This almond croissant filling is a soft almond cream made with almond flour, butter, granulated sugar, two eggs, almond extract and one tablespoon of flour. It takes about 10 minutes to mix, makes enough for 6 large croissants, and the filled croissants bake in about 20 minutes.
The thing that matters most is temperature. Soft butter and room temperature eggs give you a smooth, spreadable cream that bakes up golden on top and stays moist inside the pastry.
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Try the Recipe Converter →Filling Amounts for 6 Croissants
- Base ratio: 1 cup almond flour, ½ cup (1 stick) butter, ½ cup sugar, 2 large eggs
- Makes: about 1 2/3 cups, roughly 4 tablespoons per large croissant
- Time: 10 minutes to mix, about 20 minutes to bake the filled croissants
- Flavor: 1 teaspoon almond extract, a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon dark rum if you like
- Chill: optional, 30 minutes makes it easier to pipe
- Keeps: 5 days in the fridge, 1 month in the freezer
Almond Cream, Frangipane or Almond Paste?
Bakeries fill almond croissants with almond cream: butter, sugar, ground almonds and eggs beaten into a soft paste. That is what this recipe makes. It spreads like thick frosting and bakes into a tender, cake-like layer.
Frangipane is almond cream with some pastry cream folded in, so it is a little softer and more custardy. If that is the texture you want, my frangipane cream filling explains the difference, and a few spoonfuls of vanilla pastry cream turns this batch into the same thing.
Almond paste is something else again: a dense, sweet block of ground almonds and sugar. It has to be grated or beaten with butter before it will spread, and it bakes into a fudgier, marzipan-like center. It shines in almond paste cookies, but for a croissant I prefer almond cream, which stays soft and does not go chewy as it cools.
Picking the Almond Flour
Use blanched almond flour, the pale, finely ground kind made from almonds with the skins removed. Rub a pinch between your fingers. It should feel soft, like fine cornmeal. Almond meal with skins works, but the filling turns darker, a little grainy and slightly bitter.
Almond flour is full of oil, so it can go stale. If it smells flat or tastes bitter, buy a fresh bag. If you keep it in the fridge, let it come to room temperature before mixing so it does not firm up the butter. Out of almond flour? Hazelnut flour works in the same amount, with a toastier, earthier flavor.
Mixing the Almond Cream Smooth
Beat the soft butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, with a hand mixer or a sturdy spatula, until the mix is pale and no longer gritty. Stop there. This is not cake batter, and extra air makes the filling puff up in the oven, crack and run out of the croissant.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each. Room temperature eggs blend straight in. Cold eggs firm the butter into little lumps, and the mix looks curdled. Either way, keep going: the almond flour soaks up the loose fat in the next step and the cream turns smooth again. Do not warm it in the microwave, which melts the butter unevenly and makes the filling greasy.
Stir in the almond flour, almond extract, salt and the tablespoon of all-purpose flour until there are no dry spots. That spoon of flour is small, but it gives the filling enough structure to stay put in the oven instead of melting out. Add the rum last if you are using it. It brings out the almond flavor; a teaspoon of vanilla is a fine alcohol-free swap, or leave it out.
The finished cream should be thick and hold its shape on a spoon, yet spread easily. If it feels loose, chill it for 30 minutes.
Filling Day-Old Croissants
Day-old croissants work better than fresh ones. They are a little drier, so they soak up the filling without turning soggy. If yours are fresh from the store, split them and leave them uncovered for a few hours. Bakeries also brush the cut sides with a thin sugar syrup before filling; it is optional and not part of this recipe.
Slice each croissant horizontally, leaving one long side attached like a book. Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling inside, keeping a bare ½ inch at the cut edges so it has room to spread. Close the croissant and spread 1 more tablespoon thinly over the top. A piping bag makes this quicker and tidier, especially for the top layer.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 minutes. They are done when the filling on top is set, golden at the edges and no longer shiny in the middle. If the tops brown before the filling sets, lay a sheet of foil loosely over them for the last 5 minutes. A dusting of powdered sugar once they cool a little is the bakery finish.
