissant dough and the butter block
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Sources
Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
- Effects of Folding on Laminated Dough, Utah State University (DigitalCommons@USU)