The Best Keto Croissants

I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself for this recipe. I just made, dare I say it..  The Best Keto Croissants. 

**UPDATE: SEE MY 2021 IMPROVED VERSION: The Best Keto Croissants Recipe 2021**

These are NOT fat head dough. I made them with a flour combination that I've found to work really well in low-carb pastries.

These Keto Croissants are yeast risen and made mainly with, vital wheat gluten, almond flour, coconut flour and oat fiber.

The Best Keto Croissants have beautiful layers, just like real croissants and pull apart exactly how you'd expect. The cold butter and milk is the key to creating these layers along with folding of the dough.

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I am not going to lie, this recipe – as does any croissant recipe – takes a bit of work but I promise these are so worth it! And if you are stuck in quarantine with nothing to do, why not make some delicious croissants to eat later that day!

Now I do want to talk a bit about Vital Wheat gluten. I constantly get asked if it's keto, what it is, where to buy it, etc. So I've written an entire article on it you can see here to learn more.

In summary, vital wheat gluten is the protein found in wheat. It's what creates gluten strands and provides the soft but chewy texture in bread and baked goods. Vital wheat gluten is extracted and separated from the wheat so on it's own, it's only a protein with minimal carbs attached to it. It's perfectly fine on a keto diet if you track the NET carbs in this recipe like anything else but the only people who absolutely should NOT consume it is those with a gluten allergy or who are celiac. 

To be fair, when I created this recipe, I experimented with two types of dough. One was gluten free but unfortunately it didn't hold together well during baking and didn't have the flaky texture the other had, even after following the exact same steps. I will continue to try for those of you who cannot consume gluten! But for now this is the best croissant I could come up with.

If you are gluten-intolerant or celiac I highly recommend you check out croissants made with fat head dough. They aren't quite the same as these but they are still very tasty!

Now back to this recipe..

***UPDATE: SEE MY 2021 IMPROVED VERSION: The Best Keto Croissants 2021***

Ingredients In The Best Keto Croissants:

•  As I mentioned above, Vital Wheat Gluten is necessary for this recipe and cannot be replaced. See this article if you’d like to learn more about it.
• Oat Fiber – This ingredient provides structure to the dough without adding carbs as it’s almost 99% fibre.
• Xanthan gum – a great way to improve elasticity in gluten-free baked goods. It’s used alongside vital wheat gluten to provide the best possible “crust-like” texture. If you do not have this ingredient you can still go ahead with this recipe but I’d recommend it if you can get your hands on it.
• SUGAR – Yes there is a little bit of sugar in this recipe BUT IT IS NECESSARY for this recipe to work. Do not leave it out. The yeast will consume it and it will not affect the nutrition of the final product.
• Almond & Coconut Flour – I use the Kirkland Costco brand of almond flour (I buy it in bulk on Amazon or at Costco itself occasionally) and this brand of coconut flour for this recipe. As I’ve noted in many of my past recipes, the brand of almond and coconut flour can affect the final outcome of the recipe because absorbency can vary depending on how the flour has been processed.

Tools I Used To Create The Best Keto Croissants

• Low Carb Substitution Guide – This is totally optional but if you like my recipes, I now have a $5 guide available with all of the substitutions I use to create every recipe on my site. You can use this to convert old traditional recipes and create new keto recipes! You can purchase it here and/or read more if you are interested. 🙂 I appreciate your support so much guys!
• Nutritional Food Scale – AKA my best friend. This little buddy has been with me for over 4 years and never fails. Perfect measurements and only needs the batteries replaced maybe once a year!
• Non-Stick Rolling Pin – I didn't use this one originally for the recipe but I highly recommend it so you don't have to constantly flour your surface and roll the dough out with wax or parchment paper!
• Wax/Parchment Paper – Makes it easier to roll out dough that's sticking to your rolling pin.
• Saran Wrap – To wrap the dough for chilling

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Can You Freeze The Best Keto Croissants?

Yes! I freeze mine in a Tupperware container between layers of wax paper after baking, once they've cooled. Microwave for 25-30s for a quick breakfast!

OR

You can also freeze them after shaping them before they are left to rise. Freeze them the same way, between layers of wax paper in a Tupperware container. Then when you want to bake them, brush them with the heavy cream and cover them loosely with Saran Wrap. Leave them out for ~4-6 hours or enough time for them to come to room temperature and rise. Then bake them as the recipe states!

