Almond Sourdough Croissants (No Laminating Required!)

Flaky, buttery, and filled with homemade almond cream—these sourdough croissants are so much easier than the traditional method and absolutely worth the wait.

If you've ever tried making traditional croissants, you know the struggle. Laminating butter into dough is no joke, not only is it time consuming and finicky. I've honestly, had my fair share of fails. But these? These are different.

This recipe uses a genius method where you grate cold butter right into the dough during the stretch and fold process. It gives you those beautiful, flaky layers without all the stress of traditional lamination. And filled with that almond cream? My family is obsessed.

I've been working on this recipe for a while now, and after quite a few fails along the way, I really think I've nailed it. These have become a special weekend treat in our house, and I'm so excited to finally share them with you.

Let's make some croissants!

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What You Need

For the Croissant Dough:

• ½ cup active sourdough starter (100g)
• 1¼ cups filtered warm water (300g)
• 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold (8 tablespoons / 113g)

For the Almond Cream Filling:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature (8 tablespoons / 113g)
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar (50g)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (25g)
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon blanched fine almond flour (112g)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (8g)
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

For Topping:

• Sliced almonds
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Equipment:

• Danish whisk or wooden spoon
• Box grater
• Rolling pin
• Pastry cutter
• Lined baking sheet
• Plastic wrap or beeswax wrap
• Clean dish towel

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1: Making the Dough (Day 1)

Step 1: Mix the dough

In a large bowl, combine your active starter, warm water, and salt. Using a Danish whisk, mix until you get a milky substance.

Add your flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a damp towel and let it sit for 1 hour.

Step 2: First stretch and fold

After the hour is up, do your first set of stretch and folds. If you've made artisan sourdough before, this will feel familiar! Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.

Cover with your damp towel again. From here on out, you'll be waiting 30 minutes between each set of stretch and folds.

Step 3: Second stretch and fold + butter

After 30 minutes, here's where the magic happens. Take your cold butter and use a box grater to grate about a third of it (roughly 2–3 tablespoons) directly onto your dough.

Do your stretch and folds right on top of the grated butter. This will start incorporating it into the dough. Cover and wait 30 minutes.

Step 4: Third stretch and fold + butter

Grate another third of your butter onto the dough. Do your stretch and folds. Cover and wait 30 minutes.

Step 5: Fourth stretch and fold + butter

Grate the last third of your butter onto the dough. Do your stretch and folds. Cover and wait 30 minutes.

Step 6: Fifth and final stretch and fold

Do one more set of stretch and folds—no butter this time. This is your fifth stretch and fold total.

Cover with your damp towel and let the dough sit at room temperature for 4 hours.

Step 7: Long ferment

After the 4-hour rise, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and place it in the fridge. You're going to let this do a long ferment for 12–36 hours.

This is where the sourdough works its magic and develops that amazing flavor. I usually make my dough in the evening and then bake the next morning or even the following day.

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Part 2: Making the Almond Cream Filling (Bake Day)

Step 8: Make the filling

The morning you're ready to bake, it's time to make your almond cream filling. Some people call this frangipane or marzipan filling—whatever you call it, it's delicious.

In a bowl, cream together the softened butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy with your whisk.

Add in the almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt, egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy cream. Mix until everything is well combined.

Pop this in the fridge while you roll out your croissants. It's easier to work with when it's slightly chilled.

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Part 3: Shaping the Croissants

Step 9: Roll out the dough

Take your dough out of the fridge and place it on a well-floured surface. Using your hands, shape it into a rough rectangle.

Flour the top of your dough (this is important—otherwise the butter will stick to your rolling pin!) and roll it out into a rectangle about ½ inch thick.

Step 10: Cut into pieces

Using a pastry cutter, cut down the middle lengthwise. Then make 3 cuts on each side, giving you 8 smaller rectangles total.

Step 11: Roll and fill each croissant

Working with one rectangle at a time, use your rolling pin to roll it out even thinner—about ¼ inch thick—both lengthwise and widthwise. Add more flour as needed.

Take your almond cream filling out of the fridge. Spread a thicker layer of filling along both short edges, and a thinner layer throughout the rest of the dough.

Starting from both short ends, roll the dough inward until the two rolls meet in the middle. Flip it over so the seam side is down and place on a lined baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining 7 pieces of dough.

Step 12: Final rise

Cover your shaped croissants with a dish towel and let them rise for about 1 hour. They should look noticeably puffy when ready.

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Part 4: Baking

Step 13: Top and bake

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

With whatever almond cream filling you have left, spread a little on top of each croissant. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Then rotate your pan, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C), and bake for an additional 18–20 minutes, or until beautifully browned on top.

Pro tip: Because of all that butter, these like to brown a lot on the bottom. I place an empty baking sheet on the rack below to act as a buffer—it keeps them from burning and works like a charm!

Step 14: Cool slightly and enjoy

Let the croissants cool for just a few minutes (if you can resist!). Sprinkle some powdered sugar (totally optional) on them and enjoy them warm. They're absolutely incredible fresh out of the oven.

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Storage Tips

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They're best enjoyed fresh, but you can revive them by warming in a 300°F oven for 5–10 minutes.

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature or warm gently in the oven before serving.

Freezer: These freeze really well! Let them cool completely, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. They'll keep for up to 2 months.

• To reheat from frozen, unwrap and bake at 350°F for 10–15 minutes until warmed through and crispy again.

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Troubleshooting Tips

My dough is too sticky to work with. Make sure you're flouring your surface and the top of your dough generously. The butter makes this dough rich, so it needs that flour barrier. If it's really unmanageable, pop it back in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to firm up.

The butter is melting instead of staying in layers. Your butter might be too warm. Make sure you're using cold butter straight from the fridge when grating. Work quickly so it doesn't have time to melt.

My croissants didn't puff up. Make sure your starter was active and bubbly when you started. The 1-hour rise works for me in my climate but remember sourdough is temperature dependent so it may take 2 hours.

The bottoms are burning. Try the empty baking sheet trick! Place one on the rack below your croissants to deflect some of that direct heat.

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Final Thoughts

These almond sourdough croissants have been a labor of love. I won't lie—it took me quite a few tries to get this recipe right. But now that I've figured it out, they're absolutely worth every step.

My family really, really loves these. They're the perfect weekend baking project when you want something a little more special. The grated butter method makes them so much more approachable than traditional laminated croissants, and that almond cream filling takes them over the top.

If you make these, please tag me—I'd love to see how they turn out!