Twice-Baked Chocolate Croissants

In Seattle where I used to live, there is a little slice of heaven called Bakery Nouveau. Many regulars believe that it is the closest thing to a French bakery outside of France itself. They have the most delectable twice-baked chocolate croissants, which are the very inspiration for this recipe. I love regular croissants, but croissants with chocolate? There’s an unforgettable combo.

In this easy recipe, there’s no fussing with making croissants from scratch. Instead, focus your attention on the delicious, chocolatey filling while grabbing a dozen croissants from your favorite bakery (or your local grocery store). I know Costco has huge boxes of them — gotta love an easy shortcut, right?

Reminiscent of pain au chocolat, these twice-baked chocolate filled croissants are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and stuffed with a luscious filling of chocolate and Nutella. Your house will smell like a fresh bakery in no time at all!

How to Make Twice-Baked Chocolate Croissants

For twice-baked chocolate croissants, there’s no need to make croissants from scratch. Instead, use store or bakery-bought croissants and spruce them up with the chocolate filling and an orange-vanilla syrup soak.

• Make the orange-vanilla syrup: Preheat the oven. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and boil. Add vanilla extract and orange juice, then remove from the heat.
• Slice and soak the croissants: Slice the croissants lengthwise. Using a pastry brush, spread the syrup evenly across the inside of all the halves.
• Make the filling: Melt the dark chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Once melted, stir in the Nutella. Spoon the filling into the bottom half of each croissant, covering with the top half to seal the filling inside. Brush syrup on top of each filled croissant.
• Bake and serve: Bake the croissants in the oven for about 25 minutes. If using large croissants, add 5-10 minutes to the baking time. Once done, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and serve warm or cool.

Tips for the Best Twice-Baked Chocolate Croissants

There’s really no way to go wrong with twice-baked croissants. But — there are ways to make it even better! Below, find our tips for making the best twice-baked chocolate croissants.

• Use day-old croissants: Day-old croissants work best. Since they are a bit stale, they hold up to the syrup and the weight of the filling better.
• Change up your chocolate: I prefer a mixture of dark chocolate chips and Nutella, but feel free to use milk chocolate or a different ratio of chocolate and Nutella to your preference.
• Add rum to the syrup (optional): Boil a couple of tablespoons of rum in your syrup to add a little extra kick to your croissants. Golden or dark rum work the best (they tend to have a more spicy flavor profile).
• Add crushed nuts and more chocolate: If you like a crunch, add some crushed nuts on top of your chocolate filling. Pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts are great options. Also, save a bit of chocolate filling for drizzling on top for some extra decorative flair.
• Use a flour sifter to sprinkle on powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is prone to getting lumpy while hanging out in storage. Loosen up the lumps by sifting it through a fine mesh sieve.
• Avoid overfilling the croissants: To prevent chocolate from squirting out the sides when you bite in, make sure not to overfill the croissants.

Storing & Reheating Twice-Baked Chocolate Croissants

These croissants are a super easy way to have a dessert or sweet snack on hand at all times. Check out these storage tips to make your croissants last as long as possible.

• Room temperature: Store twice-baked chocolate croissants in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh for up to three days.
• Freezer: Freeze twice-baked croissants by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Pop the entire baking sheet in the freezer. Once completely frozen, transfer croissants to a freezer-safe plastic bag. To reheat from frozen, pop the croissants in the oven until warmed through.
• Reheating: If you like to eat them warm, reheat the twice baked croissants in the oven for a couple of minutes. In a pinch, the microwave is faster but won’t give the same crunch as the oven. Make sure you don’t reheat them too long, as the chocolate will melt out of the sides.

More Chocolate Treats

• Drunken Cherry Cake – Rich cherry liqueur cake
• Cheesecake Chocolate Cupcakes – Sweet and tangy cupcakes
• Strawberry Chocolate Cake – Fruity and rich chocolate cake
• Easy Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies – Chocolate hazelnut no-flour cookies
• Cosmic Brownies – A fun and nostalgic brownie recipe

Recipe

Twice-Baked Chocolate Croissant

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Servings

12 servings

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

These twice-baked chocolate croissants will transport you to Paris. Take premade croissants, fill with fresh chocolate filling, and bake again to taste these delights.

Ingredients

• 12 mini croissants
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup Nutella

US Units – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and water, bringing it to a boil. Add vanilla extract and orange juice. Remove from the heat.
  
• Slice the croissants in half lengthwise. Using a pastry brush, soak the insides of the croissants with syrup on both sides. Note: Croissants will look wet, but will dry out during baking.
  
• Melt dark chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate chips are completely melted, stir in the Nutella until smooth.
  
• Spread a spoonful of chocolate filling into each croissant bottom (optional: sprinkle on crushed nuts). Cover with the croissant top. Use a pastry brush to spread syrup on the top of each croissant. Repeat until all the croissants are filled.
  
• Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!
  

Nutrition Facts

Twice-Baked Chocolate Croissant

Amount Per Serving

Calories 123 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 5g25%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 13mg1%

Potassium 102mg3%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 22IU0%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.