Tips For Making The Best Keto Croissants

• When you first form the dough, you want chunks of butter still visible. DON'T OVER-MIX. You want it just blended enough so you can form a rough ball and place it in the fridge. The dough doesn't have to be perfect right away because you'll be rolling it out several times and the butter will eventually become less “chunky” in the dough.
• Your dough should seem a little dry at first but once you get rolling it, the butter chunks should moisten it more. If you find your dough still very dry, you can sprinkle a bit of cold milk on it as needed to add moisture OR alternatively if you find it too wet, sprinkle coconut flour as you are rolling and folding it.
• If you find your dough sticking to your rolling pin or surfaces, make sure to sprinkle some coconut flour on both as needed. You can also roll out your dough with a piece of parchment paper on top to make it a bit easier.
• When folding your dough, turning 90* and folding it again to form layers, make sure the dough stays cold and you don't have it out too long. If you need to, throw it back in the fridge for 5-10min between rolling to keep it chilled.
• Also when it comes to the layers in the dough, you want to fold and roll it out about 4-6 times or until your butter is streaky in your dough and no longer large chunks. Don't fold it more than this or your butter may start to melt!
• To form the croissants, please see the photos! I made 12 smaller croissants because it's easier to work with half the dough at a time, but feel free to make standard size ones.

Other Popular Pastry Recipes I've Made + More From Other Popular Bloggers:

• Keto Strawberry and Cream Cheese Pastry Rolls
• Keto Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies
• Keto Goat Cheese Tartlets
• Keto Cinnamon Rolls Made With Puff Pastry
• Keto Chocolate Cream Cheese Braid
• (The Flakiest!) Keto Pie Crust
• Cloud Bread Cream Cheese Danish

*Please read the tips/notes before making these!*

**UPDATE: SEE MY 2021 IMPROVED VERSION: The Best Keto Croissants Recipe 2021**

*New* Get Your Customized Keto Diet Plan For 1$

The Best Keto Croissants

Serves: 12 small croissants 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 1/2 tbsp vital wheat gluten, 100g
• 1/2 cup almond flour, 60g
• 1/4 cup oat fiber, 28g
• 2 tbsp coconut flour, 14g
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup +1 tsp cold salted butter, 245g
• 3/4 cup cold milk (1% 2% or whole milk is fine)
• additional coconut flour for flouring surface
• heavy cream for brushing

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together all of your dry ingredients, including the yeast.
2. Cut your butter in rough slices about 1/8 inch thick and add them to the flour mixture. Stir a few times to coat the butter, then add your cold milk and stir again just until you get a very rough dough that you can form into a ball.
3. Wrap the dough and place it in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
4. Next on a coconut floured surface roll the dough out into a rectangle as best you can (it's okay if it's a bit rough the first time, just gently push in the edges if pieces separate – also see my tips on rolling the dough if it's dry or sticking).
5. Fold one side of the rectangle inward, then the other until the dough looks like this (see photo). 
6. Turn the dough 90* and Roll the dough out into a rectangle again, pushing down the layers you just formed. Repeat this 4-6 times. (I did it 5 times).
7. Fold once more and then wrap your dough and place it in the fridge to cool for another hour.
8. After chilling, again on a well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a thick rectangle (it will be hard to get it very thin at this point) and cut the dough in half with a sharp knife. Wrap half the dough and place it back in the fridge.
9. Working with half the dough now, roll it out into a rectangle about 1/8th of an inch thick (see photos). Optional, cut the edges off this rectangle with a pizza cutter to make for sharper edges and nicer looking croissants.
10. Now cut the dough into 3 smaller rectangles and then cut those rectangles from one corner to the other to form large, long triangles (see photos).
11. To roll the croissants, take the thickest end and roll it towards the smaller end. I like to pull the smaller end gently over top and pinch it into the dough to make sure the croissant doesn't come un-rolled in the oven (again, see photos). Then pull the ends of the croissant inward slightly to make it a c shape.
12. Repeat this process for the rest of the dough, including the second half in the fridge.
13. Place the rolled croissants on two parchment-lined baking sheets spaced evenly apart and brush them with heavy cream.
14. Lightly cover the croissants with Saran Wrap and let them rise somewhere warm for ~1 1/2 – 2 hours. (They will grow about 1.5x in size). I like to pre-heat my oven to the lowest temperature before-hand and then shut it off and when it's just slightly warm, let them rise there with the door slightly ajar.
15. Once the croissants have risen, pre-heat your oven to 375*F and bake them for ~20min or longer. (* I recommend baking a test croissant to check how long they take in your oven) My oven bakes slow and they took ~25min to be fully cooked. The outsides will brown slightly more than your typical croissants but the insides will remain quite soft. If you're having issues with the outsides baking too fast then you can try lowering your oven temperature to 350*F.
16. Serve the croissants warm or let them cool fully and freeze them following the freezing instructions above for a quick and easy breakfast! I highly recommend serving these with butter and jam! They are delicious.

Nutrition for 1/12 of recipe (1 small croissant): 178 calories | 18.2g fat | 2.2g NET carbs | 7.5g protein | 3.2g fibre

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links

UPDATE: SEE MY 2021 IMPROVED VERSION: The Best Keto Croissants Recipe (2021) AS WELL AS THE VIDEO ABOVE!

