The Ultimate Kouign-Amann Recipe (Breton Butter Cakes!)
Imagine a pastry that is the absolute pinnacle of buttery, caramelized perfection—a creation with a shatteringly crisp, sugary crust that gives way to a thousand flaky, tender layers, all with a surprising, delightful balance of sweet and salty. That, my friends, is the legendary, life-changing magic of the Kouign-Amann (pronounced “queen-a-mahn”). It is, without a doubt, a true labor of love, and the most spectacular pastry you will ever bake.
Here’s the thing about the world’s greatest pastries: they demand respect, but they are not impossible. I first tried a Kouign-Amann in a tiny artisan bakery and was completely mesmerized. It was sweet, salty, sticky, buttery, crispy, and tender all at once. I made it my mission to learn how to recreate that magic at home. This recipe is the culmination of that journey—a step-by-step guide to demystifying the laminated dough and creating these legendary Breton butter cakes in a simple muffin tin.
I promise you, there is no greater baking achievement than pulling a tray of these glistening, golden-brown crowns from your oven, the smell of caramelized sugar and butter filling your entire home. The process takes time and patience, but the reward is a pastry experience that is truly second to none. It’s a project that will make you feel like a true pastry artist.
Get ready to tackle a legendary bake and create a batch of the most irresistible pastries you have ever tasted.
Why This Kouign-Amann Will Be Your Greatest Baking Achievement!
You are going to be so incredibly proud of these pastries. They are a true testament to the magic of butter, sugar, and flour. Here’s why this is the recipe to try:
- An Unforgettable Texture Experience: This pastry is a symphony of textures—from the crunchy, caramelized sugar shell to the flaky, buttery layers and the soft, tender center.
- Authentic Sweet and Salty Flavor: A true Kouign-Amann is as savory as it is sweet. This recipe nails that perfect, addictive balance with a special “seasoned sugar.”
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Lamination: Don’t be intimidated by laminated dough! This recipe breaks down the process of folding in the butter into simple, manageable steps for foolproof results.
- The Muffin Tin Hack: You don’t need special, expensive molds! This recipe cleverly uses a standard muffin tin, which is the perfect vessel for containing the melting sugar and creating that signature caramelized crust.
- A True Baker’s Show-Stopper: Mastering the Kouign-Amann is a badge of honor for any home baker. These stunning pastries are guaranteed to wow anyone and everyone.
Recipe Snapshot
| Prep Time | 40 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Rising & Chilling Time | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Total Time | 4 hours 35 minutes |
| Servings | 12 servings |
| Calories | 291 kcal per serving |
| Course | Dessert, Pastry, Breakfast |
| Cuisine | French, Breton |
| Difficulty/Method | Advanced / Baking |
Your Shopping List for This Buttery Masterpiece
This legendary pastry is born from a few simple, high-quality ingredients. Precision is key, so a kitchen scale is helpful!
→ For the Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 ½ cups bread flour, divided → Bread flour is essential for the strong, elastic dough needed for lamination.
- 2 tbsp melted butter, plus more for greasing
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) ice-cold unsalted butter → Must be very cold! This is the lamination butter.
→ For the Seasoned Sugar
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt → The authentic salty counterpoint to the sweet caramel.
Let’s Get Laminating! Your Step-by-Step Kouign-Amann Guide
This is a project bake. Take your time, enjoy the process of working with the dough, and get ready for a spectacular reward.
Part 1: The Dough and First Rise
- Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the yeast. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
- Make the Dough: Add 2 cups of the bread flour, 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and the kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a very wet, sticky dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Dust your work surface with the remaining ½ cup of flour. Turn the sticky dough out and knead it, folding in the flour from the surface, until the dough is soft, elastic, and only slightly sticky. Place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours, until doubled.
Part 2: The Lamination (Creating the Layers)
- Prep the Pan and Sugar: While the dough rises, make the seasoned sugar by mixing the ⅔ cup of sugar and the sea salt. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter, then coat each cup with some of the seasoned sugar.
