Lemon Poppyseed Croissants always remind me of springtime. The bright citrus flavor combined with the delicate crunch of poppy seeds in a flaky, buttery pastry is just… perfection.
These pastries are surprisingly versatile, making them perfect for a fancy weekend brunch, a quick weekday breakfast, or even a sweet treat with your afternoon tea.
This recipe takes a bit of time, but I promise it’s easier than you think! You’ll get that bakery-quality taste right in your own kitchen. We are going to build something that looks and tastes like it came straight from a Parisian patisserie.
Recipe Overview: Lemon and Poppyseed Croissant
This recipe guides you through making delicious croissants with a zesty lemon and poppyseed twist. We are essentially making a laminated dough, which creates all those wonderful, flaky layers.
Think of it like folding butter into dough multiple times, creating thin sheets of butter that puff up beautifully when baked.
The lemon zest and poppy seeds are added to both the dough and a simple filling, giving you a double dose of that wonderful flavor combination.
These croissants are best served warm, fresh from the oven. The aroma alone is enough to make your mouth water! They pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea. You could also add a side of fresh fruit or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra touch of indulgence.
Detailed Ingredients for Lemon and Poppyseed Croissant
Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
For the Dough (Détrempe):
- All-purpose flour: 4 cups (500g), plus extra for dusting.
- Instant dry yeast: 2 ¼ teaspoons (7g), or one packet. Make sure it’s fresh!
- Granulated sugar: ¼ cup (50g).
- Salt: 1 teaspoon.
- Whole milk: 1 cup (240ml), lukewarm (around 105-115°F).
- Unsalted butter: ¼ cup (57g), melted and cooled slightly.
- Lemon zest: 1 tablespoon, from about 2 medium lemons.
- Poppy seeds: 1 tablespoon.
For the Butter Block (Beurrage):
- Unsalted butter: 1 ½ cups (340g), cold. European-style butter with a higher fat content is best for flavor and flakiness, but regular unsalted butter works fine too.
For the Lemon Poppyseed Filling:
- Unsalted butter: ¼ cup (57g), softened.
- Granulated sugar: ¼ cup (50g).
- Lemon zest: 1 tablespoon, from about 2 medium lemons.
- Poppy seeds: 1 tablespoon.
- A pinch of salt.
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg.
- 1 tablespoon of milk or water.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions:
- Flour: If you have bread flour, you can use that instead of all-purpose for a slightly chewier croissant.
- Milk: You can use 2% milk, but whole milk gives the best results.
- Butter: Using high-quality butter really makes a difference in the flavor of the croissants.
- Lemon Zest: Make sure to only zest the yellow part of the lemon, not the white pith, which can be bitter.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Making your Croissants
1. Make the Dough (Détrempe):
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the lukewarm milk, melted butter, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. It should still be slightly tacky, but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Form the dough into a rectangle (about 8×6 inches), wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. Prepare the Butter Block (Beurrage):
Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, pound the butter into a flat, even rectangle (about 6×4 inches). It should be pliable but still cold. If it starts to soften too much, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Keep the butter block refrigerated until ready to use.
3. Laminate the Dough (First Turn):
Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a rectangle that’s about twice the size of your butter block (approximately 12×8 inches).
Place the butter block in the center of the dough.
Fold the dough over the butter like a letter, enclosing it completely. Pinch the edges to seal.
Turn the dough 90 degrees. Gently roll the dough into a long rectangle (about 24×8 inches), being careful not to press too hard and squeeze the butter out.
Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter. This is your first “turn.”
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. Repeat the Lamination (Turns 2-4):
Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process three more times, for a total of four turns. Remember to always turn the dough 90 degrees before each roll. If the butter starts to soften at any point, return the dough to the refrigerator to chill.
After the fourth turn, wrap the dough tightly and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, making it easier to shape the croissants.
5. Make the Lemon Poppyseed Filling:
While the dough is chilling, make the filling. In a small bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugar, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
6. Shape the Croissants:
Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 24×16 inches) and about 1/8 inch thick.
Spread the lemon poppyseed filling evenly over half of the dough.
Fold the other half of the dough over the filling, like a giant turnover.
Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, trim the edges of the dough to create a clean rectangle.
Cut the dough into triangles. Each triangle should be about 4-5 inches wide at the base.
Starting at the base of each triangle, gently roll it up towards the tip.
Place the shaped croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them.
7. Proof and Bake:
Loosely cover the croissants with plastic wrap and let them proof at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, or until they are puffy and have almost doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Whisk together the egg and milk (or water) for the egg wash. Gently brush the tops of the croissants with the egg wash.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the croissants are golden brown and cooked through.
Let the croissants cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Variations & Tips for the Best Lemon and Poppyseed Croissant
- Citrus Boost: For extra lemon flavor, you can add a teaspoon of lemon extract to the dough or the filling.
- Orange Variation: Substitute orange zest for lemon zest for a delicious orange poppyseed croissant.
- Glaze: Instead of an egg wash, you can make a simple glaze by whisking together powdered sugar with a little lemon juice or milk. Brush this over the warm croissants after baking.
- Make-Ahead: You can assemble the croissants and freeze them before proofing. When you’re ready to bake, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw and proof overnight in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store leftover croissants in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat croissants in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also microwave them for 15-20 seconds, but they will be softer, not crispy.
- Serving suggestion: add fresh berries on the side.
Key Details
- Prep time: 45 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Cook time: 18-22 minutes
- Total time: 5 hours (includes chilling and proofing)
- Servings: 12 croissants
- Equipment you’ll need: Large mixing bowls, rolling pin, parchment paper, baking sheet, sharp knife or pizza cutter, pastry brush.
Lemon and Poppyseed Croissant
Ingredients
- 4 cups 500g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 ¼ teaspoons 7g instant dry yeast
- ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 240ml whole milk, lukewarm
- ¼ cup 57g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 ½ cups 340g cold unsalted butter
- ¼ cup 57g softened unsalted butter
- ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- A pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon of milk or water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the lukewarm milk, melted butter, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Form dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Place cold butter between parchment paper and pound into a flat rectangle.
- Keep butter block refrigerated until ready to use.
- Roll chilled dough into a rectangle twice the size of butter block.
- Place butter block in the center of the dough.
- Fold dough over butter like a letter, enclosing it completely. Pinch edges to seal.
- Turn dough 90 degrees. Roll into a long rectangle.
- Fold dough into thirds, like a business letter (first turn).
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling process three more times (total four turns).
- After fourth turn, wrap dough and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Cream together softened butter, sugar, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and salt for filling.
- Roll chilled dough into a large rectangle.
- Spread lemon poppyseed filling evenly over half of the dough.
- Fold the other half of the dough over the filling.
- Trim edges of dough to create a clean rectangle.
- Cut dough into triangles.
- Roll up triangles from base to tip to shape croissants.
- Place shaped croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Proof croissants at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, or until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Whisk together egg and milk (or water) for egg wash.
- Brush tops of croissants with egg wash.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Let croissants cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.