Print Recipe

4.20 from 31 votes

The Best Keto Croissants

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Resting and Chilling Time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: French

Keyword: croissants

Servings: 12 small croissants

Calories: 178kcal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup + 1/2 tbsp vital wheat gluten 100g
• 1/2 cup almond flour 60g
• 1/4 cup oat fiber 28g
• 2 tbsp coconut flour 14g
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 1 tsp cold salted butter 245g
• 3/4 cup cold milk 1%, 2% or whole milk is fine
• additional coconut flour for flouring surface
• heavy cream for brushing

Instructions

• In a bowl, mix together all of your dry ingredients, including the yeast.
• Cut your butter in rough slices about 1/8 inch thick and add them to the flour mixture. Stir a few times to coat the butter, then add your cold milk and stir again just until you get a very rough dough that you can form into a ball.
• Wrap the dough and place it in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
• Next on a coconut floured surface roll the dough out into a rectangle as best you can (it's okay if it's a bit rough the first time, just gently push in the edges if pieces separate - also see my tips on rolling the dough if it's dry or sticking).
• Fold one side of the rectangle inward, then the other until the dough looks like this (see photo).
• Turn the dough 90* and Roll the dough out into a rectangle again, pushing down the layers you just formed. Repeat this 4-6 times. (I did it 5 times).
• Fold once more and then wrap your dough and place it in the fridge to cool for another hour.
• After chilling, again on a well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a thick rectangle (it will be hard to get it very thin at this point) and cut the dough in half with a sharp knife. Wrap half the dough and place it back in the fridge.
• Working with half the dough now, roll it out into a rectangle about 1/8th of an inch thick (see photos). Optional, cut the edges off this rectangle with a pizza cutter to make for sharper edges and nicer looking croissants.
• Now cut the dough into 3 smaller rectangles and then cut those rectangles from one corner to the other to form large, long triangles (see photos).
• To roll the croissants, take the thickest end and roll it towards the smaller end. I like to pull the smaller end gently over top and pinch it into the dough to make sure the croissant doesn't come un-rolled in the oven (again, see photos). Then pull the ends of the croissant inward slightly to make it a c shape.
• Repeat this process for the rest of the dough, including the second half in the fridge.
• Place the rolled croissants on two parchment-lined baking sheets spaced evenly apart and brush them with heavy cream.
• Lightly cover the croissants with Saran Wrap and let them rise somewhere warm for ~1 1/2 - 2 hours. (They will grow about 1.5x in size). I like to pre-heat my oven to the lowest temperature before-hand and then shut it off and when it's just slightly warm, let them rise there with the door slightly ajar.
• Once the croissants have risen, pre-heat your oven to 375*F and bake them for ~20min or longer. (* I recommend baking a test croissant to check how long they take in your oven) My oven bakes slow and they took ~25min to be fully cooked. The outsides will brown slightly more than your typical croissants but the insides will remain quite soft. If you're having issues with the outsides baking too fast then you can try lowering your oven temperature to 350*F
• Serve the croissants warm or let them cool fully and freeze them following the freezing instructions above for a quick and easy breakfast! I highly recommend serving these with butter and jam! They are delicious.

Notes

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Canadian Ingredient Links:

• Almond Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Whole Psyllium Husks
• Xanthan Gum
• Vital Wheat Gluten

Tips

• When you first form the dough, you want chunks of butter still visible. DON'T OVER-MIX. You want it just blended enough so you can form a rough ball and place it in the fridge. The dough doesn't have to be perfect right away because you'll be rolling it out several times and the butter will eventually become less "chunky" in the dough.
• Your dough should seem a little dry at first but once you get rolling it, the butter chunks should moisten it more. If you find your dough still very dry, you can sprinkle a bit of cold milk on it as needed to add moisture OR alternatively if you find it too wet, sprinkle coconut flour as you are rolling and folding it. 
• If you find your dough sticking to your rolling pin or surfaces, make sure to sprinkle some coconut flour on both as needed. You can also roll out your dough with a piece of parchment paper on top to make it a bit easier. 
• When folding your dough, turning 90* and folding it again to form layers, make sure the dough stays cold and you don't have it out too long. If you need to, throw it back in the fridge for 5-10min between rolling to keep it chilled. 
• Also when it comes to the layers in the dough, you want to fold and roll it out about 4-6 times or until your butter is streaky in your dough and no longer large chunks. Don't fold it more than this or your butter may start to melt! 
• To form the croissants, please see the photos! I made 12 smaller croissants because it's easier to work with half the dough at a time, but feel free to make standard size ones.

Nutrition

Serving: 1croissant | Fiber: 3.2g | Calories: 178kcal | Fat: 18.2g | Protein: 7.5g | Carbohydrates: 2.2g