Easy Pain au Chocolat

Three pain au chocolat stacked on a wooden serving board.

5 stars (1 rating)

Pain au Chocolat, aka: chocolate croissants! This simplified recipe is so much easier! Flaky, buttery pastry wrapped around rich chocolate.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Resting Time:4

Total Time4 50

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chocolate croissant, chocolate croissant recipe, pain au chocolat, pain au chocolat recipe, pain au chocolate

Servings: pastries

Calories: 342kcal

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or two 1/4-ounce packets)
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cold (2 1/2 sticks)
1 cup milk (add up to 1/4 more if needed)
egg wash (1 large egg beaten with a teaspoon or two of water)
30 chocolate batons
powdered sugar (optional garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and whisk together until combined.
Slice the butter into 1/8-inch thick slices and toss in the flour mixture to coat.
Add the milk and stir together until a shaggy dough forms (bear in mind that the dough will become more moist as it rests).
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle shape.
Fold it into thirds (like a letter), turn 90 degrees, and repeat 4 to 6 more times, or until the dough has large streaks of butter in it but it is smooth and flat. (If at any point the butter starts to feel soft, chill it in the refrigerator or freezer until stiff.)
Wrap tightly and chill for 1 more hour, then roll it out to a rough square shape (approx. 17-inches wide by 17-inches long).
Trim off any uneven edges and cut the dough into 15 rectangles (about 5-inches by 3-inches).
Place one chocolate baton at the short end of each rectangle, then begin rolling the dough around the chocolate.
Place another chocolate baton about 1 1/2-inches from the other short end of the rectangle, and continue to roll, tucking the seam on the underside of the unbaked croissant.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and allow to proof until doubled in size (1 to 2 hours).*
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and gently brush the croissants with egg wash.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and flaky.
Dust with powdered sugar (optional).

Notes

*For overnight pain au chocolat, refrigerate the shaped croissants for up to 42 hours, then let rise at room temperature and bake.

Nutrition