PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD: Gluten-Free Chocolate Croissants
These homemade gluten-free chocolate croissants feature laminated dough, buttery, flaky layers, and a rich chocolate filling for a bakery-style pastry that's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Servings: 14 croissants
Calories: 210kcal
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp. gluten-free cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp. gluten-free cream cheese
- 8 Tbsp. softened butter
- 8 Tbsp. frozen butter, grated
- 1-2 large Eggs (plus additional egg for egg wash, if needed)
- 1 cup gluten-free flour mix
- 2 Tbsp. sweet rice flour, plus about 1 cup extra for rolling
- 1½ Tbsp. sugar
- ¾ tsp Baking soda
- 1½ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup chocolate chips or a chocolate bar, chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- Cream the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cottage cheese, cream cheese, and softened butter for 3–4 minutes until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
- Make the Dough: Add the sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, xanthan gum, gluten-free flour mix, and sweet rice flour. Mix for another 3–4 minutes until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a thick disk, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare the Butter: Grate the frozen butter and keep it cold. Sprinkle a generous amount of sweet rice flour onto a large sheet of parchment paper.
- Roll and Laminate the Dough: Divide the dough into four portions, returning three portions to the refrigerator. Flatten one portion into a disk, dust with sweet rice flour, cover with another sheet of parchment paper, and roll to about ⅛ inch thick.
- Fold in the Butter: Scatter grated butter over the center of the dough. Fold one side over the butter, add another layer of grated butter, then fold the remaining side over the top. Dust generously with sweet rice flour and repeat the rolling and folding process two more times.
- Cut and Fill the Croissants: After the final roll, keep the dough as thin as possible. Cut it in half, then divide each half into four large triangles using a pizza cutter. Place ¾ cup of chocolate on the wide end of each triangle and roll tightly toward the tip to form a crescent.
- Brush and Chill: Brush each croissant with beaten egg to seal the dough and encourage even browning. Repeat with the remaining dough, then refrigerate the shaped croissants until ready to bake.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 18–22 minutes, or until the croissants are puffed and golden brown.
- Cool and Decorate: Transfer the croissants to a wire rack to cool completely. Melt ¼ cup of chocolate according to the package directions, place it in a plastic sandwich bag, snip a small corner, and drizzle over the croissants. Alternatively, top with almonds, powdered sugar, and baked meringue if desired.
Notes
- Keep both the dough and the butter as cold as possible throughout the lamination process.
- Work with one portion of dough at a time while keeping the remaining dough refrigerated.
- Dust generously with sweet rice flour to prevent sticking without adding excess gluten-free flour.
- Use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor and smoother melting.
- Refrigerate the shaped croissants for 10–15 minutes before baking if the butter begins to soften.
- The exterior is deep golden brown.
- The layers look visibly puffed and flaky.
- The bottoms are lightly browned and crisp.
- Some melted chocolate may be visible, but the butter should not pool excessively on the baking sheet.
- The pastries feel light for their size and sound slightly hollow when tapped underneath.
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 5 days and reheat in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes.
- Freezer: Freeze baked croissants for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make Ahead: Prepare and shape the croissants one day ahead, refrigerate overnight, and bake fresh the next morning.
Nutrition
Serving: 14 croissants | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 180mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 0.8mg
