Welcome to Week One of Croissant Class! Before we roll a single layer or shape a single croissant, we have to talk about the butter block. Because here is the truth: this one step is where most croissant attempts succeed or fall apart.
I started this class because I was frustrated. I had tried so many croissant recipes and kept running into the same problem. The results just were not what I was looking for. People were promoting recipes left and right, but nobody was talking about the quality of the crumb, the real fermentation time, or the fact that most batches were enormous and completely exhausting to make. I wanted a recipe that was fully sourdough, long fermented, and yielded a beautiful even crumb without breaking your back. I knew that a huge part of the problem was simply the lack of good foundational resources for home bakers. So I built Croissant Class from the ground up, starting right here, with the butter block.
Get your ruler, grab your parchment, and let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
- The Full Croissant Class Series
- What You Need
- How to Fold Your Parchment
- How to Build the Butter Block
- Why You Should Never Beat Your Butter Block
- What Butter to Use for Croissants
- What to Make with Your Croissant Dough
- Watch the Full Video
The Full Croissant Class Series
This post is Week One of a six part series. Each week builds directly on the last, so I recommend working through them in order. Here is the full lineup:
Week One: How to Make a Butter Block (you are here)
Week Two: Locking In Your Butter Block
Week Three: Rolling and Lamination
Week Four: The Single Fold Lamination Method
Week Five: Croissant Final Rollout
Once you have worked through all six weeks, you are ready for the full recipe and guide. I have released my Master Croissant Recipe and Masterclass Guide with everything you need to make the most beautiful, long fermented sourdough croissants of your life.
What You Need
You do not need a lot of equipment for this step, but precision matters here. Get these things together before you start.
Rolling pin
Ruler
Parchment paper, approximately 24 inches in length (see the folding guide below for how to calculate your specific length)
Butter (see the butter section below for what to buy)
How to Fold Your Parchment
Before your butter touches anything, you need a properly sized parchment mold. This is where a lot of people skip ahead and regret it. The parchment creates the shape of your block, so your measurements have to be right.
Here is the formula: multiply your desired block size by three, and that is your parchment length.
An 8 inch butter block needs 24 inches of parchment (8 x 3 = 24)
A 7 inch butter block needs 21 inches of parchment (7 x 3 = 21)
Place your ruler in the center of your parchment sheet and pull one edge up to your inch marker. Crease the fold well.
Flip your ruler upside down and line up your inch marker to the crease you just made.
Fold the other end over and crease firmly so you have a clean, even fold.
Rotate your parchment so it is horizontal. Place your ruler in the center and pull one edge to your required inch mark. Create the fold.
Spin your ruler around and line your creased edge up to the required inch mark.
Fold the final edge over and crease. You now have your parchment butter square.
How to Build the Butter Block
Open your parchment square completely and place your butter in the center. Use enough butter to fill your block size without overpacking.
Fold your parchment back up using the same steps you used to create it.
Flip your package so the flaps and seam are facing down on your work surface.
Now you are ready to roll.
Start with gentle, even pressure using your rolling pin. Do not smash or pound the butter. Push it out toward the edges first, then work toward the corners. Rotate the package as you go to keep the thickness even throughout.
Why You Should Never Beat Your Butter Block
This is one of the most important things I teach in this class. Do not beat your butter block. I see this all the time and it genuinely damages your lamination before you have even started.
Here is what happens when you pound or beat your butter:
It damages the butter’s crystal structure, which leads to uneven lamination throughout your dough.
It creates cracks and tears in your parchment, which means you have to start over.
It causes inconsistent thickness across the block, which creates irregular layers in the finished croissant.
The friction generates heat, and heat is the enemy of butter at this stage. You need it cold and pliable, not warm and soft.
It weakens the butter’s ability to create the steam pockets that give you that signature honeycomb crumb during baking.
Instead, keep things gentle. Work with butter that is properly tempered, meaning cool but pliable. Use even, rolling pressure rather than tapping or hitting. Keep your environment cool and rotate your block as you go to maintain uniform thickness.
The layers you are working so hard to create come entirely from intact, evenly distributed sheets of butter. When the butter is handled correctly, the steam it produces during baking is what pushes those dough layers apart and creates that beautiful open crumb. It is worth slowing down here.
What Butter to Use for Croissants
Butter choice matters more in a croissant than in almost any other bake. You want a high butterfat butter, at least 82% and ideally up to 85%. Higher butterfat means less water, which means better lamination and a flakier finished croissant.
Some of my favorites are Plugra, President, Kirkland New Zealand Grass Fed, and Kerrygold. Unsalted Kerrygold is currently my number one for workability and results.
I have used both salted and unsalted butter (most of the photos on this blog were made using salted butter), but here is why unsalted is the standard recommendation:
Texture. Unsalted butter typically has a lower water content than salted. Less moisture means less risk of gluten forming in the fat layer, which translates to a flakier, lighter final croissant.
Consistency. Salt content varies between brands, so salted butter can behave differently depending on what you buy. Unsalted gives you a more predictable, uniform result.
Freshness. Salt acts as a preservative, which means salted butter can sit longer before use. Unsalted butter is generally fresher, and fresher butter makes better pastry.
That said, if salted high fat butter is what you have, it will still work. Just know what you are working with.
What to Make with Your Croissant Dough
One of the things I am most proud of with my master croissant recipe is how versatile it is. Once you have this technique down, you can use it for so much more than a classic croissant. Here is a glimpse of where this dough can take you:
Chocolate Peppermint Sourdough Croissants
Chocolate Croissant Christmas Trees
London Fog Sourdough Croissants
Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Croissants
Sourdough Croissant Mozzarella Sticks
Sourdough Croissant Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
A good croissant recipe does not just make croissants. It opens up a whole world of laminated dough creations, and that is exactly what we are building here.
Watch the Full Video
If you want to see all of this in action, I have the full butter block video on Instagram. Watching it alongside this post will make every step click into place.
Watch: How to Create a Butter Block
Class dismissed! Head to Week Two: Locking In Your Butter Block when you are ready for the next step.
And if you are ready to dive into the full recipe, grab the Master Croissant Recipe and Masterclass Guide right here.
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