These vegan croissants are a plant-based alternative to classic French croissants that are infused with butter. With their flaky texture, and hint of orange zest and lemon zest, they make a delicious breakfast with a hot cup of coffee.
To make the vegan croissants, you make a dough with flour, yeast, sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, vanilla, plant-based milk, and oil. Then, the dough is set aside to rise before it is shaped into croissants and baked in the oven. With their golden color, they are irresistible to eat when they are hot from the oven!
What are Vegan Croissants?
Croissants are a French-style pastry that are flaky in texture with a buttery flavor. While the classic version includes dairy, this version is plant-based by using plant-based milk and sunflower seed oil. While they don’t have quite the same texture as croissants that have a laminated dough, they are no less delicious and are a wonderful alternative for those who eat a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Pro Tips
- When grating the lemon and orange zest, avoid the white pith which has a bitter flavor.
- Feel free to use your favorite plant-based milk in these croissants such as almond milk, soy milk, or cashew milk.
- Make sure that the yeast you use is fresh before beginning this recipe.
- The milk should be lukewarm but not boiling hot or it will kill the yeast. The ideal temperature for the milk is between 100 F to 110 F (37.7 C to 43.3 C).
- If you find that the dough isn’t rising, try moving it to a warmer location as it could be that your kitchen is too cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can You Make Croissants Vegan?
Croissant dough classically includes butter, but this croissant recipe replaces that with sunflower seed oil and plant-based milk as an alternative.
What Can I Serve With Vegan Croissants?
These vegan croissants would be delicious sliced open and spread with nutella or jam. They are also great used as a base for vegan sandwich fillings.
Can I Make Vegan Croissants Gluten-Free?
Unfortunately, for the croissants to have the correct texture, they can’t be made with gluten-free flour alternatives.
How to Store Vegan Croissants
These vegan croissants should stay fresh stored at room temperature for up to 2 or 3 days.
You can also place them in a sealed bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
How to Make Vegan Croissants
In a bowl, mix the flour with the yeast until combined. Stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest.
In a bowl, mix the flour with the yeast until combined. Stir in the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest.
Gradually add the lukewarm milk to the bowl, first stirring it with a fork and then kneading it by hand.
Gradually add the lukewarm milk to the bowl, first stirring it with a fork and then kneading it by hand.
Once the dough starts coming together, add the sunflower seed oil and continue kneading the mixture until it is smooth, soft, and no longer sticky.
Once the dough starts coming together, add the sunflower seed oil and continue kneading the mixture until it is smooth, soft, and no longer sticky.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, score a cross on the surface, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, score a cross on the surface, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick. Trim the edges to even out the edges before cutting the dough into triangles.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick. Trim the edges to even out the edges before cutting the dough into triangles.
Roll each triangle from the base to the tip to create the classic croissant shape.
Roll each triangle from the base to the tip to create the classic croissant shape.
Arrange the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with a towel and let them rise for 1 hour.
Arrange the croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with a towel and let them rise for 1 hour.
Brush them with milk and bake them in a 356 F (180 C) oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush them with milk and bake them in a 356 F (180 C) oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve immediately!
Serve immediately!
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