Almond Croissant
An almond croissant is a butter croissant, usually a day-old one, split or brushed with a sugar syrup, spread or piped with frangipane (a sweetened almond cream made from ground almonds, butter, sugar, and egg), then topped with more frangipane or sliced almonds and baked a second time until golden. The second bake is what separates it from a plain croissant with almonds scattered on top: it drives moisture into the pastry and sets the almond cream into a soft, custardy layer rather than leaving it raw.
Varieties
Some bakeries sell a version with sliced almonds and syrup on top but no frangipane inside, essentially a dressed-up plain croissant rather than a true almond croissant. If the pastry doesn't feel notably heavier or moister than a plain croissant, it's likely missing the interior almond cream.
Buying tips
Pick one that feels slightly heavy for its size, which usually means a generous amount of frangipane rather than just a dusting of almonds on top. The best versions are made from day-old croissants specifically because stale pastry absorbs the syrup better without collapsing; a fresh croissant used the same day often turns gummy in the center.
Substitutes
Plain croissant split and spread with store-bought almond paste, thinned with a little milk or egg — 1 croissant + 2 tablespoons almond paste per almond croissant
Warm briefly after assembling so the almond paste softens; it won't taste identical to baked frangipane but is close for bread pudding or French toast bakes.
Almond Danish or almond bear claw — 1:1 by piece
Sweeter and flakier rather than laminated the same way, but works as a stand-in wherever almond croissants are cubed into a dessert.
Chocolate almond croissant — 1:1 by piece
Adds cocoa flavor; fine for bread pudding or trifle where a little chocolate isn't unwelcome, but skip it if the recipe depends on pure almond flavor.
Homemade frangipane spread on any laminated pastry (croissant, puff pastry, or brioche) — 3 tablespoons frangipane per pastry
Frangipane itself is simple to make (equal parts ground almonds, butter, sugar, plus one egg per cup of almond flour) and can rescue any plain pastry into an almond-croissant substitute.
Storage
Almond croissants are best eaten the day they're baked since the filling continues to soften the pastry over time. Keep at room temperature loosely covered for up to 2 days; refrigeration dries out the layers faster than it prevents spoilage. To store longer, freeze whole, wrapped tightly, for up to a month, then reheat straight from frozen at 325°F (165°C) for 12-15 minutes to recrisp the outside.
How to use
Eaten on their own with coffee, but also cubed into bread pudding, layered into a trifle with pastry cream and berries, or split and used as the base for an over-the-top French toast since the almond filling adds sweetness the bread itself doesn't need much of.
What it pairs with
Strong black coffee or espresso cuts the sweetness and richness well. Fresh berries or a small glass of orange juice work as a lighter counterpoint on the side.
Nutrition
A bakery almond croissant typically runs 400-500 calories, with 25-30 grams of fat and a significant amount of that from the butter in both the lamination and the frangipane. It's a dense source of calories relative to its size compared to a plain croissant, mainly from the added almond cream and sugar syrup.
FAQ
Can almond croissants be made from fresh croissants instead of day-old ones?
They can, but the pastry is more likely to turn soggy since fresh croissants haven't dried out enough to absorb the syrup and frangipane without losing structure. Bakeries deliberately use yesterday's croissants for this reason.
Why do almond croissants taste eggy or custardy in the center?
That's the frangipane, which is bound with egg and sets like a soft custard during the second bake. If it tastes raw or pasty rather than baked through, the croissant likely needed a few more minutes in the oven.
Is almond paste the same as frangipane?
No. Almond paste is a dense, mostly almond-and-sugar block with little to no butter or egg, while frangipane is a lighter, spreadable cream made by beating almond paste or almond flour with butter, sugar, and egg.
Do almond croissants freeze well?
Yes, whole and wrapped tightly they hold up for about a month. Reheat from frozen rather than thawing first, since thawing at room temperature makes the filling weep moisture into the pastry.
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