Easy Air Fryer Homemade Croissant (Print)

Crispy, golden French pastries with buttery layers made effortlessly in your air fryer.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1 packet active dry yeast
05 - 1/2 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg

→ Butter Block

08 - 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter

→ Egg Wash

09 - 1 egg, beaten

# How To Make It:

01 - Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - Combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter, egg, and yeast mixture. Stir until dough forms, then knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
03 - Place cold butter between parchment paper sheets. Pound and roll into a 6x6 inch square. Refrigerate until firm.
04 - On a floured surface, roll chilled dough into a 12x12 inch square. Position butter block in the center and fold dough edges over to completely encase. Seal edges tightly.
05 - Roll dough into a 16x8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter. Rotate 90 degrees, roll out again, and fold once more. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
06 - Repeat the rolling and folding process one additional time. Wrap dough and refrigerate for another 30 minutes to rest.
07 - Roll dough into a 16x10 inch rectangle. Cut into 8 equal triangles. Starting from the wide end, roll each triangle toward the pointed tip to form classic croissant shape.
08 - Arrange croissants on a parchment-lined tray, cover loosely, and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until puffy and doubled in size.
09 - Preheat air fryer to 320°F. Brush risen croissants with beaten egg wash for golden finish.
10 - Place 2-4 croissants in air fryer basket without overcrowding. Cook for 8-10 minutes until deep golden brown and fully cooked. Repeat with remaining batches.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The air fryer creates impossibly flaky layers without the intimidation of a full oven bake
  • You can have fresh, warm croissants on a Tuesday morning without waking up at dawn
  • The dough comes together with basic pantry staples you probably already have
02 -
  • If your butter block breaks through the dough while rolling, patch it with flour and keep going—it still bakes up beautifully
  • The chilling steps aren't optional, they're what keep your butter in separate layers instead of melting into the dough
  • You can freeze shaped, unrisen croissants and bake them directly from frozen—just add 2-3 minutes to the air fry time
03 -
  • Work quickly during the rolling steps—if the butter starts feeling soft or greasy, pop the dough back in the fridge for 15 minutes
  • For chocolate croissants, place a chocolate bar strip at the wide end of each triangle before rolling, tucking the ends under to prevent leakage

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