H3art of the Home

When the baker’s twine pumpkin loaves started showing up everywhere, I loved the shape but kept thinking about what that same trick would look like with croissant dough, where every one of those flaky, buttery layers could show through between the strings. These sourdough croissant pumpkins are what came out of that idea: circles of laminated dough stacked from wide to narrow, tied with baker’s twine after the final proof, and baked into little pumpkins that look like fall decor and pull apart like a croissant.

You make your croissant dough exactly the way you normally would, all the way through lamination, and the only thing that changes is the final rollout and shaping. If you have made croissants before, this is a fun way to put your lamination on display, and if you haven’t, this is a good reason to start.

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How I Landed on This Method

My first thought was to roll croissant dough into balls and tie them the same way people tie bread dough, but rolling laminated dough into a ball buries the layers, which was the entire reason I wanted to do this with croissants in the first place. I also considered rolling the dough up like a cinnamon roll and tying the slices, but that gives you a flat top, and I wanted something round that actually reads as a pumpkin from across the table.

Stacking cut circles solved both problems, since the cut edges stay exposed and a smaller circle on top gives the stack that domed pumpkin taper. Two 2.5 inch circles with a 2 inch circle on top gave me the shape I wanted without the stack getting too tall to hold together.

A few things changed once I started making them. I originally knotted the strings together in the center, but the knot sat under the dough and made the base wobble and bake unevenly, so now I just lay the strings across each other flat. I settled on three strings, which gives you six sections, and I tie them only after the final proof, because tying first squeezes the dough before it has had a chance to rise. I also skip oiling the twine, since the butter in the dough has always been enough to keep it from sticking for me.

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What You Need

Beyond the croissant dough itself, the assembly list is short, and the exact amounts are in the recipe card.

• Laminated croissant dough taken through every fold and ready for the final rollout
• Egg wash made from an egg yolk and a little milk or heavy cream, which glues the circles together and gives the pumpkins their deep golden color
• Baker’s twine cut into 16 inch pieces, three per pumpkin
• Parchment paper cut into 4 x 4 inch squares, one per pumpkin
• Cinnamon sticks and fresh sage for the stems and leaves

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The Dough

These start with my classic sourdough croissant dough, the same recipe and lamination process I teach in my Sourdough Croissant Masterclass and 60 page guide. You follow it exactly as written through every fold and stop when you reach the final rollout, which is where the pumpkin shaping takes over.

If you want something more seasonal, my free Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Croissants recipe uses real pumpkin in the dough and a spiced butter block, and it works for these pumpkins as well. Also check out my Chocolate Peppermint Sourdough Croissant Recipe, for a fun flare to your season. I also have a London Fog Croissant, Apple Cider Croissant, and Champagne Croissant, Eggnog Croissant, and Triple Chocolate Croissant Recipes available for free.

If you still need a starter, my Minimal Waste Sourdough Starter guide walks you through building one from scratch.

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How to Shape Croissant Pumpkins

The final rollout is a rough 10 x 12 inch rectangle, which gives you enough dough to cut all the circles for six pumpkins while keeping the dough thick enough to rise into tall, flaky layers.

Cut the large circles first and keep them as close together as you can, then fit the smaller circles into the spaces that are left. Whatever you do, don’t gather the scraps and roll them out again, because pressing them back together smears the butter into the dough and the lamination is gone. Instead, chop the scraps into pieces, drop them into a small baking dish (tossing them with a little brown sugar and cinnamon if you like), and proof and bake them right alongside the pumpkins for a pull-apart croissant treat.

Before you stack anything, set up the base for each pumpkin by laying three pieces of twine across a parchment square so they cross in the center and the ends fan out evenly like the spokes of a wheel. The parchment and twine stay under the pumpkin through proofing and baking, so you never have to move the shaped dough once it is stacked.

Center the first large circle right over the spot where the strings cross, brush it lightly with egg wash, add the second large circle, brush again, and finish with the small circle on top. The egg wash between the layers is what helps the circles bake into one pumpkin instead of sliding apart, so don’t skip it, but keep a light hand so the layers don’t get soggy.

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Proofing and Tying

The stacks proof untied, covered with a dome lid or a plastic bag tented over a tall object so nothing touches the dough, with a light mist of water before you close them in. Sourdough croissants take their time here, and depending on your kitchen it can be anywhere from 6 to 8 hours or longer.

