Cheese croissant: styles, fillings and how to warm one

A cheese croissant is a butter croissant with cheese baked inside or on top, so the layers stay flaky while the cheese turns soft, salty and slightly crisp at the edges. Styles range from a savoury cheddar or Gruyere croissant to a sweet cream cheese one, and the best way to warm any of them is a short stay in a hot oven.

What is a cheese croissant?

A cheese croissant is a croissant made from laminated yeast dough that includes cheese as a filling, a topping or both. The dough is the standard croissant dough of butter folded into yeast dough, which makes the layers.

Bakeries add cheese at three points. Grated cheese can be rolled into the dough before shaping, cheese can be placed on the dough triangle so it bakes inside the spiral, or a sprinkle can be added on top for a browned, lacy crust. Each method gives a different result, and some croissants use all three.

What types of cheese croissant are there?

The main types of cheese croissant are the savoury hard cheese version, the soft cheese version and the sweet cream cheese version. They differ in the cheese and in how salty or sweet the finished pastry tastes.

The meat and cheese style can be made with turkey or beef slices, and cheese alone is the simplest choice.

How do you reheat a cheese croissant?

To reheat a cheese croissant, warm it on a tray in an oven at 150 degrees C for about five minutes until the outside is crisp and the cheese is soft. This restores the flaky layers that a microwave would flatten.

1. Heat the oven to 150 degrees C.
2. Place the croissant on a baking tray or directly on the rack.
3. Warm for four to six minutes, turning the tray halfway.
4. Rest it for one minute so the cheese does not burn the mouth.

A toaster oven works the same way. A frying pan does not suit a croissant, because the bottom browns before the middle warms through. If the croissant was refrigerated, add a minute or two.

How do you make a cheese croissant at home?

The simplest home method is to fill ready-made croissant dough or a plain bakery croissant with cheese and bake it briefly. Making the laminated dough from scratch takes a day and is a separate project.

1. Cut the dough into triangles, or slice a plain croissant along its side.
2. Add a tablespoon or two of grated cheese, such as cheddar or Gruyere.
3. Roll the triangle from the wide end to the tip, or close the croissant over the cheese.
4. Brush with beaten egg and add a pinch of grated cheese on top.
5. Bake at 190 degrees C for 15 to 20 minutes, until deep golden.

Cheese that is too wet, such as fresh mozzarella, releases water and makes the dough soggy. Drain it or choose a drier cheese.

Cheese croissant vs plain croissant: what is the difference?

A cheese croissant adds salt, fat and a savoury flavour, while a plain croissant is mild and buttery. The cheese also changes the texture, giving a slightly denser, more crisp-edged bite.

A plain croissant is delicate and is often eaten with jam or butter. A cheese croissant needs no spread and can serve as a small meal. It can brown faster in the oven because cheese and milk solids colour easily, so watch it at the end of baking or reheating.

What goes well with a cheese croissant?

A cheese croissant goes well with plain coffee, tea, soup and fresh vegetables, because the pastry is already rich and salty. Acidic or bitter partners cut through the butter.

• A flat white or americano suits a savoury hard cheese croissant.
• Tomato soup is a classic partner for a cheddar croissant.
• A small salad of cucumber, tomato and leaves adds freshness.
• A sweet cream cheese croissant pairs better with black tea or an unsweetened latte.

Many cafes pair a savoury croissant with a hot drink as a quick breakfast, which is why the style is so common at morning counters.

What mistakes make a cheese croissant greasy or dry?

A cheese croissant turns greasy when the cheese is high in fat and the oven is too cool, and dry when it is baked or reheated too long. Temperature and timing matter most.

• Too cool an oven lets butter and cheese fat melt out before the layers set.
• Overfilling pushes cheese out of the seams, where it burns and sticks.
• Reheating for more than ten minutes dries the interior.
• Storing it in plastic overnight softens the crust, which no oven can fully restore.

If a croissant is already greasy, blotting it briefly on paper after warming removes the excess without crushing the layers.

What should you look for at the bakery counter?

Look for a deep golden colour, visible cheese that is melted but not greasy, and layers that stand slightly apart. A croissant sitting in a pool of oil, or one that looks pale and flat, has probably lost its crispness.

• Ask whether the cheese is baked in or added after baking.
• Check whether it was baked that day.
• Ask which cheese is used if you have a preference.
• Anyone with a dairy or gluten allergy should ask about ingredients and cross-contact.

Is there a cheese croissant at WeBake Dessert Cafe?

No cheese croissant is recorded for WeBake Dessert Cafe in Burnaby. The business has no published menu, and a directory lists butter and chocolate croissants that are unconfirmed because the listing appears to describe another business.

Google reviewers mention a scone, salt bread, coffee and a Spanish latte. See the menu page for what this guide has recorded, and use the hours and location page to call the cafe and ask what the counter holds. This guide takes no orders.

Common questions

Before you go, check the WeBake Dessert Cafe Burnaby guide for the current hours and the menu.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from WeBake Dessert Cafe itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.