Easy Croissant Rolls

If there’s one bread I absolutely love, it’s croissants. Finding them as gluten free isn’t easy [although there is a place in the Chicagoland suburbs where I can get them!] so making them from scratch is always an option. The next step is finding a good recipe to try out or adapt as gluten free. Thanks to Marnee, the Baron’s lovely mom, the recipe for these Easy Croissant Rolls is perfect. Flaky, buttery and soft, it’s no wonder why the Baron loves these rolls…

I love visiting the Baron’s parents and aside from the great time we have together, the Baron’s mom, Marnee, is a wealth of great recipes. Over the holidays, she prepared these croissant rolls and they were addictingly good. The Baron loves these rolls and Marnee even made it a point to tell me that the Baron would probably love me more if I made these for him on a random day lol. Well after the holidays, I did exactly that and these were delicious not only for breakfast but as an addition to a meal.

When I first made them, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly where I mixed all the flour in at once instead of dividing it as the recipe is written. I moved forward with the recipe and although they came out fine, it wasn’t exactly as soft as the texture should be. So I will need to redeem myself and make these again, following the correct directions. Perhaps I’ll make these by incorporating some herbs and spices to give it a different twist. I also need to make a gluten free batch and see how that fares. Nonetheless, there will be plenty of baking going on and I can assure you that the Baron is quite happy with that!

This was another fantastic recipe made with my favorite butter – Plugra. A special thanks to Plugra for providing me with butter to use this recipe! The buttery flavor definitely came through AND they were flaky, due to all the butter pockets that were worked into the dough. 

Easy Croissant Rolls

recipe from Marnee / Red Star Yeast

NOTE from Marnee:

I got the recipe from a package of Red Star yeast back in the 80’s.  I have gone to their website to look for it and they have updated it.  The online recipe calls for bread flour and it also says to add all of the flour at once.  It does not call for the extra cup of butter to be “cut into” the 4 cups flour.

I’ll bet you could also sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar before rolling them up to make sweet rolls.  You could also add cut up  apples and cinnamon.  The ideas are endless for making the “sweet”.

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 packets (or 1 1/2 tablespoons) yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

3/4 cup evaporated milk or half and half

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 cup PLUGRA butter cold, cut into pieces

Eggwash:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

In large mixer bowl, combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well.  

In a saucepan, heat 1 cup water, milk and ¼ cup butter until warm (120-130º; butter does not need to melt).  Add to flour mixture. Add 1 egg. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed.  Set aside.  

In a large bowl, cut 1 cup firm butter into remaining 4 cups flour until butter particles are the size of large peas.  Marnee sometimes uses the food processor to cut the butter into the flour, which makes it easier. You can even use a pastry cutter as well. Pour the yeast mixture over flour-butter mixture and fold in until all flour is moistened.  Transfer the mixture in a lightly greased bowl.  Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to several days.

Place the chilled dough on floured surface, knead about 6 times to release air bubbles. Divide into 4 parts and roll each fourth to a 14-inch circle. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into ten pie-shapes wedges. Starting with the wide edges, roll each wedge toward the point.  Place on lightly greased cookie sheets, point side down, and curve into croissants.  Cover; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water for egg wash. Brush the tops of the croissants with eggwash. 

Bake croissants in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until light golden brown.  Cool on racks.