Hi, friend! I’m Bethany from Santa Rosa, and this sourdough croissant bread is my ultimate love letter to artisan baking. One foggy morning, I stared at my leftover levain and cold butter and thought, Why not blend the best of both worlds? What came out of the oven that day was a layered, flaky, tangy masterpiece.
This loaf doesn’t just fill your kitchen with a heavenly aroma—it fills your soul with warmth. With every slice, you get chewy sourdough texture layered with buttery bliss. Let me show you how to make your new favorite bread.
Table of Contents
On the page:
💛 Why Sourdough Croissant Bread Is a Game-Changer
✨ A Hybrid Like No Other
If traditional sourdough had a pastry cousin, it would be sourdough croissant bread. It’s not quite laminated like croissants, but it borrows that magic through cold grated butter, gentle folds, and slow fermentation.
🧈 Flaky, Tangy, and Foolproof
This isn’t your average loaf. By incorporating butter during stretch-and-folds, you create flaky layers that mimic a croissant—without all the fuss. That’s what makes sourdough croissant bread irresistible: chewy interior, golden crust, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
🍽 Great for Any Meal
From sweet spreads to savory toppings, sourdough croissant bread works all day long. I love mine with brie and honey or lightly toasted for avocado toast. It even makes next-level grilled cheese.
PS: Pair it with my Moist Biscoff Cake or Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls for a cozy bakery vibe at home.
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Sourdough Croissant Bread
- Total Time: 1 day 1 hour
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Description
A flaky, tangy fusion of croissant layers and naturally leavened sourdough
Ingredients
Levain (1:10:10 ratio, 10-12 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
6 grams sourdough starter ripe, bubbly and active , about 1 teaspoon
60 grams all-purpose or bread flour, about 1/2 cup
60 grams water, about 1/4 cup
Sourdough Croissant Bread
120 grams levain, ripe, bubbly and active , about ½ cup, see recipe notes
340 grams water, about 1 cup plus 6 Tablespoons
10 grams salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons
500 grams bread flour, about 3 1/2 cups
113 grams unsalted butter, about 1/2 cup
Instructions
Levain (1:10:10 ratio, 10-12 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
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Mix together ripe/active sourdough starter with all-purpose or bread flour and water. Cover loosely and let sit 10-12 hours at 78-80°F until doubled, bubbly & peaked.
Note: If you have a ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter that is fed equal parts flour and water – it can be substituted equally for the levain in this recipe.
Sourdough Croissant Bread (Dough temperature kept at 70-72ºF)
- Mix Dough: To a large bowl, mix together ripe levain with water. Add salt and bread flour. Mix together using a dough whisk or spoon until a wet and sticky dough forms and the ingredients are fully combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Note: This dough is very sensitive to temperature. It’s important to maintain a temperature where the dough will rise AND the butter stays chilled and flaky. I’ve found a 70-72ºF temperature to work well. I wouldn’t go above 75ºF for this recipe or the butter will get too soft. To do this, use cooler water when mixing your dough and take the temperature with a thermometer throughout the process. - Stretch and Folds: After the dough has rested, you will perform a series of “stretch and folds” over the next 1 ½ hours. The goal is to strengthen the dough through a gentle kneading process. You will also add cold butter into the dough during this process which will be evenly dispersed throughout the dough through the folds. To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach around the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, pull the dough up and over and place it on top of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more quarter turn, stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside. Take note of how the dough feels through this process. It will go from feeling a little shaggy to smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and wait about 30 minutes in between stretch and folds.
- Stretch and fold #1: After 30 minutes, perform your first set of stretch and folds. Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #2: After 30 minutes, grate the cold butter. Put half of the grated butter on top of the dough. The other half of the butter should be placed in the refrigerator to chill until the next set of folds. Stretch and fold the dough again, incorporating the flakes of butter into the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #3: 30 minutes later, add the rest of the butter to the top of the dough. Stretch and fold again. The butter will continue dispersing throughout the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #4: After 30 minutes do your final set of stretch and folds. You should notice the dough feeling more cohesive and strong. If your dough still feels loose, add in another couple stretch and folds to help strengthen and tighten the gluten strands.
- Rest: Cover the dough and let rise for 6-7 more hours. You will know the dough is ready to shape when the dough has risen about 70%, jiggles when you shake the bowl and has scattered bubbles visible on the sides and top.
Note: This is different than my traditional sourdough loaf because we are working at lower temperatures to keep the butter colder. - Pre-shape: Tip the bowl upside down, allowing the dough to fall onto a clean counter surface. Be gentle to avoid degassing the dough as much as possible. Wet your hands and the bench knife if needed and push the bench knife under the dough on one side and your free hand on the other side to tuck the dough under itself. The goal is to introduce some tension into the dough. Repeat this process, going around in a circle until you have a ball of dough.
- Bench Rest: Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough will flatten a little as it sits. This allows the gluten in the dough to relax and prepares the dough to be shaped.
- Shaping: Prepare a bowl or banneton. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in the bowl and liberally flour as needed. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Using a bench knife, lift the dough up off the counter and place it on top of the countertop – floured side down. This ensures that the flour is staying mainly on the outside of the dough.
Going around in a circle, pull the dough sideways towards you and then fold up to the top of the round. Move 90 degrees and repeat the same process pulling the dough sideways and then folding up to the top. As you continue this process around the dough, increase the tension as you pull. Gather the bread into a circle and place into a lined bowl.
Note: It is possible to shape the dough without any extra flour. The dough can stick to the kitchen towel but doesn’t stick to the hair nets if cold proofed. - Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough with the tea towel/shower cap/plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 12-18 hours.
