I'm usually impervious to the siren call of Instagram advertisements, but this one couldn't help but get my attention.
From the beautiful Pollen Bakery in Manchester, England was an intriguing looking jar of something called croissant butter — or as they put it, "a crunchy sweet spread made with caramelized croissant crumbs and toasted white chocolate." There isn't a word in that phrase I don't heartily endorse.
The ad promised that the item was "back in stock from Christmas," but it hadn't shown up in my feed until after the holiday. Unfortunately, I can't just drop into an English bakery any old time to pick some up in person, so I was left to figure out how to make croissant butter on my own.
I'm a big fan of cookie butter, or one of the most delicious formats in which cookies may be eaten. The thought of that delightful concoction adapted to the greatest pastry invented seemed like a stroke of genius. While I can't vouch for my how my knockoff stacks up to Pollen's original, I can attest that the test version I made in my house was gone in matter of minutes.
I started with the distant memory of a Martha Stewart recipe for sweet croutons, shredding a croissant from my neighborhood bakery and toasting it in a skillet with butter and sugar. I didn't feel like taking the time and effort involved in making homemade caramelized white chocolate, so I enlisted some of the salted caramel sauce I keep on hand to active duty. Then, to pull it all together, I relied on Lauren Toyota's foolproof formula for cookie butter.
The whole thing took about 15 minutes of active time. I seriously can't wait to make it again — only this time in a larger quantity.
Do as Pollen recommends and spread the croissant butter on your croissants, or enjoy it straight out of the jar. I'm dipping strawberries in mine for a kind of reverse jam on toast situation.
Trust me, there's absolutely no wrong way to enjoy this stuff.
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Inspired by Pollen Bakery and Hot for Food by Lauren Toyota
Croissant cookie butter
Ingredients
- 2 croissants, preferably from your local bakery
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons homemade or jarred caramel sauce
- Pinch flaky sea salt
Directions
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
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Shred the croissants into bite-sized pieces and add to the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes, until the pieces are toasted and buttery.
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Sprinkle the croissants with sugar to coat and stir another 30 seconds or so.
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In a food processor or blender, add the croissants, salt and caramel sauce and blend.
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With the machine going, add the water, one tablespoon at a time. Process until the mixture comes together as a spread — you don't want it completely smooth.
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Spoon into a jar or small container and enjoy.
Cook's Notes
If you're moved to make caramelized white chocolate, the Pioneer Woman has an excellent step-by-step tutorial to get it done.