Almond Croissants

I can’t overstate how much my dad loves almond croissants. Whenever he spots a bakery, he pops his head in to see if they have any in the case. He’s basically on a constant almond croissant crawl, adding to his “best almond croissants” list when standards are met.

His first-place spot—the one that makes his gold standard almond croissant—is a bakery where I used to work (zero bias there, I’m sure). We did make excellent croissants, but when it came to almond croissants, we did what every French boulangerie does: split our day-old croissants in half, brush them with simple syrup, stuff and top them with frangipane, sprinkle them with almonds, and bake them once more. It’s an economic French method to revive day-old croissants that would otherwise be thrown away.

It took me way too long to realize this is something bakers could easily replicate at home. Taste of Home recipe editor and tester Maggie Knoebel came up with this super-easy almond croissant recipe, which starts with store-bought croissants. This takes care of the hardest part, so you’re left with just the quick finishing touches to do. As the Official Almond Croissant Reviewer, my dad tried the technique and loved how they turned out. He did have one very important note, though: Don’t buy just any croissants—quality ones set up the recipe for true success.

Ingredients for Almond Croissants

• Croissants: Buy 12 premade croissants from the bakery section of your grocery store. They don’t actually have to be day-old, but I wouldn’t choose croissants that have been out for longer than that.
• Simple syrup: You’ll make a quick simple syrup with equal parts sugar and water, with a little almond extract to enhance the nutty flavor.
• Almond flour: Almond flour is the base of frangipane, a sweet almond custard made from almonds, confectioners’ sugar, eggs and butter. It’s not the same as marzipan, which is more of a pliable, candy-like dough.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Frangipane is sweetened with confectioners’ sugar. Since it has a light, powdery consistency, the sugar dissolves much more easily compared to granulated sugar, which can leave your bakes feeling gritty and heavy.
• Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature so they emulsify better into the frangipane. Cold eggs can cause the frangipane to split.
• Butter: Take the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting the recipe so it can come to room temperature. Softened butter blends more easily into the frangipane.
• Almonds: Sliced almonds bake on top of the croissants to give the treat a little more texture. Slivered almonds work here, too.

Directions

Step 1: Make the almond simple syrup

In a small saucepan, stir together the granulated sugar and water. Bring them to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the syrup, uncovered, for three to five minutes or until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove the simple syrup from the heat, then add the almond extract and cool the syrup to room temperature.

Step 2: Mix the frangipane

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the almond flour, confectioners’ sugar and butter until they’re light and fluffy, two to three minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer the frangipane to a large piping bag.

Editor’s Tip: Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to make the beating easier. You can also transfer the frangipane a large zip-top bag instead of a piping bag.

Step 3: Assemble the almond croissants

Place the croissant bottoms on a baking sheet. Brush them liberally with the almond simple syrup.

Pipe a thin layer of the almond filling (frangipane) over each croissant. Replace the tops, then pipe the remaining filling over the tops of the croissants. Press the sliced almonds into the topping.

Step 4: Bake the almond croissants

Bake the almond croissants at 350ºF for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool at room temperature. If desired, dust them with confectioners’ sugar.

Recipe Variations

• Add a splash of rum: Instead of almond extract, add a few tablespoons of rum to the simple syrup. Mix it in with the water and sugar just before the syrup boils.
• Finish with a glaze: For a sweeter finish, drizzle a quick vanilla glaze onto the baked almond croissants instead of just confectioners’ sugar.

How to Store Almond Croissants

Almond croissants are best enjoyed the day they’re made. You can, however, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one more day. Rewarm them in the microwave or use a convection oven to crisp the croissant.

Can you make almond croissants ahead of time?

You can make the frangipane ahead of time and store it for up to one week in the fridge or two months in the freezer. Otherwise, I wouldn’t assemble or bake the almond croissants ahead of time; they’ll get soft and soggy.

Almond Croissant Tips

Do I have to use day-old croissants for this almond croissant recipe?

No, you don’t have to use day-old croissants for this almond croissant recipe. This technique came about as a way to use day-old croissants to save them from going in the trash. Feel free to use fresh croissants, or better yet, try your hand at homemade croissants.

How should I serve almond croissants?

Serve almond croissants with coffee in the morning or with tea in the afternoon. They’re excellent for wedding showers, baby showers and bachelorette weekend mornings. Or save these for an elegant brunch menu paired with quiche, smoked salmon bites and peach Bellinis.