Buttery Croissant Muffin Pastries (Print Version)
Flaky, buttery croissant-muffin hybrids with golden layers, perfect for breakfast or snacking.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
03 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
05 - ¾ cup lukewarm water
06 - ⅓ cup whole milk, lukewarm
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Butter Layer
08 - 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
→ Optional Topping
09 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water, milk, and melted butter. Stir until a shaggy dough forms and no dry patches remain.
02 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth, springy, and elastic. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
03 - While the dough rises, place the room-temperature butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, beat and roll it into a rectangle roughly 6 x 8 inches. Refrigerate until firm but still pliable, about 15 minutes.
04 - On a floured work surface, roll the risen dough into a large rectangle approximately 12 x 20 inches. Lay the butter block evenly over the dough surface. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Rotate 90 degrees, roll out again to the same dimensions, and fold into thirds once more. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
05 - Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out once more into a 12 x 20 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut the dough lengthwise into 12 even strips approximately 1 inch wide each.
06 - Working with one strip at a time, gently stretch if needed and roll it up tightly from end to end. Cut the rolled strip in half lengthwise to expose the buttery layers. Twist each half into a spiral, then coil it up and nestle it into a greased muffin tin cavity with the layered side facing outward.
07 - Cover the muffin tin loosely with a kitchen towel and let the shaped cruffins rest at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size.
08 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the cruffins on the center rack for 18 to 22 minutes until deeply golden brown and well risen. Rotate the tin halfway through for even browning.
09 - Allow the cruffins to cool in the tin for 3 to 4 minutes. If using the cinnamon sugar topping, roll each warm cruffin in the mixed sugar and cinnamon while still slightly warm. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lamination process is actually more forgiving than traditional croissants because the muffin tin hides any imperfections beautifully.
- You get all the wow factor of flaky pastry without needing professional training or special equipment beyond a rolling pin and a standard muffin tin.
02 -
- If the butter softens too much during lamination and starts oozing out the sides, stop immediately and refrigerate the dough for fifteen minutes before continuing.
- The butter slab consistency is the single most important factor, too cold and it tears through the dough, too warm and it melts into the layers and vanishes entirely.
03 -
- Tap the butter slab with your rolling pin instead of pressing it to avoid warm spots that melt unevenly during lamination.
- When cutting the rolled strips in half, use a swift confident stroke with a very sharp knife because a dull blade will smash the layers together and undo all your careful folding work.