Pain aux Raisins are one of my absolute favorite pastries. Flaky, buttery layers wrapped around sweet, plump raisins and a touch of creamy pastry cream… what’s not to love?

They’re perfect for a weekend brunch, a special breakfast treat, or even a delightful afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

These pastries might seem intimidating, but I promise, with a little patience, you can absolutely make these at home. We’re going to break it down into easy-to-follow steps.

Recipe Overview: Pain aux Raisins

This recipe guides you through making Pain aux Raisins, also known as Raisin Croissants. They’re essentially a delightful variation of classic croissants, but with the wonderful addition of raisins and a simple vanilla pastry cream.

The key is a laminated dough, which means we create layers of butter within the dough. This gives the pastries their signature flaky texture.

It takes a bit of time, mostly for chilling the dough, but the active work is quite manageable.

Think of them as a special treat for breakfast or brunch. They’re wonderful served warm, alongside coffee, tea, or even a glass of fresh juice. You can also enjoy them at room temperature.

Detailed Ingredients for Raisin Croissants

Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

For the Dough (Détrempe):

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting.
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar.
1 teaspoon salt.
1 cup (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes. Important: Keep it cold!
1/2 cup (120ml) cold milk. You can also use water, but milk adds a bit of richness.
1 packet(7 grams) instant dry yeast.

For the Butter Block (Beurrage):

1 cup (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, cold. Again, cold butter is crucial.

For the Raisin Filling:

1 cup (150g) raisins.
1/2 cup (120ml) hot water. This helps plump up the raisins.

For the Pastry Cream:

1 cup (240ml) whole milk.
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar.
2 large egg yolks.
2 tablespoons cornstarch.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

For the Egg Wash:

1 large egg.
1 tablespoon milk or water.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions:

Flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly.
Butter: Unsalted butter is best for controlling the salt level. Make sure it’s very cold for both the dough and the butter block.
Raisins: You can use any type of raisin you enjoy.
Yeast: Make sure it is fresh.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Pain aux Raisins

Let’s make these delicious pastries!

1. Prepare the Raisins:

Place the raisins in a bowl and pour the hot water over them. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, or even longer, until they’re plump. Drain them well before using.

2. Make the Pastry Cream:

In a saucepan, heat the milk and half of the sugar over medium heat until it’s just simmering (small bubbles around the edges).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.

Slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly (this is called tempering, and it prevents the eggs from scrambling).

Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This usually takes a few minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover it directly with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming), and chill it in the refrigerator until completely cold.

3. Make the Dough (Détrempe):

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Add the cubed cold butter to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter.

Gradually add the cold milk (or water), mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix!

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times just to bring it together.

Form the dough into a rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or preferably 2 hours.

4. Make the Butter Block (Beurrage):

Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper.

Using a rolling pin, pound the butter into a flat, rectangular shape (about 6×8 inches). Keep it relatively even in thickness.

Wrap the butter block in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator while the dough is chilling. The butter and dough should be at similar temperatures.

5. Laminate the Dough (First Turn):

Lightly flour your work surface.

Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle that’s about twice the size of the butter block (around 12×16 inches).

Place the chilled butter block in the center of the dough.

Fold the dough over the butter like a letter, enclosing the butter completely. Pinch the edges to seal.

Gently roll the dough into a long rectangle (about 18-20 inches long). Be careful not to press too hard, or the butter will squeeze out.

Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter again. This is your first “turn.”

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it for at least 30 minutes.

6. Laminate the Dough (Second and Third Turns):

Repeat the rolling and folding process (Step 5) two more times, chilling the dough for 30 minutes after each turn. So, you’ll roll, fold, chill; roll, fold, chill; roll, fold, chill.

7. Roll and Shape the Pain aux Raisins:

After the final chill, roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 12×18 inches) and about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.

Sprinkle the drained, plumped raisins evenly over the pastry cream.

Starting from one of the long sides, tightly roll the dough into a log.

Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick slices.

8. Proof and Bake:

Place the sliced Pain aux Raisins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them.

Lightly cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof (rise) in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until they’re puffy and 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 proofed Pain aux Raisins with the egg wash.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and cooked through.

9. Cool and Enjoy:

Let the Pain aux Raisins cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They’re best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature.

Variations & Tips for the Best Pain aux Raisins

Add a Sprinkle of Cinnamon: Mix a little cinnamon with the sugar for the pastry cream or sprinkle some on top of the raisins for a warm, spiced flavor.
Different Dried Fruits: Try using dried cranberries, chopped apricots, or even a mix of your favorite dried fruits instead of raisins.
Make-Ahead: You can prepare the dough and the butter block up to 2 days in advance and keep them refrigerated. You can also assemble the Pain aux Raisins, freeze them unbaked, and then bake them directly from frozen (add a few minutes to the baking time).
Storage: Store leftover Pain aux Raisins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: To reheat, warm them in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Serving Sugesstions: If you are serving in a gathering, it is best to served it with some hot beverages.

Key Details

Prep time: 1 hour (plus chilling time)
Cook time: 18-22 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
Servings: 12-15 Pain aux Raisins
Equipment you’ll need: Mixing bowls, rolling pin, parchment paper, baking sheet, pastry brush, sharp knife, saucepan.

Pain aux Raisins (Raisin Croissant)

Flaky, buttery layers wrapped around sweet, plump raisins and a touch of creamy pastry cream. Perfect for a weekend brunch, a special breakfast treat, or even a delightful afternoon snack.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 20

Total Time 2 30

Course Pastry

Cuisine French

Servings 12 servings

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

2 cups 250g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup 50g granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup 2 sticks/226g unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 cup 120ml cold milk
1 packet 7 grams instant dry yeast
1 cup 2 sticks/226g unsalted butter, cold
1 cup 150g raisins
1/2 cup 120ml hot water
1 cup 240ml whole milk
1/4 cup 50g granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or water

Instructions

Place the raisins in a bowl and pour the hot water over them. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, or even longer, until they're plump. Drain them well before using.
In a saucepan, heat the milk and half of the sugar over medium heat until it's just simmering (small bubbles around the edges).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
Slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly (this is called tempering, and it prevents the eggs from scrambling).
Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This usually takes a few minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, cover it directly with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming), and chill it in the refrigerator until completely cold.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Add the cubed cold butter to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter.
Gradually add the cold milk (or water), mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Don't overmix!
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times just to bring it together.
Form the dough into a rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or preferably 2 hours.
Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, pound the butter into a flat, rectangular shape (about 6x8 inches). Keep it relatively even in thickness.
Wrap the butter block in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator while the dough is chilling. The butter and dough should be at similar temperatures.
Lightly flour your work surface.
Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle that's about twice the size of the butter block (around 12x16 inches).
Place the chilled butter block in the center of the dough.
Fold the dough over the butter like a letter, enclosing the butter completely. Pinch the edges to seal.
Gently roll the dough into a long rectangle (about 18-20 inches long). Be careful not to press too hard, or the butter will squeeze out.
Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter again. This is your first "turn."
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Repeat the rolling and folding process (Step 5) two more times, chilling the dough for 30 minutes after each turn. So, you'll roll, fold, chill; roll, fold, chill; roll, fold, chill.
After the final chill, roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 12x18 inches) and about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
Sprinkle the drained, plumped raisins evenly over the pastry cream.
Starting from one of the long sides, tightly roll the dough into a log.
Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick slices.
Place the sliced Pain aux Raisins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them.
Lightly cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof (rise) in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until they're puffy and 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 proofed Pain aux Raisins with the egg wash.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until they're golden brown and cooked through.
Let the Pain aux Raisins cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They're best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature.