Prosciutto, Spinach, And Goat Cheese Shortcut Croissants Recipe
There's no denying the allure of a perfect croissant — buttery, flaky, and possibly sweet or savory, the baked good is an absolute staple at bakeries, patisseries, and even grocery stores. As beloved as the pastry may be, many people shy away from making croissants from scratch for fear of messing up the delicate layers or ending up with sad, limp pieces of bread. When done right, however, homemade croissants are simply irresistible — just ask recipe developer Jessica Morone, who brings us this shortcut recipe for prosciutto, spinach, and goat cheese shortcut croissants.
As the name of this recipe suggests, these bad boys are loaded with savory goodness, and that happens to be one of Morone's preferred aspects of the creation. "My absolute favorite thing about these croissants is the combination of flavors and textures that you get," she tells us. "The saltiness of the prosciutto pairs well with the creamy richness of the goat cheese, while the spinach adds a fresh, vibrant, and earthy element to the mix." You'll also find a drizzle of honey within each croissant, providing a subtly sweet contrast that ties the whole thing together. Croissants can be an intimidating pastry to take a swing at, but this shortcut recipe helps lighten the load, making things a little bit easier for both amateur and advanced home pastry chefs alike.
Gather the ingredients for prosciutto, spinach, and goat cheese shortcut croissants
To make the shortcut croissant dough, you'll need lukewarm milk, granulated sugar, a packet of instant yeast, salt, and grated frozen butter. As for the filling, you'll need some olive oil, garlic, spinach, black pepper, prosciutto, goat cheese, and honey. Finally, you'll need a single egg (whisked together with a bit of water) to use as an egg wash.
Step 1: Whisk the yeast mixture
Whisk together lukewarm milk, sugar, yeast, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Step 2: Mix the flour and grated butter
In a large bowl, combine flour and grated butter until just mixed.
Step 3: Combine the yeast and flour mixtures
Add the milk mixture and stir gently until just combined.
Step 4: Form the dough into a square
Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and gently use your hands to press it together into a rough square.
Step 5: Wrap and chill the dough
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Step 6: Roll out the dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle about 3 times longer than it is wide and ½ inch thick. (The dough may feel stiff at first, but it will soon become easier to work with.)
Step 7: Fold the dough
Fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough inward, as if you were folding a letter.
Step 8: Continue rolling and folding the dough, then refrigerate it again
Flip over the dough so the seams are on the bottom, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat the rolling and folding process. Flip and rotate the dough again and repeat the entire process twice more, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 9: Cook the garlic in oil
Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Step 10: Add spinach and seasonings
Add spinach, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and heat until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Step 11: Roll out the dough again
Roll out the croissant dough into a 9x18-inch rectangle.
Step 12: Trim the edges
Trim off the edges to create an even shape.
Step 13: Cut the dough into 4 pieces
Cut the dough into 4 equal, roughly 9x4-inch pieces.
Step 14: Add the fillings
Top each piece of dough with a slice of prosciutto, a small pile of spinach, 1 tablespoon goat cheese, and ½ teaspoon honey.
Step 15: Fold the croissants
Fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough over the filling so they overlap.
Step 16: Let the croissants proof
Place croissants seam side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let proof for 90-120 minutes, until puffy and light.
Step 17: Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Step 18: Whisk the egg wash
In a small bowl, whisk egg and 1 tablespoon water until combined.
Step 19: Brush the croissants with egg wash, and bake
Gently brush the top of each croissant with egg wash, avoiding the edges, then place croissants into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 5 minutes.
Step 20: Reduce the oven temperature and continue baking
Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue baking the croissants for another 15-18 minutes, until evenly golden brown.
Step 21: Cool and serve the croissants
Remove croissants from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
What are shortcut croissants?
Even if you've never made traditional croissants from scratch before, it's pretty easy to imagine the amount of time, effort, and possibly frustration that might go into the process. Though this recipe does require a fair amount of dough-folding, a classic croissant recipe necessitates a significant amount more, which is a big reason why many people avoid making croissants in the first place. "Normally, making croissants requires a lot more time and effort," Morone attests. "They normally require you to roll out the dough, add the butter to the center, then roll and fold the dough many times with periods of refrigeration in between."
It's easy to see why shortcut croissants would be appealing. "This recipe cuts down on the prep time by using frozen grated butter and not having to refrigerate the dough between rolling out the layers," Morone says. Now, just because this is a shortcut recipe doesn't mean that it won't still require some patience — you will have to give the dough plenty of time to rest, proof, and chill, so plan accordingly and set aside an afternoon to bring these shortcut croissants to life.
How do I make sure my croissants turn out flaky?
Even a shortcut recipe leaves some room for error, though Morone has a few crucial tips to ensure that your croissants turn out puffy and perfectly flaky. "The main thing you need to watch for with these is to always keep the dough cold up until the point you add the fillings and then let them proof," she explains. "That is how you get nice flaky layers." She also stresses the importance of allowing the yeast mixture to chill to room temperature before adding it to the other dough ingredients — you need lukewarm water to activate the yeast, but once that's done, give it adequate time to cool down a bit.
Refrigerating the dough in between steps is a surefire way to ensure that it remains nice and chilled, and as Morone advises, "If you feel that the dough is too warm, you can pop it back in the fridge at any point." As a final tidbit of wisdom, Morone assures us that your croissants will still taste delicious even if you make a few missteps along the way: "Even if the dough does end up too warm and your layers don't turn out right, these will still taste like croissants and be delicious, I promise!"
- ½ cup milk, lukewarm
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 ¾ cups bread flour
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen and grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 ounces spinach
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 4 tablespoons goat cheese
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 egg
- Whisk together lukewarm milk, sugar, yeast, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and grated butter until just mixed.
- Add the milk mixture and stir gently until just combined.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and gently use your hands to press it together into a rough square.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle about 3 times longer than it is wide and ½ inch thick. (The dough may feel stiff at first, but it will soon become easier to work with.)
- Fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough inward, as if you were folding a letter.
- Flip over the dough so the seams are on the bottom, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat the rolling and folding process. Flip and rotate the dough again and repeat the entire process twice more, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add spinach, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and heat until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Roll out the croissant dough into a 9x18-inch rectangle.
- Trim off the edges to create an even shape.
- Cut the dough into 4 equal, roughly 9x4-inch pieces.
- Top each piece of dough with a slice of prosciutto, a small pile of spinach, 1 tablespoon goat cheese, and ½ teaspoon honey.
- Fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough over the filling so they overlap.
- Place croissants seam side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let proof for 90-120 minutes, until puffy and light.
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk egg and 1 tablespoon water until combined.
- Gently brush the top of each croissant with egg wash, avoiding the edges, then place croissants into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue baking the croissants for another 15-18 minutes, until evenly golden brown.
- Remove croissants from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
| Calories per Serving | 656 |
| Total Fat | 39.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 135.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 59.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.7 g |
| Total Sugars | 14.2 g |
| Sodium | 514.1 mg |
| Protein | 17.9 g |
