Gluten Free Croissants Recipe

Why are croissants crescent-shaped?

Traditionally, croissants are indeed crescent-shaped. The name "croissant" is derived from the French word for crescent. The classic shape is achieved by rolling and folding layers of dough to create a crescent or crescent moon shape before baking. This process is what gives croissants their distinctive flaky and layered texture.

And yet… not all croissants in France are necessarily curved. Some bakeries may choose to create straight or straighter variations for various reasons. It could be a matter of personal preference for the baker, a regional tradition, or even a practical consideration in the baking process. I’ve heard from many Parisians that the cured croissant that the US thinks of as croissants, is actually a cheaper pastry made with a blend of fats and not true butter. The most important aspect is often the quality of the ingredients and the skill of the baker in creating the flaky, buttery layers that are characteristic of a good croissant, regardless of the shape.

In essence, the shape of croissants in France, like elsewhere, can vary from one bakery to another, and straight croissants are not uncommon. The crescent shape remains iconic and traditional, but there's room for creativity and individual interpretation in the world of baking. Bake the croissants curved or not curved… they’re just as delicious!

Our ingredients

Of course, traditional croissants are going to be made with wheat flour, but with a celiac at home, we have to change up everything to keep her safe! Our base flour for this recipe is a good gluten-free pizza and bread mix and we use King Arthur’s Bread and Pizza Dough Mix, which you can purchase from Amazon or directly from their Gluten-Free Baking (affiliate link) website or the button above (also an affiliate link). The mix already has a yeast packet included, so if you’re using a different mix or just plain gluten-free baking flour, you’ll need to add that to the recipe (the same goes for xanthan gum).

Butter. Let’s talk a bit about why butter is so important in croissants. Butter is a crucial ingredient in croissants because it plays a central role in creating the pastry's flaky and tender texture. The process of making croissants involves laminating dough, which means folding and layering the dough with butter multiple times. This process creates the numerous thin layers that give croissants their distinctive flakiness.

While you can get the same effect from chilled coconut oil, the flavors won’t quite be the same. If you’re using coconut oil instead of butter, you won’t get that buttery flavor so unique to croissants - but if you want that buttery flavor but not the butter, try spraying your favorite gf and vegan butter-flavored popcorn oil over the top of the croissants as they bake.

Flaxseed meal egg replacer - we use a flaxseed meal egg replacer in this recipe but you can use real eggs if you wish. The result is the same but with eggs, you need to watch the raising time to not leave the raw egg out too long. I know that with the egg replacer, there is no risk of salmonella either. It’s just a personal choice. To make flaxseed meal eggs, you need one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water for each egg. So, in this case, two tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal and six tablespoons of water. Mix the water and flaxseed meal and allow it to sit for 5 minutes so it creates a gel.

Baking soda and gluten-free baking powder add to the fluffiness of the dough while it's cooking and help get the perfect texture, while the applesauce, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar help with the moistness of the dough as well as the texture and flavor. The results of these buttery croissants are truly mouthwatering!

Sea salt (fine-grained) is used to bring out the flavor and also help with the rise of the dough while the water acts as a binder for the mixture along with the eggs or egg replacers.

Now that you know what’s going into your dough, let’s grab that apron and get baking!

Gluten-Free Croissant Recipe:

You will need:

-1 bag King Arthur’s Bread and Pizza Dough Mix

- 1/2 cup warm water

- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

- two flax meal ‘eggs’

-1/4 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon baking soda

-1/4 teaspoon sea salt

-1/2 cup applesauce

-1/2 cup apple juice

-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

-1/2 cup butter or coconut oil (chilled)

-additional gluten-free flour for dusting

• GET YOUR COOKBOOK
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Method:

-First, open the gluten-free pizza and bread mix and take out the yeast. Mix it with the 1/2 cup warm water (mix well with a fork to break up all the bits) and let it stand for 5-10 minutes to activate.

-Mix the pizza mix with all the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and mixed spice.

-Next, add the maple syrup, flaxseed meal eggs, applesauce, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar and mix in well with a wooden spoon. 

-This is where it gets sticky if you’re doing it by hand. If you have a mixer, you can use that and mix it for about 3 minutes with the flat paddle. If it’s too crumbly, you can add a little water or oat/nut milk to moisten it.

-Let it sit for 5 minutes before kneading! This will allow the gluten-free flours to really absorb the moisture it needs and bind better.

-lightly flour your surface/counter for kneading and knead the dough for about five minutes.

-Roll the dough to around 1/2 inch thickness and allow to rise for 40 minutes.

-Now for the fun part! We get to butter the layers. Put two tablespoons of the butter or coconut oil across half of the dough, fold the dough in half, and then roll back down. Repeat this process two more times, then chill the dough for 1/2 an hour.

-Take the dough out and butter/oil again just like before - another three times (or until the dough starts to get sticky. Chilling it keeps it firm and easier to work with). The more layers you can get filled with butter, the better and more flaky the croissant will be. Try to get at least 8 layers, then chill the dough again for at least 2 hours. This process might seem tedious, but it’s worth it in the end.

-Now roll out the dough to 1/8” thickness and cut in triangles (about 3 inches wide at the base and 4 inches long but you don’t need to be precise (you should get about 26 small croissants). Roll the croissants from the wide base towards the tip, then curve them into a crescent moon shape.

 -Lie them on a lightly floured, flat surface and loosely cover them with parchment paper to let them rise again if you want them super puffy (for regular flakiness without a puff, there is no need for a second rise). If your home is warm, they should rise in about 40 minutes, but if cooler, it can take up to 2 hours. You know your home - find the warmest spot away from any pets and stumbling feet and let the dough fill your space with amazing smells.

Baking:

-Preheat oven to 350F place the beignets on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 12-16 minutes or until light golden brown. Once cooked, pull them out of the oven to cool.

ENJOY