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Golden, flaky Gipfeli pastries on a wooden board with coffee

Perfect Gipfeli (Swiss Croissants)

Gipfeli are the beloved Swiss version of the croissant — slightly denser and less buttery than their French counterparts, with a tender, layered interior and a beautiful golden, slightly shiny crust. This step-by-step recipe walks you through the laminated dough process with detailed troubleshooting guidance so you can achieve bakery-quality results in your own kitchen. The patience required is entirely worth it for these incomparable breakfast pastries.
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 12 gipfeli
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g all-purpose flour bread flour can be used for chewier texture
  • 300 g unsalted butter high-quality, chilled, 82% fat content is best — for lamination
  • 7 g active dry yeast
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 10 g salt
  • 265 ml whole milk or water slightly warm, about 77-86°F (25-30°C)
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten, for egg wash

Method
 

  1. Make the dough: Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 teaspoon of the sugar; let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms. Knead briefly — do not overdevelop gluten. Shape into a rectangle, wrap, and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
  2. Prepare the butter block: Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment and pound into an even rectangle (about 7x8 inches). Refrigerate until firm but pliable.
  3. Laminate the dough: Roll out the dough to roughly twice the size of the butter block. Place the butter in the center and fold the dough over to enclose it. Roll out carefully into a long rectangle, then perform a letter fold (first turn). Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat for 2 more turns, resting 30 minutes between each.
  4. After the final turn, refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
  5. Roll the laminated dough to about 5mm thickness. Cut into long triangles. Roll each triangle tightly from the wide base to the tip to form a croissant shape. Curve the ends slightly.
  6. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and proof at room temperature for 2–3 hours until puffed and jiggly.
  7. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush gipfeli gently with beaten egg wash.
  8. Bake for 18–20 minutes until deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Lamination resting time: The dough requires multiple rest periods in the refrigerator during lamination (total about 4–6 hours hands-off time). Plan to make over 2 days for best results. Butter tip: Use high-quality butter with at least 82% fat content — it makes a significant difference in the layers. Keep everything cold during lamination to prevent butter from breaking through the dough. Storage: Best eaten the day of baking. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat at 350°F for 5 minutes to restore crispness.