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Homemade Italian cornetti served with cappuccino on a white plate, dusted with powdered sugar.

How to Make Italian Croissants

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 3/4 cups Flour “Tipo 00” (or all purpose)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 lemon zest
  • 1/2 orange zest
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3/4 stick softened butter, cut in pieces
  • pinch salt
  • apricot jam (or Nutella!)
  • milk (for brushing)
  • powdered sugar (icing)

Instructions
 

  • In a stand mixer with hook attachment, add flour, sugar, milk, yeast and lemon & orange zest.  Mix for 2-3 minutes. ⠀
  • Slowly add egg, 2 yolks, butter and pinch salt. Mix for 5 min. 
  • When dough is firm, take it out and knead on a clean surface (do NOT dust with flour) into a nice round ball. You’ll see the dough will be amazing and will not stick.
  • Flour a large bowl and let dough rise for 45 min. 
  • Once doubled in size, roll dough out to make a large rectangle 2-3 mm thin.  Slice the dough in half lengthwise and cut triangles on the bottom and upper halves (as if you are cutting the dough in zigzags to get triangles). ⠀
  • Take a triangle and at its base make a little vertical cut (this will allow you to curl the corners at the end to get a croissant look).
  • Put about a tsp of jam at the base above the vertical cut and start rolling and pulling from the base until you reach the tip of the triangle.
  • Place all cornetti on a lined baking sheet, and let them rise for another 45 min.
  • Preheat oven at 350F. Brush cornetti with milk so they brown nicely. Bake for 15 min or until slightly golden.
  • When ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar (if you don’t have, put 2 tbsp of sugar in a spice grinder and voila!) Buon appetito!