What is a sourdough croissant loaf?

A hybrid between croissant and sourdough—soft, buttery, and slightly tangy with a sandwich-style crumb and a golden crust.

Does the dough contain butter?

Yes! Butter is grated or cubed and folded in during the fermentation process, not laminated. It adds softness and light layers.

It’s soft, airy, and buttery without being rich or greasy. The crust is golden and slightly crisp, while the crumb stays tender.

Nope! Even with all that butter, it feels light. You may notice a buttery feel on the crust, but the crumb stays soft and clean.

Sandwich-soft with slight layering. It’s not open-holed like traditional sourdough but still light and airy inside.

Because of the technique, incorporating butter into the dough mimics croissant layering, without lamination. It’s buttery, but still a loaf.

Possibly! Drier climates may need a touch more water. Humid conditions may call for slightly more flour during shaping or proofing.

A buttery, tangy, and tender loaf that fuses classic sourdough fermentation with the luxurious richness of croissants—without any lamination fuss.

Scale

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Mix levain ingredients the night before and let rest at room temperature overnight.
In the morning, mix flour, water, levain, and salt until shaggy. Rest 30 minutes.
Perform four stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals.
Add half of the grated/cubed butter during the second fold by gently pressing into the dough.
Add the remaining butter during the third fold in the same way.
After final fold, bulk rise until dough increases by about 70% in volume (4–6 hours).
Pre-shape the dough, rest 30 minutes, then shape into loaf form.
Place shaped dough into a loaf pan or banneton and refrigerate overnight.
Next morning, preheat oven to 450°F with Dutch oven inside.
Score cold dough and bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 20–25 minutes until deep golden and internal temperature reaches 200°F.
Cool completely before slicing to allow crumb to set properly.

For best results, use high-fat European-style butter and avoid slicing too early—this helps maintain the delicate layers and crumb structure.