Learn how to make delicious and easy chocolate croissants with this recipe for Pain au Chocolat. Our easy chocolate croissant recipe (Pain au Chocolat) is simple to follow with our step-by-step instructions, enjoy homemade chocolate croissants fresh out of your oven.

My viennoiserie recipe will guide you in making the best homemade chocolate croissants that will end up with twenty-seven layers of buttery flakiness. These chocolate-filled croissants are perfect for breakfast or snacking during the day. You can prepare and bake the pain au chocolat croissant dough on the same day or leave it overnight to bake fresh in the morning.

As a baker, I can tell you that this is the best easy chocolate croissant recipe (Pain au Chocolat). I prepare about 50 dozen of these chocolate croissants daily in my bakery, they’re a favorite amongst my customers, and I’m happy to share my personal Pain au Chocolat recipe with you. This is a traditional French chocolate croissant recipe that I have been preparing for over thirty years. Some adjustments have been to this recipe to simplify the process for home baking.

Here Is Why This is the Best Homemade Pain au Chocolat Recipe

Perfect Flakiness: This easy chocolate croissant recipe (Pain au Chocolat) will give you a perfectly flaky and buttery croissant dough every time, plus combined with chocolate creates a delicious balance of flavor.
Easy to make: I have formatted this chocolate croissant recipe so it can be easily prepared in your home, the recipe includes step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow, even for those who are new to making croissants.
Versatile: I love the versatility of this chocolate-filled croissant recipe, it can be prepared the same or left overnight to be freshly baked for breakfast. You can also adjust the recipe to include different types of chocolate or even add nuts, dried fruits, or other ingredients.

Homemade: One of the benefits of making chocolate croissants at home aside from it being fresh is that you can use better quality ingredients such as chocolates and avoid preservatives and additives that are typically found in store-bought pain au chocolat croissants.
Unique texture and taste: The unique texture and taste of this croissant are second to none. Flaky layers of buttery dough combined with decadent chocolate make these french chocolate viennoiserie pastries one of the best.

Tips And Trick For This Easy Chocolate Croissants Recipe (Pain au Chocolat)

Keep your ingredients cold: It is important to keep the butter and dough cold throughout the entire process. This will ensure that the butter stays in a solid state and does not melt into the dough, which will result in poor flaky layers in the croissants. In my bakery, we temper the butter to 16°C (61°F) before folding and rolling it into the dough. At this temperature, the butter is cold and pliable.

Be patient: Making these chocolate croissants takes time, don’t rush the process, follow my instructions and I promise it will be worth the time and effort you put in.
Roll out the dough evenly: When rolling out the croissant dough, take care to roll it out evenly to ensure that the butter is distributed throughout the dough. This will result in perfect layers and also help to prevent the butter from leaking out during baking.
Use high-quality chocolate: To get the best flavor in your croissants, use high-quality chocolate batons or sticks with 44% cacao. You can also use chocolate bars, use chocolate bars that have a high percentage of cocoa solids.

Don’t rush the rising process: Allow the pan au chocolat croissants to rise for at least 1 1/2-2 hours to ensure that they are fully risen and have a nice fluffy texture. If your proofing at room temperature it may take a bit longer depending on your warm or cold your kitchen is.
Brush croissants with egg wash: Before baking, brush the croissants with an egg wash to give them a nice golden brown color and a glossy finish.
Work on a clean and floured surface: Make sure to work on a clean and floured surface when rolling out the dough to prevent it from sticking and to ensure that it’s easy to handle.

Use a bench scraper: A bench scraper will make it easy to handle the dough, lift it and move it around while rolling it out.
Use a ruler or tape measure: Use a ruler or tape measure to ensure that the dough is rolled out to the correct size and shape before cutting and shaping it into croissants.

Let’s make this Easy Chocolate Croissant Recipe (Pain au Chocolat)!

Ingredients For Chocolate Croissant (Pain au Chocolat)

4 cups all-purpose flour (480 grams)
1 1/4 teaspoon salt (8 grams)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar (50 grams)

3/4 cup water (180 grams)
1/4 cup milk (60 grams)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (7 grams or 0.25 oz -1 packet)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), for laminating
1 egg, (50 grams) beaten, for glazing

24 chocolate batons (3 inches), or 3 chocolate bars chopped or shaved)

How To Make Chocolate Croissants?

Add the flour, salt, sugar, instant yeast, softened butter, water, and milk into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, and attach the hook. Mix the dough on slow speed for 5 minutes, then increase the speed and mix for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is homogenized and developed.
Place the croissant dough into a lightly floured bowl or container, then place it into the refrigerator for 45 minutes. Remove the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out a 14×10-inch rectangle, cover it, and place it into the freezer for 30 minutes. You can also place the dough in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or leave it overnight. Using my freezer method helps to speed up the process, I personally use this method in my bakery.

In the meantime prepare the butter slab. Slice the butter into 3 portions lengthwise and weigh it to make sure it is 220 grams.
Place the butter between a thick plastic or parchment paper, tap it a little bit with the roll pin, then roll it out to a 7X10 inch rectangle. You can also soften the butter using the mixing machine with the paddle attachment by mixing it for a few minutes, then and then spread the butter to size on parchment paper.
Once the butter is shaped into a rectangle, cover it and place it into the refrigerator to chill and set.

On a floured working surface, roll out the dough into a 14×10-inch rectangle. Place the butter slab in the center of the dough, then bring both ends of the dough together by folding it over the butter. Make sure both ends are sealed together.
Turn the dough over, then roll it out to 10X20 inches in length, then fold it into thirds, similar to folding a letter. Cover with plastic and place into the freezer for 30 minutes.
Repeat this process two more times, you will end up with 27 layers. Place the dough into the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour.

Line two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer it onto a lightly floured work surface.
Roll out the croissant dough to a 19X11 inch rectangle, then using a sharp knife or pizza roller trim 1/2 inch from the top, bottom, and sides of the dough, you will end up with a 18X10 inch dough sheet. Discard the dough scrap or refrigerate or freeze it to use in another batch.

Using a measuring tape or ruler, measure and cut each dough piece into 5X3 inch rectangles, you should end up with 12.
To shape the pain au chocolat, face the shorted part of the dough piece towards you and place 1 chocolate baton or cut chocolate pieces about 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the dough, then turn over the bottom side of the dough over the chocolate covering it, add another piece of chocolate against the end of the turned dough. Roll the croissant dough over again until it reached the top edge.
Gently press downwards to seal the seam, then place the pain au chocolat with the seam side down onto the lined baking pan.

Repeat this process until all the rectangles are shaped into pain au chocolate with the chocolate
When placing them on the baking pan make sure to space them apart about 2 1/2 inches.
Cover the baking tray with plastic and allow the croissants to proof at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until they double in size. You can also use your oven as a proofer by adding hot water into a bowl and placing it in the bottom of the oven, this will keep the oven humid allowing you to proof the croissants uncovered. When it is time to preheat the oven, remove them and let them stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes while the oven is heating up.

About 15 minutes prior to the croissants being fully proofed, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Brush the tops of the croissants with egg wash and bake for 18-20 minutes or until they are golden brown in color.
Remove from the oven and allow the pain au chocolat to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to the cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use self-raising flour instead of all-purpose flour for this chocolate croissant recipe?

Unfortunately No, self-raising flour contains baking powder and salt, which will affect the texture and taste of the chocolate croissants. It is best to use all-purpose flour or bread flour for this recipe.

How do I ensure that the butter is distributed evenly throughout the dough?

When rolling out the dough, be sure to roll it while the dough is cold, it will help the butter to evenly spread throughout the dough. Also, take your time and don’t rush while rolling and folding the croissant. dough, which will also help to prevent the butter from leaking out during the laminating process.

Can I use frozen butter instead of chilled butter to make these chocolate croissants?

It is best to use chilled butter in this chocolate croissant recipe as it is easier to roll out and work with. Frozen butter may not be as pliable and may result in uneven layers and tearing in the croissants.

How do I get a nice golden brown color and glossy finish on my pain au chocolate?

Before baking, brush the croissants with an egg wash to give them a nice golden brown color and a glossy finish.

Can I freeze the shaped chocolate croissants before baking them?

This recipe is freezer friendly, you can freeze the shaped croissants before baking them for up to one month. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking them.

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