I grew raised in a family that made crescent rolls. You know, the one with the frightening pop-open can. That was my ideal croissant for a long time because there were no real-deal, French patisserie-style croissants in upstate New York. I didn’t have one until college and had a warm, fresh, and delicious specimen in Montreal.
Although I’ll go out of my way to buy a high-quality croissant in bakeries around Los Angeles, where I currently live, there are times when I just want to be at home and lazy while still getting something buttery and flaky to satisfy hunger. That’s when I reach for a frozen Trader Joe’s Mini Croissants package. Unlike TJ’s Chocolate Croissants, which require overnight proving before baking, the mini croissants may go straight from the freezer to the oven. My favorite bake time is 26 minutes—within the recommended range of 24 to 28 minutes at 350° F—until the croissants are golden brown but not burnt, with a gratifying light chew in the center but not raw.
I’ll happily eat them plain or with a little butter and jam, but over the years of buying them, I’ve discovered that they easily change into snacks, applications, and desserts. Unlike those in pop-open cans, these croissants are frozen into the shape of a croissant and cannot be rolled out. But I discovered ways to make them into egg cups, little cronut nibbles, a Caprese panzanella salad, and sweet and savory cut-open-and-stuffed croissants. Check out the below—all of them involve TJ’s ingredients!—and add your favorite ways to use Trader Joe’s bébé croissants in the comments.
Prosciutto, Apple, and Brie Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 1 croissant, frozen
- 2 slices prosciutto 14 thinly sliced apples
- A tiny slice of Brie,
- Warm honey
Directions:
- Bake frozen croissants for 26 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside for at least 20 minutes before slicing lengthwise with a sharp knife.
- On the bottom, smear your favorite Brie, then cover with prosciutto and apple pieces.
- Drizzle with hot honey and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Cannoli Croissants
Ingredients:
- 1 croissant, frozen
- a few tablespoons of Sweet Cannoli Dip from Trader Joe’s
- Approximately 1 tablespoon of tiny or standard chocolate chips
- a dusting of powdered sugar
Directions:
- Bake frozen croissants for 26 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside for at least 20 minutes before slicing lengthwise with a sharp knife.
- Fill the sandwich with Cannoli Dip and chocolate chips, then dust with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve.
Cinnamon Sugar Cronut Bites with Cookie Butter Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 thawed croissants
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 12 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon of white sugar
- 2 teaspoons 1 teaspoon hot water Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter
Directions:
Cut each frozen croissant into four pieces lengthwise, then cut each in half lengthwise into two pieces. Two croissants should yield a total of 16 cronuts. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of neutral oil over medium heat until wooden chopstick bubbles when lowered into the pan or a piece of dough quickly cooks when placed within. Lower the pieces carefully and fry for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown is all over. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Remove the cronuts from the oil and drain any excess grease before tossing in cinnamon sugar. Continue in bunches.
Combine Cookie Butter and water in a small bowl to produce the dipping sauce. Microwave for 10 seconds or until warm enough to be whipped into a smooth sauce. Add a dash of hot water to achieve consistency, then dip away!
Ham & Cheese Egg Cups
Ingredients:
- 2 thawed croissants
- 1 box of deli ham slice (I used TJ’s Sliced Rosemary Ham)
- 1 Swiss cheese slice
- 1 egg
- A drop of milk or water
- This recipe yields 3 egg cups.
Directions:
- Cut each frozen croissant into three equal pieces.
- Place two pieces side by side in each cup of a 12-cup standard muffin tin, and then use a paring knife to poke a few holes in each piece so it doesn’t puff up.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 350° F, remove from the oven, rotate the pieces so the golden brown side faces up, and stack on Swiss cheese.
- Scramble one egg with a splash of milk or water and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Pour the batter evenly into 3 muffin cups; 1 egg and 3 cups are required for every 2 croissants.
- Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the egg is completely set.
Roasted Tomato Croissant Caprese
Ingredients:
2 thawed croissants
1 pound of cherry tomatoes
1 jar marinated tiny mozzarella balls
13 cups basil leaves, fresh
Directions:
- Halve tomatoes lengthwise and sprinkle olive oil, black pepper, and kosher salt on a baking sheet. If creating new croissants from frozen, roast the tomatoes at 350° F for the full baking time; if using leftover croissants, roast the tomatoes at 400° F to cook faster.
- Allow at least 20 minutes for freshly cooked croissants to cool before cubing them into 1-inch croutons; bake at 400° F until the bread is super golden and crisp and the tomatoes are jammy.
- Remove both from the oven and set aside to cool while you finish the salad.
- Roll the basil leaves into thin strips and keep aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella balls and a few teaspoons of the marinade, followed by the croissant croutons and roasted tomatoes.
- Stir everything together, adding kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add another teaspoon of the mozzarella marinade if the croutons aren’t saturated.
- Stir well and serve—it tastes even better the next day!
Learn more: How to Make the Best Conchas, the Most Stunning Mexican Pastry