You are looking for the stacks to grow about 50% larger, which means one and a half times their original size and not doubled, with the layers starting to separate and the dough looking airy and delicate. A gentle poke should leave a slight dent that slowly springs back. Underproofed pumpkins come out dense and won’t puff the way you want, and overproofed ones can slump and lose their shape.

Once they are ready, bring the strings up and over the stack one at a time and tie each one snug but gentle, since you want clear sections without squashing the proofed dough, then gather the loose ends at the top and tie them together. The pumpkins stay right where they proofed on the baking sheet the whole time.

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Baking and Finishing

Right before they go in the oven, brush egg wash on the top of each section between the strings, using a light hand so it doesn’t pool in the creases. A hot oven gives the layers their dramatic puff, and you want to bake them until they are a deep golden brown all over, since pale croissants taste underdone even when they are cooked through.

Snip and pull the twine while the pumpkins are still warm, when it slides out easily, then press a small dip into the center of each top and tuck in half a cinnamon stick for the stem and a sprig of fresh sage for the leaf.

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Yeast Version

The shaping in this post doesn’t depend on sourdough at all, so the same stacking and tying technique works with a yeasted croissant dough. The biggest difference is the final proof, which is usually much shorter with commercial yeast, so go by the same visual cues (about 50% larger, layers separating, airy and delicate) rather than the 6 to 8 hour window written for sourdough. Follow your yeasted croissant recipe through lamination, then pick up with the final rollout here.

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Expert Tips

Most of what makes these work comes down to temperature and patience.

• Keep the dough cold. If the dough warms up while you are cutting and stacking, the butter melts into the dough and you lose the flaky layers, so slide it back into the fridge whenever it starts to feel soft.
• Lay the strings flat. Knotting the strings in the center leaves a lump under the base that makes the pumpkin sit crooked, so just cross them on top of each other.
• Tie after the proof, not before. Tying first squeezes the dough before it rises, and tying a proofed stack gently gives you clean sections without deflating it.
• No oil needed on the twine. The butter in the dough keeps the twine from sticking, though a light coat of oil won’t hurt if you are worried about it.
• Keep the oven door closed early on. Leave the door shut for the first 15 minutes so the oven holds its heat while the layers puff, then start checking at 18 minutes.

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Serving Ideas

These are at their best warm, with salted butter and jam, next to a mug of coffee or warm apple cider. They make a beautiful centerpiece for a fall brunch board or a Thanksgiving morning spread with a few real mini pumpkins scattered around them, and they are just as good beside a bowl of soup for a cozy fall dinner. For a homemade fall table, pair them with my butter candle and you have a centerpiece you can eat.

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Storage

Croissant pumpkins are best the day they are baked, but they keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze the baked pumpkins for up to 1 month, let them thaw at room temperature, and refresh them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes to bring back the crisp, flaky outside.

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FAQ

These are the questions I get most about making croissant pumpkins.

How many croissant pumpkins does one batch of dough make?

One batch of my croissant dough rolled to 10 x 12 inches makes about 6 pumpkins, each built from two 2.5 inch circles and one 2 inch circle, with the scraps going into a small pull-apart dish.

Can I use store bought croissant dough or puff pastry?

I haven’t tested this myself, but store bought croissant dough or puff pastry should work in a pinch. Homemade sourdough croissant dough gives you the best flavor and the most dramatic layers.

Why do the circles need egg wash between them?

The egg wash acts like glue, so the stacked circles bake into one pumpkin instead of separating or sliding as they puff in the oven.

Do I need to oil the baker’s twine?

I never have, since the butter in the croissant dough keeps the twine from sticking, but you can oil it lightly if you want the extra insurance.

Why shouldn’t I knot the twine underneath?

A knot sits under the center of the dough and lifts the base, so the pumpkin sits unevenly and can bake lopsided. Laying the strings across each other flat keeps the base level.

What if I don’t have both cutter sizes?

Any two round cutters about half an inch apart in size will work, and even drinking glasses will do the job. just make sure it has a sharp edge so the layers don’t become compressed. The difference in size is what creates the pumpkin taper.

Can I make these ahead?

These are best shaped, proofed, and baked on the same day you plan to serve them, since the dough needs to stay cold while you shape it and should go into the oven as soon as it is proofed.

Why didn’t my croissant pumpkins puff?

Usually the dough was underproofed or the oven wasn’t fully preheated. Wait for the visual signs of a full proof and give the oven plenty of time to come up to temperature.

What else can I use for the stems?

Pretzel sticks, rosemary sprigs, or a little twist of extra dough all make good stems if you don’t have cinnamon sticks.

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