Can You Freeze Croissants? A Pastry Chef Weighs In

Flaky, buttery croissants are best fresh from the bakery—or straight out of your oven, if you’re so inclined to make the classic French pastry from scratch. But in the event you wind up with a bag of leftover croissants, what’s the best way to maintain their freshness so they can be enjoyed at a later date?

Like many other baked goods, including loaf breads (beloved banana or zucchini), muffins, or scones, croissants can also be frozen. That’s right. You can freeze croissants and have something to break out for company or for your family on a relaxing Sunday morning the next time the craving for a delicious French pastry strikes.

Is It Ok To Freeze Croissants?

Yes, you can freeze croissants. You can freeze whole, fully baked and ready-to-eat croissants, and you can also freeze croissant dough.

Elisa Lyew, CEO and executive chef of Elisa’s Love Bites Dessert Atelier in New York, says store or bakery-purchased croissants should be frozen as soon as possible. They will fare better if frozen the same day as you bought them as opposed to the next day when they’ve already lost some of their freshness.

“Home-baked croissants may be frozen at two different stages,” says Lyew. The first is after shaping but before proofing. “If frozen after shaping, they should be thawed at room temperature and allowed to proof for two hours before baking,” says Lyew, adding that this “trick allows you to prep ahead and keep croissants ready to bake as needed.”

How To Freeze Croissants

• Make sure they are fully cooled. Whether your croissants have just come out of your oven or from the local bakery, you’ll want to make sure they are fully cooled before freezing. “Freezing while still warm can cause condensation, which can result in soggy croissants,” says Lyew. 
• Wrap them extra-tight. For best results, wrap croissants individually. Wrap each pastry tightly in plastic wrap or place in a freezer bag with a tight seal, making sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible, advises Lyew. If you’re first wrapping croissants in plastic, you can add another layer of protection by placing these individually-wrapped pastries in a freezer bag or plastic, airtight container.
• Label. Lyew says  to “label the croissants with the date they are frozen to ensure they’re consumed before the three-month mark.”

How To Defrost Croissants

1. When it’s time to serve the croissants, allow them ample time to thaw before reheating, advises Lyew as this will allow croissants to retain optimum flavor and texture.
2. Let the croissants fully thaw—in the fridge overnight.
3. Place them on a baking tray in a  350°F oven for approximately 5-7 minutes or until “warm and crispy,” says Lyew.

The texture may be somewhat altered, but the slightly sweet, buttery flavor will still be present.

Most-Popular Croissant Recipes

• Cheesy Sausage-And-Croissant Casserole
• Stuffed Ham-And-Cheese Croissant Casserole
• Croissant Breakfast Casserole