Chocolate Croissant Recipe

You don't need a pastry degree to dish out a batch of gorgeously golden, flaky croissants, oozing with warm chocolate goodness. This short-cut Chocolate Croissant Recipe will lend your kitchen major gourmet bakery vibes without any of the stress.

After running an at-home bakery for years and spending well over a decade testing scratch-made recipes, I've learned what recipes are worth the homemade effort and when it's time to call in reinforcements from the frozen aisle.

I'm not about that 12-hour laminated dough drama, and if you don't have that kind of time to spend in the kitchen, you might want to pass on it too. But that doesn't mean we can't make a-maz-ing homemade chocolate croissants that are pure, unadulterated flaky, buttery, chocolatey perfection. All you need is frozen puff pastry, high-quality chocolate, and this recipe.

It's a chocolate lover's dream—great for snack time, breakfast, or brunch.

Why This Recipe Works

Crafted for Ease | There's nothing I love more than taking a fancy French pastry, like Pain au Chocolat, and transforming it into an easy, approachable, and foolproof masterpiece for my fellow homemade bakers. If you don't have time to grind over a 12-hour, from-scratch laminated dough, look no further than puff pastry.

Ready-Made Dough | Store-bought puff pastry is my secret weapon when I want all the thin, buttery, crispy layers of croissant dough without the hassle. I use this in tons of TAK recipes around here, including brunch-time winner, easy cinnamon swirls, the Tex-Mex dessert queen, sopapilla cheesecake, and even savory appetizers like bacon and cheddar pinwheels.

Choice of Chocolate | Rather than using chocolate chips as you would for cookies, grab yourself a high-quality chocolate bar. Chocolate chips make the rolling process more complicated than it needs to be. Also, with a chocolate bar, you can better customize your desired level of chocolatiness. The depth of chocolate flavor is indicated by cocoa percentages on high-quality chocolate bars, like Ghirardelli or Lindt.

• If you prefer the flavor of bitter, rich, dark chocolate, go with 60-80% cocoa.
• If you like the sweet, mild flavor of milk chocolate, go with 20-35% cocoa.
• If you fall somewhere in between, semi-sweet might be where it's at for you. Look for 35-60% cocoa might be your best best.

Pro Tip | The chocolate is going to be loud and clear in this recipe, so be sure to choose wisely! You'll likely be able to find chocolate bars for this recipe both in the baking aisle of your grocery store or the candy aisle.

How to Make Chocolate Croissants

Cut Chocolate Bar | Grab a sharp knife and slice each chocolate bar into eight short, thick sticks—just under ½ inch wide. If some break, no worries! They’ll still melt into delicious, chocolatey goodness. Set them aside until you're ready to bake!

Flour + Shape Puff Pastry | Lay out a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, then give it a little sprinkle of flour on top. Then, roll it out into a nice 9x13-inch rectangle (doesn't need to be perfect), then slice it longways into four even strips.

Make Egg Wash | In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Set aside.

Roll + Add Chocolate | Take a piece of chocolate and nestle it about ½ inch from the short edge of your puff pastry strip. Then, roll it up snugly, tucking that chocolate in like a cozy little blanket. Add another piece of chocolate (because more chocolate is never wrong) and keep rolling gently -- but still snug and slightly tight -- until you’ve got about an inch of pastry left. Brush that edge with egg wash, finish the roll, and give the seam a little pinch to seal in all that chocolatiness. Place it seam-side down on your baking sheet, and get ready for golden, flaky perfection!

Repeat Process | Repeat this step with the remaining puff pastry strips, then repeat the entire process with the remaining puff pastry sheet. You should end up with eight chocolate croissants.

Transfer to Baking Sheet | Arrange the chocolate croissants three inches apart on your baking sheet. Then, lightly brush the tops and sides with egg wash.

Bake | Bake for 15-17 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Remove from Oven + Serve | Remove from the oven and, if desired, dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Making, Storing, and Freezing

• Make-Ahead | Puff pastry can be thawed in the fridge overnight, so it's ready to use when you need it. If you'd like to get the prep done ahead so that you can bake them just as your guests are arriving, chocolate croissants can be assembled (without the egg wash topping) up to a day in advance and kept the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. Add egg wash before baking - -- this can also be made in advance, covered, and refrigerated. You may need to add an extra two to three minutes if the chocolate croissants go in the oven ice cold.
• Store | Croissants are definitely best hot and crispy, warm out of the oven, but if you end up with leftovers, keep in airtight container at room temp for up to three days.
• Freeze | If you'd like to keep chocolate croissants for any longer than two to three days, freeze them. To freeze, wrap in a double layer of wax paper, place in a freezer-safe zip top bag, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

What to Serve with Chocolate Croissants

Eggs | If you're serving up these chocolate croissants and want a savory counterpart to go with them, try easy baked eggs or eggs Florentine. Both options would be delicious, elevated additions to your spread. Ham and cheese quiche also keeps in line with the high-end bakery vibes homemade croissants bring to the table but adds some protein to the mix. We're talking major French café feels with this combo!

Salad | Round out the menu with fruity, sweet strawberry spinach salad or our elegant pear and walnut salad. Both of these options are as delicious as they are beautiful. You can 100% count on them to make a gorgeous addition on the table next to your croissants.

More Baked Goods | If you want to match the uppity feel of a croissant without adding too much extra work to your plate, made ahead, hand-held treats are where it's at. Strawberry scones are perfect, have just the right amount of sweetness, and look incredible on a brunch spread next to a vibrant-colored jam. Another easy, handheld treat that guests go nuts for: baked donuts. Top them with a glaze, roll them in powdered sugar, or coat with a cinnamon-sugar. There's no wrong way to serve a donut at brunch!