Croissants (Vegan)

1. Make the dough
   In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the warm oat milk and softened vegan butter. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. Shape into a rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Prepare the butter block
   Place the cold vegan butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, pound and shape it into a flat 15×15 cm (6×6 inch) square of even thickness. Refrigerate until firm but still pliable — it should bend without cracking. If it snaps, it’s too cold; let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
3. Laminate — first fold
   On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 30×20 cm (12×8 inch) rectangle. Place the butter block in the center. Fold both sides of the dough over the butter like an envelope, pinching the edges to seal completely. Roll out to a long rectangle about 60×20 cm (24×8 inch). Fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Second and third folds
   Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, refrigerating for 30 minutes between each fold. After the third fold, refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Cold, relaxed dough is essential — rushing this step leads to torn layers and butter leaking out.
5. Shape the croissants
   Roll the laminated dough out to a large rectangle about 4–5 mm thick. Cut into long triangles — base roughly 10 cm (4 inches) wide. Make a small 1 cm notch in the center of each base. Gently stretch each triangle lengthwise. Starting from the base, roll tightly toward the tip, keeping tension as you go. Curve the ends slightly inward to form the classic crescent shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, tip-side down.
6. Proof
   Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature (ideally 24°C / 75°F) for 2–3 hours, until visibly puffed and jiggling when the tray is gently shaken. Do not over-proof — the layers will collapse. You should be able to see the distinct layers in the dough.
7. Brush and bake
   Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Brush each croissant gently with oat milk — do not let it drip down the cut sides or it will glue the layers together. Bake for 18–22 minutes until deeply golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before eating.

Notes:
‍Use a high-quality European-style vegan butter with at least 80% fat content — Miyoko’s, Violife, or Naturli block butter. Low-fat spreads contain too much water and will steam rather than laminate, giving you bread instead of croissants. If at any point the butter starts melting into the dough, stop and refrigerate immediately for 20–30 minutes.

Common Mistakes:
‍Rolling too hard and fast tears the layers. Skipping rest times causes the dough to snap back and the butter to break. Under-proofing gives a dense, bready interior. Do not let the oat milk wash drip down the cut sides — it glues the layers together.

Prep in Advance:
‍The dough can be made through all three folds and refrigerated overnight before shaping. Shaped croissants can also be frozen before proofing — freeze solid on a tray, then transfer to a bag. To bake from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then proof at room temperature for 3–4 hours.

Storage:
‍Best eaten the day they are baked. Store at room temperature in an open bag (not sealed — they go soggy) for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 180°C / 350°F oven for 5 minutes to restore flakiness. Freeze baked croissants for up to 1 month — reheat from frozen at 180°C for 10–12 minutes.