Amaretto Croissants 4.8 ★

How to Make Amaretto Croissants

1. Mix the amaretto dough

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

   Stir in the warm milk, amaretto, almond extract, and softened butter until a shaggy dough forms.

   Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed until smooth and slightly elastic, about 5 to 7 minutes.

   If mixing by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead until smooth and bouncy, about 10 minutes.

   The dough should feel soft but not sticky, so add a little flour only if it clings stubbornly.

2. Let the dough rise and chill

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat.

   Cover the bowl tightly and let the dough rise at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours.

   Gently press out the air, pat the dough into a rough rectangle, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.

   Chill the wrapped dough in the refrigerator until firm but still flexible, about 30 to 45 minutes.

3. Prepare the butter block

   On a sheet of parchment, arrange the cold but pliable butter into a rough square using your hands or a spatula.

   Cover with another sheet of parchment and pound the butter gently with a rolling pin to form an even 8-inch square.

   Peel back the top parchment, square off the edges with your hands, then re-cover the butter and chill it briefly.

   The butter should feel cool and flexible, not brittle or greasy, so adjust the chilling time as needed.

4. Enclose the butter in the dough

   Lightly flour your counter and roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 16 by 10 inches, with even thickness.

   Place the butter square in the center of the dough so its corners point toward the long sides of the rectangle.

   Fold the four corners of dough over the butter to meet in the center and pinch the seams closed.

   Use the rolling pin to gently press across the packet several times, helping the butter spread without breaking through.

5. Give the dough its first turn

   Roll the packet into a long rectangle about 22 by 10 inches, keeping the edges as straight as you can.

   Fold the rectangle into thirds like a letter, bringing one short end in, then folding the other end over it.

   Brush off excess flour as you fold, then wrap the dough in plastic and chill it for 30 to 40 minutes.

6. Complete two more turns

   Repeat the rolling and letter fold twice more, chilling the dough 30 minutes between each turn to keep the butter cool.

   After the final turn, wrap the dough well and chill it for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

7. Shape the croissants

   Line two baking sheets with parchment and set them aside so you are ready to place the shaped croissants.

   On a lightly floured counter, roll the chilled dough into a large rectangle about 24 by 12 inches.

   Trim the edges with a sharp knife or pizza wheel to square them, which helps create clean flaky layers.

   Cut the rectangle into long triangles about 4 inches wide at the base, adjusting as needed for even sizing.

   Make a small 1-inch notch in the center of each base, then gently stretch the triangle to lengthen it slightly.

   Starting at the base, roll each triangle toward the tip, keeping the roll tight but not squashing the layers.

   Curve the ends slightly to form a crescent shape and place each croissant on the prepared baking sheets, tip underneath.

8. Proof the croissants

   Cover the baking sheets loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap to prevent sticking as the croissants rise.

   Let the croissants proof at warm room temperature until puffy and jiggly, about 1½ to 2 hours.

   They should look noticeably larger and feel airy when you gently shake the pan, but not collapse.

   About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.

9. Bake the croissants

   Bake the croissants for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, until deep golden brown and crisp.

   If the tops brown too quickly, move the pans to a lower rack and tent them loosely with foil.

10. Make the amaretto syrup glaze

    While the croissants bake, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.

    Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, then cook for 1 minute.

    Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the amaretto, then let the syrup cool slightly.

11. Glaze and finish with almonds

    As soon as the croissants come out of the oven, brush them generously with the warm amaretto syrup.

    Sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds over the tops while the syrup is still tacky so they adhere well.

    Let the croissants cool on the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to finish cooling.