These Vegan Croissants are the highest level of goodness. These pastries are buttery, flakey, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Trust me, you’ll savor every delicious layer.

Pair with a cup of coffee or enjoy them solo–either way, they will make you feel like you’re in a Parisian café.

How to Make Vegan Croissants

To make the croissant dough, start by activating the yeast. Warm 1 cup of almond milk to lukewarm (around 110°F) and stir in the sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and salt, then pour in the yeast mixture along with the avocado oil. Mix everything until a rough dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. If the dough feels too dry, add more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time. Once kneaded, shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes—ideally overnight—to develop flavor and make it easier to work with the next day.

For the vegan butter block, take the cold Miyoko’s butter and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll or flatten it into a rectangular block, about 5 x 7 inches, and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.

The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a very lightly floured surface into a large rectangle measuring approximately 12 x 18 inches. Place the cold butter block in the center of the dough, covering about two-thirds of it. Fold one side of the dough over the butter, then fold the other side on top to fully enclose it. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle (about 10 x 20 inches) and then fold it into thirds like a letter for the first fold. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, and after this fold, let it rest overnight before shaping and baking the croissants.

On the following day, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Use a ruler to measure and cut long triangles with a base of 3 inches at the thickest part.

To shape the croissants, start from the wide end of each triangle and roll the dough tightly toward the point to form the classic croissant shape. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Next, let the shaped croissants rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours. To create a warm, humid environment, place a ramekin of boiling water on the tray next to the croissants and cover the tray with plastic wrap. Check their readiness by gently shaking them; they should be puffed up and slightly jiggly. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), and for the wash, mix almond milk, maple syrup, and Just Egg. Lightly brush the croissants with this wash before baking them for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.

For an extra shiny finish, apply a second almond milk wash halfway through the baking time. Finally, allow the croissants to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy these delicious vegan croissants!

Tips

1. Be Patient with Proofing

Proofing is essential to getting the right flaky, airy texture. Adding the ramekin of boiling water under plastic wrap during proofing will create a humid environment, which can speed up the rise, especially if your kitchen is on the cooler side.

2. Handle the Dough Gently

When working with laminated dough, handle it carefully to avoid breaking the butter layers. Over-rolling or pressing too hard could cause the butter to blend into the dough, which reduces flakiness.

3. Chill Time is Key

Refrigerating the dough overnight after folding helps develop flavor and structure, making the layers more pronounced. Don’t skip this step! The dough will also be easier to roll out and shape after the rest.

4. Use Cold Butter

Keep the vegan butter as cold as possible before incorporating it into the dough. This will help create distinct layers when the croissants bake. If the butter starts to soften at any point, place the dough back in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.

5. Triangular Shape for Even Baking

When cutting triangles, aim for a consistent thickness, especially the 3-inch base, to ensure even baking. If the croissants are shaped unevenly, the thinner parts might overbake while the thicker parts stay doughy.

6. Brush Lightly for a Golden Finish

Don’t overdo the almond milk and maple syrup wash. A light, even coat is enough to give the croissants a nice shine and golden color without weighing them down.

7. Keep an Eye on the Oven

Every oven is different, so keep an eye on the croissants as they bake. If you notice they are browning too quickly, you can tent them with foil to prevent burning while the inside continues to bake.

Vegan Croissants (Buttery + Flakey)

These Vegan Croissants are the highest level of goodness. These pastries are buttery, flakey, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Trust me, you'll savor every delicious layer.

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Ingredients

For the dough:

4 cups bread flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoon avocado oil or another neutral oil

For the vegan butter block:

1 cup Miyoko’s butter

For the wash:

2 tablespoon almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
1 tablespoon almond milk

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Dough

Activate the yeast: Warm 1 cup almond milk to lukewarm (about 110°F) and stir in the sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top and let sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.
Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and avocado oil. Mix until a rough dough forms.
Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. If it’s too dry, add a little more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time.
First chill: Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but ideally let it rest overnight to develop more flavor and make it easier to work with the next day.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegan Butter Block

Shape the butter: Place the cold Miyoko’s butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll or flatten it into a rectangular block, about 5 x 7 inches. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use.

Step 3: Laminate the Dough

Roll out the dough: The next day, take the dough out of the fridge. On a very lightly floured surface, roll it into a large rectangle (about 12 x 18 inches).
Add the butter block: Place the cold butter block in the center of the dough, covering about two-thirds of it. Fold one side of the dough over the butter, then fold the other side on top of that to fully enclose the butter.
First fold: Roll the dough into a long rectangle (about 10 x 20 inches), then fold it into thirds like a letter. This is your first fold. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Overnight rest: After the final fold, refrigerate the dough overnight before shaping and baking the croissants.

Step 4: Shape the Croissants

Roll out the dough: The next day, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
Cut triangles: Use a ruler to measure and cut long triangles with a base of 3 inches at the thickest part. This ensures consistent size and shape.
Shape croissants: Starting from the wide end of each triangle, roll the dough tightly toward the point to form the classic croissant shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 5: Proof the Croissants

Proof: Let the shaped croissants rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Place a ramekin of boiling water on the tray next to the croissants, then cover the tray with plastic wrap. The steam from the water will help create a warm, humid environment to encourage rising.
Check readiness: The croissants should be puffed up and slightly jiggly when gently shaken.

Step 6: Apply the Wash and Bake

First wash: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Mix the almond milk, maple syrup, and Just Egg. Lightly brush the croissants with the wash.
Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Halfway through, apply the second almond milk wash for a shinier finish.
Cool: Let the croissants cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Second and third folds: Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, chilling the dough for 30 minutes between each fold.

For more vegan baked goods, check out my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls or my Fudgy Vegan Brownies.