Easy Sourdough Croissant Bread Loaf Recipe

Last Updated on July 5, 2025 by Jamie Saechao

Welcome to the easiest recipe for sourdough croissant bread! This mouth-watering loaf is flaky, buttery, and delicious!  

Jump to Recipe

This delicious dough pairs everything my family loves: active sourdough starter, flour, salt, and butter. Combined, they make a sourdough loaf that mimics a croissant! 

I have intentionally made this recipe as easy as possible.  I’m a busy mom, and I love creating sourdough recipes that are simple to make yet impressive.  

Similar recipes: herb sourdough bread, chocolate chip loaf, or jalapeno cheddar bread.

This bread loaf features flaky crust layers and a tender crumb. It’s delicious topped with jam, Nutella, or (dare I say) more butter!

This is not a true croissant, of course: it does not have layered blocks of butter between sheets of dough, nor is it shaped like a crescent. However, it is reminiscent of a croissant in texture and flavor.  

If you like croissants, you will fall in love with this loaf! Its buttery layers, flaky crust, and flavor are irresistible.  Plus, it’s super simple to make.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This bread loaf is easy: I’ve used my beginner’s recipe as the base and incorporated grated butter into the stretch and folds.
• You can increase or decrease the amount of butter you’d like to use based on your experience.
• Hands off: Mix the dough in the evening, let it rise, and bake the next day. 
• You will love this flaky, buttery loaf. It’s decadent and delicious, especially topped with jam or Nutella!
• Stays soft: because of the added butter, this loaf stays soft for 3-4 days.

Ingredients

• 500 grams Bread flour- I like to use organic flour when possible
• 1/2 cup unsalted cold butter (refrigerated or frozen). You will grate the butter before putting it in the dough.
• 350 grams of cold water: cooler water will help prevent the butter from melting
• 60 grams active sourdough starter
• ​1.5 tsp salt

Baker’s Timeline

Here is the timeline I use to make this loaf:

• 1:00 pm:  Feed sourdough starter equal parts flour and water 
• 9:00 pm: Create dough base by mixing flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter. 
• 9:45 pm:  First set of stretch and folds.  Grate half of the butter and add it to the dough.
• 10:15 pm:  Second set of stretch and folds.  Add in the rest of the grated butter. 
• 10:20 pm:  Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let bulk ferment for 7-9 hours at 70 degrees
• 7:00 am:  Shape the dough and place it in a banneton.  Cover and place in the fridge for at least two hours. 
• 9:00 am: Bake in a Dutch oven for 45 minutes.

How To Make Sourdough Croissant Bread

Remember to keep the room temperature around 70 degrees to prevent the butter from melting and making the dough greasy. I like to grate my butter and refrigerate or freeze it before adding it to the dough.

​Feed your starter 6-8 hours before making this recipe.  You want the starter to be active and bubbly when you add it to the dough.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to make this mouth-watering sourdough bread:

Mix Ingredients + Autolyse

Add the flour, water, salt, and active starter to a large bowl. Mix the ingredients together with slightly damp hands or a spatula until a rough ball of dough forms. This is a very soft, pliable dough; it should feel a bit like play dough, but softer. 

Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it sit for 45 minutes to one hour. 

Stretch + Folds And Add Butter

Now, it’s time to do the first set of stretch and folds and add half of the grated butter. To do the stretch and folds, grab one side of the dough and pull it over the top of itself. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and stretch the dough up and over itself again.

Add half of the butter on top of the dough and mix it into the dough during the stretch and folds.  Just pull the dough up and over the butter.

Repeat stretch and folds until the dough forms a tight ball- you will feel it firming up. 

​Cover and let the dough sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes have passed, add the remaining chilled butter and perform another round of stretching and folding. 

​Stretching and folding the dough in this way will help you create structure and give you a beautiful, developed crumb. I only use two sets of stretch and folds in this recipe, and the result is the bread you see pictured, but feel free to add an additional set or two if you desire. 

Cover the dough once again and leave it on the counter for 8-9 hours, or until it has doubled in size. Remember that temperature is key for this butter-laden dough—the ideal temperature is 70 degrees F. 

Bulk Fermentation

Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size and has a few bubbles on the surface. This took about nine hours for me, at a temperature of 70 degrees F. I tend to err on the side of overfermenting the dough just a tad, and the results are spectacular. 

​Shape Dough + Second Ferment

The following day, gently dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Turn the dough over and fold each corner into the center.

To give the dough tension, flip it over, then push the dough lightly with one hand and then pull it in a circular pattern with the other, rotating several times until you can visually see the tension in the top of the dough. 

Place the dough in a lightly floured banneton or large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Chilling the dough is crucial for this recipe: the cold, buttery layers will create flakiness as they bake. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours and up to 24 hours. 

Bake

I keep my baking process very simple. First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

If needed, gently reshape the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Score the bread and place it in a cold Dutch oven. 

Bake for 25 minutes, remove the lid, and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. 

Wait at least one hour before slicing into this golden loaf!

Recipe Tips + Notes

Before you get started, here are some key tips for making this sourdough croissant loaf:

• Temperature is key: Keep the room temperature around 70 degrees F to prevent the butter from melting during bulk fermentation (range 70-71 degrees F).
• For an easier approach, add half the amount of butter. The bread is still just as delicious and a little easier to handle. 
• Add the butter a little during the stretch and fold to disperse it evenly.
• For best results, make sure your butter is cold before adding it to the dough. I like to use frozen butter.
• Use the highest quality butter you can find.
• Make sure to refrigerate the dough for at least two hours before baking. 
• Some of the butter WILL leak out of the bottom of the dough, especially if you use the full stuck of butter.

Variations + Add Ons

• Add in chocolate chips for an even more decadent loaf!  (Recipe coming soon). 
• Toast and slather the slices with strawberry jam or Nutella- seriously, so good!
• Add in raisins and cinnamon for a delicious variation. 
• For a sweeter loaf, add in two tablespoons of honey.
• Add herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano for a savory flavor. 

Storing

Store the bread in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  Because of the added butter, the delicious loaf will stay soft and fresh longer than typical bread. 

If you’d like to freeze it, slice the bread, wrap each individual piece in plastic wrap, and then put them all in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in a toaster when ready to consume.