21 Croissant Recipe Ideas for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Croissants are a French pastry known for their buttery flavor and flaky texture. Delicious in so many ways, fill them with refreshing preserves for a sweet breakfast or use them in lieu of sandwich bread for a packed lunch. Whether you’re baking from scratch, using a refrigerated crescent roll dough, or picking your croissants up from the bakery, here are 21 croissant recipe ideas to amplify that flaky goodness. 

Croissant breakfast recipe ideas

Perfect for brunches and meal prep, start your morning off with a little love from Paris.

1. Breakfast ham and cheese croissant sandwich

Make a base out of croissant dough and fill it with breakfast favorites like ham, egg, cheese, and chopped bell peppers. Wrap the fillings inside and bake for a hearty meal. 

2. Easy cinnamon rolls

Whipping up a batch of cinnamon rolls just got easier with this recipe that uses crescent roll dough as the base. They take just minutes from start to finish and are a great recipe for kids. 

3. Cinnamon apple croissants

Fill refrigerated crescent roll dough with a spoonful of apples cooked in butter, sugar, and spices. Roll up, bake, and top with drizzled cream cheese frosting and powdered sugar. 

4. Croissant French toast bake

Tear up refrigerated croissant dough and use it as the base for a delicious French toast bake made with eggs, butter, and cream. 

Croissant main dish recipe ideas

Savory and light, croissants are the perfect hearty lunch or dinner carb. 

1. Pigs in a blanket

Wrap your favorite hot dog or sausage in refrigerated crescent roll dough and bake. Quick, easy, and the perfect party platter hors d’oeuvres.

2. Spinach artichoke bites

Flakey, buttery crescent rolls filled with spinach, artichoke, and cheese. Yum.

3. Cream cheese chicken stuffed croissants

Creamy, savory, and oddly fancy, these light chicken sandwiches have a depth of flavor and are a hit with dinner guests. 

4. Quick and easy croissant boats

Get ready to eat some boats. Carefully tear out the top and center of the bread to make a bowl out of the croissant and fill it with a meat and cheese mixture or your favorite deli salad. Eat as is, or bake until the filling is warm. 

5. Taco crescent ring

Put a new twist on Taco Tuesday with meat and taco seasoning cooked inside a circle of crescent rolls. Serve with your favorite garnishes, including olives, salsa, guacamole, tomatoes, sour cream, and sliced jalapeno peppers.

6. Crescent roll veggie pizza

This unexpected pizza is easy to put together and can be served as a meal or appetizer. Create the base with crescent rolls and top with a mixture of cream cheese and ranch dressing. Top with chopped veggies like carrot, broccoli, bell peppers, and sugar snap peas. 

7. Ham and cheese crescent hand pies

Use ham, turkey, chicken, or sliced roast beef to fill croissant dough. Roll, bake, and enjoy.

8. Chicken and broccoli crescent ring

Tasty bits of broccoli encased in a creamy cheese sauce with canned chicken or tuna make this easy weeknight meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes. 

9. Philly cheesesteak braid

An old favorite with a twist, combine roast beef, grilled onions, and green bell peppers with melted provolone cheese encased between flaky layers of crescent roll dough.

Croissant sandwich recipe ideas

Often overlooked as a sandwich option, croissants work just as well as sliced bread, if not better. Try one of these recipes or use them for inspiration for your next meal or your child’s lunchbox. 

3. Chicken salad sandwiches

Serve your favorite chicken salad recipe on large, bakery-fresh butter croissants.

1. Buffalo chicken crescent ring

Mix deli chicken with celery, onion, and buffalo sauce. Place mixture in a ring of crescent rolls, roll up and bake for a low-to-no-hassle dinner. 

2. Baked ham and cheese croissants

Thin slices of ham layered with a creamy horseradish sauce and cheese on mini croissants, brushed with a bit of butter and baked until warm.

Croissant dessert ideas

A traditional French pastry, croissants make a delightful base for numerous desserts.

1. Chocolate croissants

Upgrade your classic bakery croissants by adding a layer of chocolate chips and a sprinkling of sea salt. Bake on low heat for a few minutes until the chocolate is melted, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve.

2. Easy apple pie bites

Thin slices of green apple are dipped in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before being placed on a crescent roll, topped with pecans, butter, and brown sugar. Roll up, bake, and serve with a scoop of ice cream for a decadent dessert. 

3. Butter pecan croissant bread pudding

Comfort food at its finest, sweet pecans and a caramel sauce pair up with the fluffy bits of croissant.

4. S’mores croissants

Bring it back to the campfire with a tray of s’mores croissants. Fill refrigerated recent roll dough with a small amount of chocolate, mini marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs. Roll up and bake according to packaging.

5. Croissant ice cream sundaes

Remove the center of the croissant to form a bowl. Fill with ice cream and top with fresh fruit or other toppings. 

Order croissants for your next meal

Whether you’re baking from scratch or picking up a pack of pre-made croissants, Instacart’s got you covered. Order all your ingredients online, and get everything you need delivered right to your home, hotel, Airbnb, or vacation rental. Just fill your cart and choose same-day pick up or delivery at check out.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Red Bell Pepper (3.28 lb)

Pillsbury Original Canned Crescent Rolls Refrigerated Pastry Dough (4 oz)

Organic Apple (8 ct)

Great Value Big & Buttery Crescent Rolls (12 oz)

Kraft Fat Free Dressing, Ranch (24 oz)

Lancaster Brand Steakhouse Roast Beef (per lb)

Instacart

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