I met my best friend in Language Arts class when I was fourteen. The curriculum itself is unimportant compared with the connection we made during our first group project — instant, unmistakable friendship. A single trip to the mall cemented what would become a lasting bond.
Over the years we shared many tastes — from flared jeans and dubious music choices to, more recently, a fondness for good IPA, bold red lipstick, and an almost professional appreciation for freshly made buttery croissants.
Because croissants rank high on my list of life’s simple joys, I knew they had to be part of the dessert for her recent birthday. I spent a few weeks imagining ways to turn the humble breakfast pastry into something festive.
I considered an extravagant croissant tower, croquembouche-style, but decided that was too elaborate. A single croissant with a candle felt funny and a little lonely. I even thought about making croissants from scratch — they’re on my list — but gifting a first attempt seemed a risky way to celebrate someone else’s birthday.
Eventually I landed on a simple, delicious solution: fold the best croissants I could find into cupcake batter. The result keeps everything you love about croissants — buttery, flaky, and rich — while presenting them in a party-ready form. Baking already-baked butter and flour into almond-scented cupcakes, then finishing with chocolate ganache, felt both indulgent and perfectly celebratory. These croissant cupcakes were the ideal way to mark a birthday and fourteen years of friendship.
Chocolate-Glazed Croissant Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes
For the croissant cupcakes:
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (135 grams) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons (40 grams) butter, softened
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Two croissants (use the best quality you can find; day-old works well)
For the chocolate glaze:
1 cup (175 grams) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter, softened
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (88 ml) half-and-half or heavy cream
1 teaspoon powdered sugar (optional)
Pinch of salt
Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Trim the crispy croissant ends and reserve them finely chopped for garnish. Chop the remaining croissants roughly — you should have about 2 cups when chopped — and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and softened butter. Use an electric mixer to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. In a measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Fold in the chopped croissant pieces gently to avoid overmixing.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before glazing.
Make the glaze: Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth, then remove from heat. Warm the half-and-half or cream (and powdered sugar, if using) until small bubbles form around the edge, then pour the warm milk over the chocolate mixture. Let sit for a minute, then whisk until glossy and smooth.
Spoon the chocolate glaze over the cooled cupcakes and finish each with a pinch of the reserved finely chopped croissant for texture and contrast.
These cupcakes combine flaky croissant pieces with a tender, almond-scented crumb and a glossy chocolate finish — an elegant, playful way to celebrate a loved one (and an excellent excuse to enjoy more croissant than usual).