Croissant Stuffing

Buttery, crisp edges + soft center, easy croissant bake for holidays or weeknights (45 minutes hands-on)

Tear up buttery croissants, toss with herb-scented aromatics, and bake into a golden croissant stuffing with crackly tops and custardy middles.

Why You’ll Love It

• Buttery layers = texture win: Flaky croissants deliver crisp edges and plush centers—an upgrade on classic bread stuffing.
• Holiday-ready but simple: All the cozy flavors of Thanksgiving stuffing without drying out.
• Flexible flavor lanes: Map to Savory Croissant, Croissant Bake, or even a festive Christmas Croissant twist.
• Make-ahead friendly: Assemble the day before and bake when guests arrive.

Ingredients (notes only)

Base

• Day-old plain croissants (about 10–12 small / 20–22 oz): Tear into 1-inch pieces; dry out for best texture.
• Unsalted butter (8 Tbsp, divided): For sautéing and glossy finish.
• Eggs (2 large) + low-sodium chicken/turkey stock (2½–3 cups): Binder + moisture; start with 2½ cups and adjust.
• Kosher salt (1½ tsp) + black pepper (1 tsp).

Aromatics & Herbs

• Yellow onion (1 large) + celery (3 ribs) + garlic (3 cloves).
• Poultry seasoning (2 tsp) or dried sage (1½ tsp) + thyme (1 tsp) + rosemary (½ tsp).
• Fresh parsley (¼ cup, chopped).

Optional Add-Ins (choose 1–2)

• Cooked Italian sausage (12 oz), crumbled (for Croissant Recipe Stuffed vibes).
• Diced apple (1 cup) + dried cranberries (½ cup) for a Christmas Croissant note.
• Sautéed mushrooms (8 oz) + Gruyère (½ cup) for luxe Savory Croissant depth.
• Toasted pecans (½ cup), chopped.

Build your holiday table: add Honey-Glazed Carrots & Green Beans, Crispy Garlic Parmesan Roasted Green Beans, and a sweet finish with Perfect Cinnamon Pie.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Dry the croissants: Heat oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread torn croissants on 2 sheets; bake 10–15 min until lightly crisped, not browned. Cool.
2. Sauté aromatics: In a large skillet, melt 4 Tbsp butter over medium. Cook onion + celery with ½ tsp salt until tender, 6–8 min. Add garlic and herbs; cook 1 min. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Make custard: Whisk eggs, 2½ cups stock, remaining salt/pepper.
4. Combine: In a large bowl, toss croissants with aromatics, parsley, and any add-ins. Pour in custard; gently fold until evenly moistened (no dry pockets, no pooling). Rest 10 min so croissants hydrate; add up to ½ cup more stock if needed.
5. Pan + dot: Transfer to a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. Dot with remaining 4 Tbsp butter.
6. Bake: Cover with foil; bake at 350°F (175°C) 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and the center is set and steamy (an instant-read thermometer in the middle reads 165°F/74°C if you included sausage or plan to stuff poultry).
7. Serve: Rest 10 minutes for clean scoops. Finish with extra parsley.

Pro Tips

• Moisture control: Croissants vary, add stock gradually. Mixture should be plush, not soggy.
• Convection crisp: For extra crackle, switch to convection for the last 5 minutes.
• Flavor layering: Brown the butter before sautéing for nutty depth.
• Pan choice: Metal pans brown faster than glass; watch the last 5–10 minutes.

Variations (mapped to Interests)

• Sausage & Fennel (Savory Croissant): Cook 12 oz sausage with ½ tsp fennel seed; add ½ cup Parmesan.
• Mushroom–Gruyère (Croissant Bake): Sauté 8 oz mushrooms; fold in ½ cup shredded Gruyère.
• Cranberry–Orange (Christmas Croissant): Add ½ cup dried cranberries + 1 tsp orange zest; finish with thyme.
• Mini Bites (Croissant Appetizers): Press mixture into greased mini-muffin tins; bake 18–22 min until crisp.
• Sweet Swap (Croissant Dessert Recipes): Replace stock with milk/cream, add ¼ cup sugar + vanilla/cinnamon → dessert bread-pudding style.

How to Serve

• Spoon beside roast turkey, chicken, or prime rib; ladle warm pan gravy over the corner pieces.
• Add bright sides (green beans, salad) for balance; offer cranberry sauce for acidity.

Make Ahead & Storage

• Make-ahead (24 hrs): Assemble; cover and refrigerate. Before baking, drizzle ¼–½ cup extra stock.
• Leftovers: Cool, cover, and refrigerate 3–4 days.
• Reheat: 325°F (165°C) covered 15–20 min with a splash of stock; uncover 5 min to re-crisp.
• Freeze: Bake, cool, portion; wrap and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from thawed.

FAQs

Can I use supermarket croissants?
Yes. Aim for 20–22 oz total; day-old works best.

Do I need eggs?
Eggs help the custard set. If omitting, add 2 Tbsp melted butter and reduce stock slightly; texture will be looser.

Can I stuff the turkey with this?
For food safety, if you stuff poultry, ensure the stuffing center reaches 165°F (74°C) and the turkey breast reaches 165°F (thighs 175°F).

Gluten-free?
Use GF croissants or dense GF rolls; add 1–2 Tbsp extra egg to help bind.

Simple Nutrition Table (estimate, per 1 of 10 servings)

Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium
~350	~26 g	~22 g	~9 g	~520 mg

Estimates only. Will vary by croissant size, sausage, and cheese.