Almond croissants are a decadent pastry that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Made with buttery croissant dough and filled with a rich almond paste, these pastries have a flaky texture and a sweet, nutty flavor.
They are perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, and they pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.
Whether you’re looking for a special treat or want to impress your guests, almond croissants are a perfect choice. So why not indulge in a little bit of luxury and try these delectable almond croissants today?
This easy almond croissants recipe came about quite serendipitously. I’d requested a few boxes of puff pastry in my last grocery delivery order, not having a specific purpose for it. I just love having my freezer stocked with this super convenient product. At the same time, I just happened to have almond croissants on my brain.
For some reason, I had been remembering the delicious, flaky, frangipane-filled, toasted-almond-topped pastries that Scott and I enjoyed during the seven years that our daughter, Cait, lived in London (yes, the British make EXCELLENT croissants too). I was getting ready to re-test a new blondie recipe (coming up soon!) when the thought hit me: “I wonder if you could make croissants from puff pastry?”.
I knew it wouldn’t be the same as the flaky, multi-layered, laminated dough that classic French (and British) croissant almonds are made from, but I was so intrigued with the idea that I quickly abandoned my blondie project.
Out came the puff pastry as well as butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour to put together an easy frangipane (almond filling). I just had to wait for the puff pastry to thaw a bit. Once it was ready, I simply unfolded the dough (no rolling), cut it into triangles, and covered it with the delicious frangipane (sweet almond cream).
Then it was simply a matter of rolling up the triangles, croissant-style, brushing them with an egg wash (egg and water), and topping them with sliced almonds.
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Almond Croissants
These homemade almond croissants are pure pastry decadence. And I love a flaky and buttery pastry – just check out the pinwheel Danish pastries or the cherry puff pastry turnovers to see for yourself!
And while I can talk all day about flaky pastry, this recipe is more about the almond cream filling. With that filling, these almond croissants are in a league of their own.
They’re Homemade! – There is nothing more rewarding than homemade bakery-style treats.
Extra Flaky Pastry – We should know since these almond croissants are made with day-old buttery and flaky croissants.
Sweet Almond Cream Filling – Anytime you can fill a breakfast pastry with sweet almond cream, I’m in. I loved it so much that I use the leftover dough scraps from the original recipe to make almond cream monkey bread! You can get more from this video.
Almond Croissants Fixings
For The Almond Cream (Frangipane)
- 3 tablespoons very soft butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
For The Croissants
- 17.25- ounce package of purchased puff pastry (2 sheets)
Finishing
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- powdered sugar
How to Make Almond Croissants?
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a 13×18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
For The Frangipane (Almond Cream)
Combine the butter and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together well. Add the egg and extracts. Whisk again until smooth.
Add the almond flour and stir to combine. Add the all-purpose flour and stir again until smooth.
For The Egg Wash
Combine egg and 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl. Stir vigorously with a fork until well combined. Set aside.
For The Almond Croissants
Unfold thawed (but still cold) puff pastry on a work surface. With a dough cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 3 equal-size rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 2 long triangles.
Place all of the triangles with the long end, facing you. Cut a small slit at the wide end of each triangle (this will make it easier to roll up pretty-shaped croissants).
Scoop 2 teaspoons of frangipane onto each triangle. Spread the frangipane over the surface of each triangle.
Add one tablespoon of milk to the leftover frangipane and set aside.
Starting at the wide end, roll the dough into croissants, spreading the dough apart a bit at the wide end as you start to roll.
Repeat this process with the other sheet of puff pastry, then place all of the croissants onto the prepared sheet pan, spacing 1½ inches apart.
Brush each croissant with the egg wash, lightly but covering all of the exposed surfaces.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the diluted frangipane. Sprinkle each croissant with a scant tablespoon of sliced almonds. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until medium golden brown.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow the croissants to cool for 10 minutes then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Put on your French baker’s hat and serve warm or at room temperature. Bon Appétit!
Almond Croissants Note
Day Old Croissants – You can make homemade croissants or use store-bought croissants.
Almond Flour – I prefer almond flour because it is ground finer and without skins. You can use an almond meal instead.
Nut Flours – Other nut flours – like hazelnut or chestnut – would also work! Use different flavor extracts to enhance the selected nut flour. I have also written an article on Best Panko Shrimp Recipe For You.
Using On Day Of Croissants – You can add the almond cream filling the day you make the original croissants.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Scentsy Almond Croissant Bar | $17.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |  | The Almond Croissant | $0.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |  | NATURAL NECTAR Organic Dark Chocolate Biscuits, 5.29 OZ | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |  | Nonni’s THINaddictives Almond Thin Cookies – Pistachio Almond Cookie Thin – Sweet Crunchy & Chewy… | $4.10 | Buy on Amazon |
Almond Croissants Tips
Croissants that are a day or two old are best for this. I like to dry them out overnight, covered with a paper towel.
Use blanched almond flour or almond meal so that there are no dark bits of almond skin in the almond cream filling and topping.
Adjust the recipe based on how many croissants you have. The filling and syrup can easily be scaled up or down. Bake time will remain the same.
Enjoy these croissants warm, and fresh from the oven. This is the benefit of making almond croissants at home – you get to enjoy them at peak deliciousness.
Conclusion
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear others’ results and ideas for variations.
You do not. See above for my recommendation on adding the almond cream to the croissants the day you are making them.
They will! But, isn’t homemade always better?!
I strongly recommend almond flour. It adds texture and flavor.