Chocolate Croissant Cookies Recipe
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Chocolate Croissant Cookies Recipe
What happens when a buttery croissant meets a warm chocolate chunk cookie? You get one of the most tempting homemade treats imaginable. 🍫🥐
These Chocolate Croissant Cookies have crisp, flaky edges, soft buttery layers and little pockets of gooey cookie dough hidden inside. Plenty of chopped chocolate is added between the layers and pressed into the tops, giving them the chunky bakery-style appearance shown in the main article image.
Unlike ordinary cookies, these are kept tall and round by coiling strips of croissant dough inside baking rings or a jumbo muffin tin. This creates the distinctive swirled shape without requiring you to make complicated laminated pastry from scratch.
They are rich, messy, golden and absolutely delicious served slightly warm.
Chocolate Croissant Cookies At A Glance
Makes: 8 large cookies
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 35 minutes
Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
Why You Will Love This Recipe
These croissant cookies look like something from an expensive bakery, but they can be made using ready-made refrigerated croissant dough.
They are:
- Crisp and flaky around the outside
- Soft and gooey through the middle
- Packed with proper chocolate chunks
- Easier than making homemade croissants
- Perfect for sharing with family
- Delicious warm from the oven
- Freezer-friendly once baked
The combination of pastry and cookie dough makes them much richer than a standard chocolate chip cookie, so one large cookie is usually plenty.
The Secret To Making Them Look Like The Image
The cookies in the image are large, round and visibly layered, rather than flat like normal cookies.
To recreate that appearance:
- Cut the croissant dough into long strips.
- Add small pieces of cookie dough along each strip.
- Sprinkle chopped chocolate between the pieces.
- Fold and twist the strip gently.
- Coil it into a loose spiral.
- Bake it inside a metal ring or jumbo muffin tin.
Do not press the spirals flat. Leaving them slightly rough and uneven gives them that homemade, craggy bakery appearance.
Using chopped chocolate instead of tiny chocolate chips also makes a big difference. Larger pieces remain visible and create the melted chocolate pockets seen in the photograph.
Ingredients
For The Cookie Dough Filling
- 50g unsalted butter, softened
- 50g soft light brown sugar
- 25g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 85g plain flour
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- A small pinch of salt
- 80g milk or dark chocolate, roughly chopped
For The Croissant Layers
- 2 packs refrigerated croissant dough, approximately 600g to 700g in total
- 70g additional chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar, optional
- A small pinch of flaky sea salt, optional
Equipment You Will Need
For the best round shape, use:
- Eight 9cm to 10cm metal baking rings
- A large lined baking tray
- A mixing bowl
- Baking paper
A jumbo muffin tin can be used instead of baking rings. Grease it well before adding the dough.
Standard muffin tins may be too small and can prevent the croissant layers from opening properly.
How To Make Chocolate Croissant Cookies
Step 1: Make The Cookie Dough
Place the softened butter, brown sugar and caster sugar in a mixing bowl.
Beat them together until creamy and well combined. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, then mix again.
Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir gently until a soft cookie dough forms.
Fold in the 80g of chopped chocolate.
Divide the cookie dough into eight equal portions. Place them on a plate and refrigerate for approximately 20 minutes. Chilled cookie dough is easier to handle and less likely to completely melt out of the pastry.
Step 2: Prepare The Croissant Dough
Line a large baking tray with baking paper and place the metal rings on top.
Unroll the first pack of croissant dough. If it has perforated triangle markings, gently press the seams together to create one sheet.
Roll it very lightly to make a rough rectangle. Do not roll it too thin because you want to preserve the flaky layers.
Cut the sheet into four long strips. Repeat with the second pack so that you have eight strips in total.
Step 3: Add The Cookie Dough
Take one chilled portion of cookie dough and break it into several small pieces.
Arrange the pieces along the centre of one croissant strip, leaving little gaps between them. Add a few pieces of the reserved chopped chocolate.
Avoid spreading the cookie dough into one thick solid line. Small pieces allow the croissant dough to expand between the filling.
Repeat with the remaining strips.
Step 4: Fold And Twist
Bring the long sides of each croissant strip partly over the filling.
Gently pinch the edges in a few places, but do not seal everything completely. A little exposed cookie dough and chocolate helps create the rustic appearance.
Twist the filled strip two or three times.
Do not twist it tightly because the pastry needs room to puff and separate during baking.
Step 5: Form The Spiral Cookies
Coil each twisted strip into a loose spiral, similar to a cinnamon bun.
Tuck the end underneath and place the spiral inside a baking ring.
Keep the cookie tall rather than pushing it down. Press a few additional chocolate chunks into the top and around the visible folds.
Repeat until all eight cookies are shaped.
Step 6: Chill Before Baking
Place the tray in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes.
This short chilling time firms the butter inside the croissant dough and helps the spirals retain their shape while baking.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C, 170°C fan or 375°F.
Step 7: Add The Egg Wash
Beat the egg with one teaspoon of milk.
Lightly brush the exposed croissant dough with the egg wash. Try not to cover the visible cookie dough too heavily.
