There’s something undeniably enchanting about combining the buttery flakiness of a croissant with the tang and tradition of sourdough. This sourdough croissant loaf is a labor of love, layered with intention and indulgence.

This is a project-style bake that was inspired by Noelle Rae from @h3artofthehome on Instagram. It’s ideal for a weekend bake when you have more time, want to enjoy the process and end up with something truly magical.

The Ingredients:

• 500g organic all-purpose flour
• 350g water
• 90g active sourdough starter
• 230g butter (European-style if you can)

The Process (How the Magic Happens):

Start by mixing flour and water until combined, then let the dough rest (autolyse) for about 30 minutes. This gives the flour time to fully hydrate and begin forming gluten naturally.

Next, add your sourdough starter and knead until it’s fully incorporated. Over the next 1.5 hours, perform three fold-and-turns every 30 minutes. Then let the dough rest and rise on the counter in a lightly warm space (I like to use my collapsible Brod and Taylor Proofing Box) for about 6 hours, until doubled in size.

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Meanwhile, the butter gets its moment. I rolled out the butter between sheets of parchment paper folded into a square envelope, then chilled it until I was ready to use it.

After bulk fermentation, I rolled my dough into a rectangle, wrapped it around the butter block, and began the lamination process.

I rolled the dough into a long rectangle, about 6″ by 15″, then fold into thirds and returned to the fridge to chill. I repeated this three times to build flaky, croissant-like layers.

Then comes the fun part: cutting and shaping.
I rolled the laminated dough into a 12”x15” rectangle and cut it into ½-inch strips. This is a tip I picked up from one of Noelle’s videos and let me tell you, it made all the difference. I flipped the strips on their sides so the layers faced upward, gently pressed them together with a rolling pin, and then rolled the entire sheet up to form a striated, spiraled loaf. Next, I place the loaf into a parchment-lined loaf pan, then into the fridge for an overnight cold proof.

The next morning:
I baked the loaf at 425°F for 40-45 minutes, placing a dish of ice cubes in the oven to create steam. The result? A gorgeously golden, pull-apart loaf with all the buttery layers of a croissant and the tangy taste of sourdough.

Let it cool (if you can wait), then slice, toast, or just tear into it. Every bite is a flaky, fragrant spell of its own.

Tips:

• Use good quality butter—it makes all the difference in flavor and layering.
• If your kitchen is cool, bulk fermentation may take a little longer. A proofing box or barely warm oven can help. I love this proofing box from Brod and Taylor because it folds down, making it so much easier to store and doesn’t take up tons of counter space.
• Roll out your dough in a diagonal pattern, from center to corner, to more easily maintain the square shape.