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This Friday, January 30, is National Croissant Day.

Usually, we would encourage you to try a new recipe.

But let’s be honest: Making croissants from scratch involves three days of folding, chilling, and praying to the pastry gods that your butter doesn't melt.

It is a project for a professional, not for a tired person on a Friday morning.

But that doesn't mean you have to settle for the sad, squishy ones from the grocery store aisle.

This Friday, we are celebrating with the "Fake It 'Til You Bake It" method.

Here is how to get that shatteringly crisp, bakery-quality flake without measuring a single gram of flour.

The Secret: The "Proof-at-Home" Frozen Croissant

If you think frozen means "bad," you haven't tried the high-end stuff.

The best bakeries in the world (Williams Sonoma, Trader Joe’s) sell raw, formed croissants that you just have to wake up.

• The Pick: Williams Sonoma Galaxy Croissants or Trader Joe's Almond Croissants.

• The Method: You set them out on a baking sheet the night before (Thursday night). While you sleep, they rise and triple in size.

• The Result: On Friday morning, you brush them with egg wash and bake. Your house smells like a French bakery, and you look like a genius.
  
  

The "Day-Old" Hack: The Almond Croissant

Did you know that the famous Almond Croissant (Croissant aux Amandes) was actually invented to save stale pastries?

Bakeries take yesterday’s croissants, soak them in syrup, and bake them again with almond cream.

If you buy a box of croissants on Thursday and they go stale, do this:

1. Slice them in half (like a sandwich).

2. Dip quickly in simple syrup (sugar + water).

3. Fill and Top with frangipane (almond flour, butter, sugar, egg).

4. Bake until crispy.
   It transforms "trash" into "treasure."

The History Lesson (Table Talk)

While you are brushing crumbs off your shirt, share this fact:

Croissants are not actually French.

They are Austrian.

They started as the "Kipferl," a crescent-shaped roll in Vienna. Legend says it was created to celebrate the defeat of the Ottoman Empire (the shape mimicked the crescent moon on the Ottoman flag).

The French didn't fully adopt (and perfect) them until much later. So, technically, you are celebrating Austrian engineering this Friday.

The Lunch Upgrade: The "Ham & Cheese" Press

If you want a savory lunch, don't just put cold ham on a croissant.

Press it.

• The Recipe: Sliced ham, Gruyère cheese (it melts better than cheddar), and a smear of Dijon mustard.

• The Trick: Put it in a waffle iron or panini press for 60 seconds.
  The butter in the pastry crisps up against the hot metal, creating a crunchy, flattened masterpiece that puts a regular sandwich to shame.

Treat Yourself.

It’s Friday. You made it through January.

You deserve the butter. You deserve the flakes. You deserve to eat breakfast like you are sitting at a café on the Seine.

Bon Appétit!

What is Your Filling?

Are you a purist (butter only), a chocoholic (pain au chocolat), or a savory fan (ham and cheese)?

Tell us your order in the comments below or tag us in your breakfast photos on Instagram and Tiktok @OnManyOccasions!

Get Organized for the Year Ahead

Ready to stop letting the special moments slip by? Don't miss a single holiday in February (National Pizza Day is coming up!).

Download our Free 2026 Celebration Calendar and keep the joy flowing all year long.