Last updated on January 23rd, 2026.
Portuguese Croissants are tender, buttery, gently sweet, and get a brush of simple syrup when warm out of the oven, the perfect way to warm up during a coffee break.
While classic French croissants or Italian cornetti are light and flaky, and Israeli rugelach are fluffy and loaded with chocolate, in Portugal these rolls go by the name Croissant Brioche. They’re made with a rich, buttery brioche dough, shaped into the classic crescent, then baked and soaked in a sweet, sticky syrup, sometimes infused with Port wine, or, like in this recipe, a simple sweet syrup. Unlike plain croissants, which rely on a traditional lamination process using a block of cold butter and multiple folds, Portuguese croissants use a much simpler (and optional) lamination. It happens during shaping process and only calls for a thin layer of soft butter. I folded the dough twice for extra layers, but you can fold it once, or skip it altogether and use the same technique I use for brioche croissants.
Make Them
Make The Dough
The dough is classic brioche dough, and because it is enrich with eggs and butter, like A LOT of butter, it needs a long rest time. And for an easy and mess free rolling and shaping, make sure you use it when it is cold.
Below are step by step by step visual guide for a reference, and I recommend you take a few minutes and read my complete post on How To Make Brioche Dough, including all my tips, and troubleshooting information.
Shaping
This is the fun, and my favorite part! Here is what I learned when I tested this technique:
- I like to use type to mark the vertical length, and horizontal width for an easy, accurate reference.
- Use your hand or fingers to press the dough into 1/2-inch thickness. It is the best way to make sure the dough won’t bounce back as you roll it.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle, then spread 1 tablespoon of soft, unsalted butter over the surface. This step is optional, but the added fat creates distinct layers by limiting gluten bonding between folds, resulting in a more tender texture and improved layer definition.
- Mentally divide the rectangle into three parts: right part, middle part and lest part. Fold the right third over the center, then the opposite part over it.
- Press the dough again into 1/2-inch and repeat once more.
- Be fast as you work, this step should not take more than ten minutes, but if for some reason the dough bounces, or gets too warm and sticky to work with, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes.
- You will roll the dough into a 21×10-inch rectangle three times: twice for folding, and once before cutting and rolling into crescent rolls.
- When you roll the triangles, hold the pointy end, gently stretch while holding the wide size, then roll.
Baking and Soaking
- Make the syrup ahead of time and give it a chance to chill so you can soak the croissants as soon as they come out of the oven. For best absorptions, the croissants and the pastries should be at opposite temperature.
- The baking temperature and time is different from when you skip the layer of soft butter. Please see recipe card instructions and notes for exact temperature and timing.
Storing Your Portuguese Croissants
The pastries are best same day, and can be stored at room temperature for up to 48 hours. For an extra treat, warm them in the oven before enjoying them.
Freeze leftover wrapped in plastic wrap for up to three weeks. When ready, unwrap and set side to reach room temperature, and reheat.
Tender Portuguese Croissants | No Lamination
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 Recipe Brioche dough
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter, soft (226g)
For The Syrup
- 3/4 Cup Water (180ml)
- 1 Cup Sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/4 Cup Port wine
Instructions
- Over a lightly floured surface, roll one part of the dough into an 18×9-inch rectangle.
- Spread four tableaspoons soft butter over the surface of the dough.
- Fold the right one third of the dough over the center, then fold the left third of the dough over the top.
- Repeat the last two steps.
- Roll the dough into a 21×14 inch rectangle, mark the four inch points. Use a sharp knife or a pizza roller to cut the dough from one mark toward the top in a diagonal line and back.
- Roll each triangle from the bottom wide, while gently streching the dough.
- Place the pastires over a baking sheet line with parchment paper, brush with egg wash and allow to rest for 3-5 hours.
- Bake at 400F (200C) for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F (180C) and bake for additional 8-10 minutes.
Make the syrup
- Place the water, suagr, vanilla and port wine in a medium sized pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Store until the sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Immidiately after remving the pastires from the oven, brush them with a pastry crush and serve.
Notes
- The pastries are best on the same day and can be stored at room temperature for up to two days.
- To freeze, place the pasties in a freeze bag and freeze for up to three months. To warm, heat for 5-10 minutes in a 350F (180C) preheated oven.
- Resting time is very important: Begin by allowing the dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator, as this extended resting period is vital for flavor and pastry texture development. The same patience is required for the second resting phase, which should span between 3 to 5 hours.
- Use tape to mark the dimensions for easy guidance during the process.
- If you notice the dough warming up, refrigerate it for 10 minutes between folds.
- It is hard to know if the pastries are done. Despite their puffy appearance, prematurely taken-out pastries might have raw dough inside. Slicing one from the center is the most reliable method to ascertain readiness. If the dough remains raw, it requires additional baking time.
- When applying one or two layers of butter, adhere to the baking instructions on the recipe card. Alternatively, if omitting butter or utilizing the Brioche Croissants technique, follow the specific baking instructions provided in the recipe
Oh my these look amazing! Could I use active dry yeast proofed in a pinch of the sugar and water instead of instant yeast ?
Thank you Kimberly. Yes, you can use active dry yeast. Use 1 tablespoon and you can activate before. Mix them with one tablespoon of the sugar, and 1/4 cup of warm water, then add it with the rest of the water when you make the dough.
Oh No I hope I didn’t mess up. I was reading the through the link in the recipe link for the bread, dough and in that you mentioned substituting the active dry yeast with these measurements Yeast conversions: “use 3 3/4 tablespoons of active dry yeast and 4 1/2 tablespoons of fresh yeast. Soak the yeast in both cases with 1/4 cup warm water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Reduce the water amount to 1/2 cup.” my dough is in the refrigerator now using this conversion 3 3/4 tablespoons of the yeast not what you said in your comment using 1 tablespoon. Is my dough ruined? I’m confused.
no, you should be fine. 1 tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, so the difference is not that bad.
No I used 3 3/4 TABLESPOONS which is what you had on the notes in the bread recipe link. See quotes above I copied pasted from your recipe it does not say teaspoon omg you should see these dough balls in the fridge lol. Thoughts ? Should I start over or carry through until tomorrow to see what happens.
That’s ok. Active dry yeast are mostly dead cells. Plus the dough is in the refrigerator, so I wouldn’t worry. You may need to reduce the second fermentation time.
LOl. Listen if the dough has doubled it size, you can go ahead and roll and shape it. The amount of yeast only effect the resting time, so in theory you can add a cup (Please don’t) and the recipe is ok.
Oh my goodness how amazing do these taste I was so worried due to the yeast mishap but they are very good having lunch right now warm out of oven with meats and cheeses. I will definitely make again and use right amounts of yeast lol. Thank you so much for walking me through this.
Thank you Kimberly for making my weekend!! so so happy to hear!