Sprinkle a little demerara sugar over the tops for extra crunch, if using.
Step 8: Bake Until Deeply Golden
Bake the chocolate croissant cookies for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
They should be deeply golden, puffed and firm around the outside. The chocolate should be glossy and melted, while the centre should no longer look wet or doughy.
If the tops are browning too quickly, loosely cover the tray with foil for the final five minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool inside their rings for 10 minutes before carefully lifting the rings away.
Finish with a tiny pinch of flaky salt if you enjoy sweet and salty desserts.
Tips For Perfect Croissant Cookies
Keep Everything Cold
Warm croissant dough becomes sticky and difficult to shape. Return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes if it starts feeling soft.
Use Chocolate Chunks
Roughly chopped chocolate produces larger melted pockets and looks much more like the chocolate shown in the article image.
Do Not Overfill Them
Too much cookie dough can prevent the pastry from cooking through. It may also melt out onto the tray.
Use small pieces spread along the strip rather than one large lump.
Leave The Spiral Loose
A tightly wound spiral can remain raw in the centre. Leave small spaces between the folds so hot air can circulate.
Let Them Rest Before Eating
The centre will be extremely hot and soft when the cookies first leave the oven. Resting them for at least 10 to 15 minutes allows the cookie dough to set slightly while keeping the chocolate gooey.
For another very simple family baking idea, try this Ice Cream Bread Recipe:
https://www.livinggreenandfrugally.com/how-to-make-ice-cream-bread/ (Living Green And Frugally)
Easy Chocolate Croissant Cookie Variations
Chocolate Hazelnut
Add one teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread to each strip. Use only a small amount because too much can leak during baking.
Double Chocolate
Add one teaspoon of cocoa powder to the cookie dough and use a mixture of dark and milk chocolate chunks.
Chocolate Orange
Add finely grated orange zest to the cookie dough. Orange works especially well with dark chocolate.
White Chocolate And Cinnamon
Use white chocolate chunks and sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar over the croissant dough before coiling it.
For an oven-free alternative, these No-Bake Coconut Cream Balls are another quick homemade sweet treat:
https://www.livinggreenandfrugally.com/no-bake-coconut-cream-balls/ (Living Green And Frugally)
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Flattening The Dough
These should look like thick pastry spirals, not ordinary flat cookies. Do not press them down before baking.
Skipping The Baking Rings
The rings stop the dough spreading sideways and help create the tall round shape shown in the main image.
Using Too Much Filling
An overloaded centre may remain undercooked while the outside becomes too dark.
Rolling The Croissant Dough Too Thin
Press the seams together gently, but avoid rolling away the layers that create the flaky texture.
Removing Them From The Rings Immediately
The cookies are delicate while hot. Give them around 10 minutes to firm up before removing the rings.
How To Store Chocolate Croissant Cookies
These cookies taste best on the day they are baked.
Once completely cool, place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to two days.
To refresh them, warm them in an oven at 160°C or 320°F for five to seven minutes. This helps crisp the pastry again without making the chocolate burn.
They can also be frozen for up to two months. Wrap each cooled cookie individually and place them inside a freezer-safe container.
Defrost at room temperature, then warm gently in the oven before serving.
For more old-fashioned, budget-friendly baking, save this Poor Man’s Apple Pie Recipe:
https://www.livinggreenandfrugally.com/poor-mans-apple-pie/ (Living Green And Frugally)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shop-bought cookie dough?
Yes. Use approximately 200g to 250g of chilled chocolate chip cookie dough and divide it between the eight pastry strips.
Can I use puff pastry?
You can, although the finished cookies will be crisper and less bread-like. Croissant dough gives a softer, richer centre and better matches the appearance in the image.
Why are my croissant cookies raw in the middle?
They may have been coiled too tightly, overfilled or removed from the oven too soon. Keep the spirals loose and bake until the pastry in the centre looks dry and layered.
Can I make smaller cookies?
Yes, but reduce the baking time. Small versions may need approximately 14 to 18 minutes depending on their thickness.
Do I need metal baking rings?
They create the neatest shape, but a well-greased jumbo muffin tin is a good alternative.
Can I prepare them ahead of time?
The cookie dough filling can be made the day before and kept refrigerated. Shape the croissant cookies shortly before baking so the refrigerated dough remains fresh and easy to handle.
Final Thoughts
These Chocolate Croissant Cookies are the perfect choice when you cannot decide between a flaky pastry and a gooey chocolate cookie.
The combination of chilled cookie dough, croissant layers and generous chocolate chunks creates a warm bakery-style treat that looks every bit as tempting as the cookies in the article image.
The most important step is the shaping. Keep each strip loose, coil it into a tall spiral and bake it inside a ring. That is what gives you the thick, golden, craggy cookies rather than ordinary flat pastries.
They are slightly messy, wonderfully chocolatey and best enjoyed while the middle is still warm. 🍪🥐
For more ideas using useful sweet pantry ingredients, see Things You Can Make With A Can Of Condensed Milk:
https://www.livinggreenandfrugally.com/things-you-can-make-with-a-can-of-condensed-milk/ (Living Green And Frugally)