The same method works on the pastries in my homemade chocolate croissants, and leftover filling is lovely spooned between the layers of a berry croissant breakfast bake.
Leaks, Grease and Dry Edges
- Filling ran out onto the tray: too much inside, or it was creamed with too much air. Use 3 tablespoons, leave the edges bare, and chill the filling for 30 minutes before spreading.
- Greasy, shiny filling: the butter was too warm or melted, or the almond flour was coarse. Start with butter that is soft but still holds a dent, and mix in a cool kitchen.
- Dry, crumbly filling: it baked too long. Take the croissants out as soon as the top is set and golden at the edges.
- Bitter or harsh almond taste: too much extract or a low-quality one. Stick to 1 teaspoon of pure almond extract.
Orange, Pistachio and Raspberry Versions
- Orange: stir in 1 tablespoon of orange zest. It cuts the richness and smells wonderful as it bakes.
- Pistachio: swap half the almond flour for pistachio flour for a green-tinged filling. It goes well with chocolate, as in these pistachio chocolate croissants.
- Raspberry: spread 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam inside the croissants before the almond cream for a tart layer.
- Brown sugar: use it in place of white sugar for a deeper, toffee-like note.
It is not only for croissants. Spread it between two squares of puff pastry for quick almond pastries, spoon it onto toast and broil until bubbling, or swirl it into cinnamon roll dough before rolling. For the cookie version of the same flavor, try my almond croissant cookies.
Making the Filling Ahead
Keep the filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month and thaw it overnight in the fridge. Cold almond cream is too firm to spread, so let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes and stir until soft. For a weekend brunch, make it on Friday and fill the croissants on Sunday morning. If you are feeding a crowd, the blueberry cream cheese croissant casserole bakes alongside it in the same oven.
Quick Answers Before You Bake
Do I have to chill almond croissant filling?
No. You can use it right away. Chilling for 30 minutes only makes it firmer and easier to pipe.
Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
Yes, in the same amount. The filling will be darker and a little grainier because almond meal still has the skins.
Can I fill croissants and bake them later?
Fill them up to a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge, then bake. Filled overnight, the pastry gets soggy.
Almond Croissant Filling Recipe
This almond croissant filling is a soft almond cream made with almond flour, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, almond extract and a tablespoon of flour. It mixes in about 10 minutes and makes about 1 2/3 cups, enough to fill 6 large croissants, with a thick, spreadable texture that bakes into a moist, golden layer. Cream the butter and sugar only until pale, then add room temperature eggs one at a time so the filling stays smooth and does not puff and leak in the oven. Use it as a filling for day-old or store-bought croissants, puff pastry squares, chocolate croissants and croissant breakfast bakes. Add orange zest or a little dark rum, and keep it 5 days in the fridge or 1 month frozen.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or spatula to beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light in color, fluffy, and smooth. This process should take about 2 minutes.
- ADD THE EGGS: Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. The mixture may appear slightly curdled, but this is normal and will come together in the next step.
- MIX IN ALMOND FLOUR AND FLAVORINGS: Add the almond flour, almond extract, salt, and all-purpose flour. Stir until the mixture is fully combined and smooth, with no dry spots remaining.
- ADD THE RUM: Pour in the dark rum if using, and stir until incorporated. The rum enhances the almond flavor and gives the filling a French bakery aroma.
- CHILL (OPTIONAL): Use immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the texture. Chilling makes the filling easier to pipe or spread into croissants.
Notes
Use soft butter and room temperature eggs; cold eggs make the mixture look curdled, but keep mixing and the almond flour brings it back together. Do not overbeat, since extra air makes the filling puff and run out of the croissants. For 6 large croissants, split them and use about 3 tablespoons inside and 1 tablespoon on top, leaving the cut edges bare. Bake filled croissants at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until the top filling is set and golden at the edges. The rum is optional; use 1 teaspoon vanilla or leave it out. Store the filling airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Let it come to room temperature before spreading.
