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This mouth-watering Le Crookie mixes the buttery layers of a croissant with the homey comfort of chocolate chip cookies in a treat that's now all the rage in Paris. The mix of crunchy cookie outside and pillowy croissant inside makes a texture masterpiece you'll want to savor every bite of.
I tried making these for a Sunday get-together after spotting them everywhere online, and the cleaned-out platter told me everything. These days my folks ask for them whenever we're craving that Paris sidewalk café feeling without stepping out our front door.
Key Ingredients
- Salted butter: Makes a deep brown butter foundation that takes the whole cookie mix to another level with toasty, caramel hints
- White and light brown sugars together: Gives just the right sweetness and keeps everything moist
- Vanilla extract: Brings a cozy richness that works great with the chocolate
- All purpose flour: Holds everything together while keeping the cookie soft
- Baking soda: Adds just enough puff without making things too fluffy
- Dark chocolate chips: Bring a grown-up bittersweet kick that plays off the buttery croissant beautifully
- Fresh croissants: Try to buy them the same day for the tastiest results
- Sea salt: Sprinkled on top makes all flavors pop and creates that can't-stop-eating sweet-salty mix
Easy Preparation Guide
- Get the Butter Golden:
- Melt butter on low until bubbling quiets down and milk bits turn golden amber, around 5 minutes or so. Keep your eyes on it during the last minute since it can turn from perfect to burnt fast. This step creates that yummy nutty base that makes these crookies stand out.
- Mix Your Cookie Batter:
- Stir the cooled brown butter with both types of sugar for about a minute until they're well mixed. Put in the egg and vanilla and stir until it looks shiny. Gently fold in the flour and baking soda you've sifted together until barely mixed. Add a third of your chocolate chips and save the rest for later.
- Put Everything Together:
- Cut each croissant through the middle so you have top and bottom pieces. Take around 2 tablespoons of cookie mix, flatten it a bit, and put it inside the bottom half of each croissant. Throw in some extra chocolate chips over the dough, then put the croissant top back on. Add another 2 tablespoons of dough on each croissant's top and stick in more chocolate chips to make them look amazing.
- Cook Till They're Just Right:
- Stick them in your oven at 350°F for just 12 minutes until the cookie part turns golden but the croissant stays flaky. Let them sit on the baking sheet briefly before moving to a cooling rack. While they're still warm, add a tiny sprinkle of sea salt to make all the flavors shine.
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Dark chocolate chips are the real game-changer in this treat. After lots of testing, I found that good quality dark chocolate with at least 60% cacao hits the sweet spot against the sugary dough and buttery croissant. My kid once told me these were better than anything she ate during our actual Paris vacation, which is still the best baking compliment I've ever gotten.
Where This Tasty Trend Started
The Le Crookie trend kicked off in Paris bakeshops in early 2023 and quickly spread through Instagram and TikTok. This combo dessert follows other mashups like cronuts and cruffins but with a uniquely French twist. What's special is how it turns two familiar favorites into something totally new while still honoring French baking traditions. The way the flaky croissant layers meet the dense cookie creates a texture experience that feels both fresh and comfortingly familiar.
Keeping Them Fresh
Even though crookies taste best right out of the oven, you can keep them in a sealed container at room temp for up to two days. To perk them up, warm them in a 300°F oven for 3 minutes to bring back some of that crispy-soft magic. If you want to plan ahead, you can freeze the ready-to-bake crookies for up to a month. Just add 2 more minutes to the cooking time when baking from frozen and you'll get that fresh-baked goodness whenever you're craving it.
Make Them Your Own
The classic Paris crookie works great as is, but you can definitely play around with it. Try putting some hazelnut spread inside the croissant before adding the cookie dough, or switch up the cookie flavor with white chocolate macadamia or double chocolate. During Christmas, throw some cinnamon and nutmeg into the cookie dough, or add lemon zest in springtime. You can tweak this treat in tons of ways while still keeping that awesome texture contrast that makes it so special.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → What goes into a Le Crookie?
You make a Le Crookie using buttery croissants stuffed and baked with cookie dough packed with chocolate chips.
- → Can I buy croissants instead of baking them?
Yes, fresh store-bought croissants are perfect! Make sure they're still soft for the best results.
- → Which chocolate works best?
Dark chocolate chips are ideal for bold flavor, but milk or semi-sweet work as substitutes too.
- → How do I brown butter correctly?
Heat butter slowly until it bubbles, stir constantly, and take it off heat once golden. Watch carefully—don’t let it burn!
- → Can I prep them early?
Sure thing! Fill your croissants ahead, refrigerate, and bake them right before you plan to serve.
- → What’s the cooling time for these?
Let them sit for 3-5 minutes, then move them to a rack to cool completely. This helps set the texture.