If you want to bake the same day, you can let the dough rise for about 2-3 hours until puffed up and risen. Chill the loaf in the refrigerator for an hour or two – or stick in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to chill the butter in the dough before baking. - Preheat the oven: Put a Dutch oven (top and all) into the oven and preheat to 450°F for 20 minutes. You are working with high temperatures, so make sure you have some good hot pads. Once preheated for 20 minutes, pull the loaf out of the refrigerator. Remove the covering. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Flip the dough over so it is now sitting on the parchment paper. Take off the bowl/banneton and the kitchen towel.
- Scoring: Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough. Take the bread lame and score on one side of the dough, at a shallow angle about 30º and 1 inch deep. Score straight from the refrigerator on the cold dough for best results.
- Baking: Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the 450°F oven. Take the lid off and place your bread into the Dutch oven (including parchment paper – this helps with the transfer). Put the lid on and put back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven and continue baking for 20 minutes until the bread is baked through and reaches 195-200ºF temperature. Remove the Dutch oven and let the bread cool on a baking rack. Enjoy!
Note: Butter will leak out of the dough as it bakes at these high temperatures. It gives a buttery, crispy crust that is delicious – make sure you use parchment paper on the bottom of the pot so it doesn’t make a mess everywhere.
Notes
Temperature: This dough is very sensitive to temperature because you are trying to accomplish two things – keeping the butter in flaky chunks AND a temperature where the sourdough will rise well. I’ve found a 70-72ºF temperature to work best. I would not go above 75ºF for this recipe or the butter will get too soft. To maintain this temperature, use cooler water when mixing your dough and take the temperature with a thermometer throughout the process. If the dough gets too warm, stick it in the refrigerator to help cool it down a little bit – re-testing with a thermometer and pulling it back out once it reaches the 70ºF temperature range to continue rising. It may take a little back and forth with the fridge to maintain the proper temperature.
Levain: Equal weights of ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain in this recipe.
Butter: I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter if you prefer. You can use either American or European style butter. Both work well. Also note that a little bit of butter will leak out of the dough when it bakes. If you have a lot of butter leakage – most likely the butter was not incorporated properly or your loaf was not properly proofed. Use parchment paper and a Dutch oven for best results in containing it.
Note: If you want to add an autolyse or fermentolyse to this dough and some vigorous mixing – it will only increase the strength and gluten network in the dough. I use these processes in my Classic Sourdough Bread and they also work well in this loaf. I didn’t include them in the recipe steps because this loaf is already fairly complicated with monitoring temperature and bulk fermentation and I wanted to keep the recipe approachable for most bakers.
Chocolate Chips: If you want to add chocolate chips to this loaf (it’s delicious!), add 200 grams of chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet) to the top of the dough right before the 4th stretch and fold. Stretch and fold the chocolate chips into the dough. Cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. Add a 5th set of stretch and folds, incorporating the chocolate chips even more. Proceed with the recipe as outlined. This gives even distribution throughout the dough and makes for a delicious pain au chocolate-style croissant loaf.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Sourdough
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Croissant bread
- Calories: 227 kcal
- Sodium: 326mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 44mg
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
🔧 Ingredients + Step-by-Step Method
Let’s Build That Levain
This loaf begins with a 1:10:10 levain, which ferments for 10–12 hours. You can also use 120g of bubbly starter if you’re short on time. Either way, this is the base of your sourdough croissant bread.
Cold Butter is Key
Grating and adding 113g unsalted butter in two stages helps mimic lamination. That’s where the croissant texture comes in—making this more than just a sourdough.
Keep your dough between 70–72ºF. This ensures your sourdough croissant bread will rise without melting the butter.
👩🍳 Stretch & Folds = Structure
Do four stretch-and-folds over 90 minutes. You’ll add half the butter in the second fold, the rest in the third. By the final fold, you’ll feel your dough becoming elastic and strong—perfect for this hybrid bake.
Explore more textures in my Cake and Pops post—they’re soft, chewy, and a sweet contrast to this flaky loaf.
🔥 Baking, Storage & Creative Twists
🔪 Scoring and Dutch Oven Magic
After an overnight cold ferment, score your dough cold—this helps control the expansion. Bake your sourdough croissant bread in a Dutch oven with the lid on for 25 minutes, then off for 20 more. You’re aiming for a temp of 200ºF inside.
🍫 Want to Add Some Fun?
This recipe is versatile. Try chocolate chips (200g), almond paste, cinnamon sugar, or even cheddar. These variations keep the croissant feel while personalizing your sourdough croissant bread.
🧊 Freezer-Friendly & Toast-Perfect
Slice and freeze leftovers, then toast straight from frozen. This makes sourdough croissant bread ideal for quick breakfasts or late-night snacking.
For more recipes like Cake and Pops make sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest
What is croissant sourdough bread?
It’s the brilliant combo of sourdough fermentation and croissant layering—but made without lamination. Butter is incorporated via stretch-and-folds for a flaky, tangy result.
Are sourdough croissants healthy?
Sourdough croissants (and croissant-style sourdough loaves) have the benefits of long fermentation: improved digestibility, lower glycemic impact, and better nutrient absorption. They’re still indulgent—but definitely a smarter choice!
Why is sourdough bread not fattening?
Sourdough bread typically has fewer additives, and its slow fermentation pre-digests some carbs and gluten. When eaten in moderation, it helps with blood sugar regulation and satiety.
Is it OK to toast sourdough bread?
Absolutely. In fact, this loaf was born to be toasted. The butter in the dough creates a crisp, golden edge and a warm, fluffy center that’s impossible to resist.