- The First Fold: Punch down the risen dough and press it into a rough rectangle on a floured surface. Roll it out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Grate one stick of the ice-cold butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Gently pat the butter down. Fold the rectangle of dough into thirds, like a business letter. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- The Next Folds: Take the chilled dough and roll it out into a large rectangle again. Grate the second stick of ice-cold butter over the surface, pat it down, and fold it into thirds again. Roll it back out into a rectangle, and fold it into thirds once more. Repeat this roll-and-fold one last time. You are creating dozens of beautiful layers! Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until very firm.
Part 3: Shaping and Baking
- Sugar Roll-Out: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously sprinkle your work surface with the seasoned sugar. Place the chilled dough on top and sprinkle with more sugar. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick, adding more sugar to the surface as you go.
- Cut and Shape: Use a pizza cutter to trim the edges and cut the dough into 12 equal squares. Sprinkle with more sugar. To shape each pastry, bring all four corners into the center, lightly pinching them together to form a “crown” or a little package.
- Pan and Bake: Place each shaped pastry into a prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle with a final bit of sugar. Let them rest for 10 minutes. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden brown, caramelized, and puffed.
- Cool Immediately: This is crucial! As soon as they come out of the oven, use a fork to immediately transfer the hot pastries to a cooling rack. If you let them cool in the pan, the caramel will harden and they will be stuck forever! Let them cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
WiseRecipes’ Top Tips for Kouign-Amann Mastery
This is an advanced bake, but these secrets will guide you to success.
- ICE-COLD Butter is Non-Negotiable. The entire principle of lamination relies on creating distinct layers of butter and dough. Your butter for folding must be as cold as possible. Grating it from frozen is the ultimate pro-move. If the butter melts into the dough, you will lose your layers.
- Use Bread Flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour. This is essential for developing the strong, elastic gluten structure needed to withstand all the rolling and folding without tearing.
- Don’t Fear the Dark Caramel. A true Kouign-Amann should have a deeply caramelized, almost slightly bitter sugar crust. Don’t be afraid to let them get a deep, rich, golden-brown in the oven. That’s where all the flavor is!
- Work Quickly and Keep Everything Cold. When you’re working with the dough, be efficient. If at any point the dough becomes soft or the butter feels like it’s melting, don’t hesitate to pop it back in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up. A cold dough is a happy dough.
- Remove From the Pan IMMEDIATELY. I cannot stress this enough. The molten sugar in the muffin tin will turn into rock-hard caramel glue as it cools. You must remove the hot pastries from the pan within a minute or two of them coming out of the oven.
Kouign-Amann (Breton Butter Cake)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Make the dough: Combine water, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and kosher salt; stir until a very wet sticky dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a surface dusted with remaining 1/2 cup flour. Knead until dough is soft, slightly sticky, and elastic. Place into a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Make seasoned sugar by mixing sugar and sea salt. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with remaining 1 Tbsp. melted butter and coat each cup with some of the seasoned sugar.
- Transfer risen dough to a floured surface and roll into a rectangle. Grate 1 stick ice-cold butter over dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold dough into thirds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll dough into a large rectangle again. Grate remaining stick ice-cold butter over the surface and fold into thirds. Roll out into a rectangle again and fold into thirds. Repeat rolling and folding one more time. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Sprinkle a generous amount of seasoned sugar on your work surface. Place dough on sugar and sprinkle more on top. Roll into a large rectangle about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick.
- Use a pizza cutter to trim edges and cut dough into 12 equal squares. Lightly pinch each pastry into a crown shape by bringing all four corners to the center; place into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle more sugar on top. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until browned and puffed. Immediately transfer pastries to a cooling rack while still hot. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Keep Them Crispy! Storing Your Kouign-Amann
These pastries are a true celebration of texture and are at their absolute peak on the day they are baked.
- Best Eaten Fresh: For the ultimate experience of shatteringly crisp caramel and flaky layers, Kouign-Amann should be eaten within a few hours of being baked.
- Storage: If you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The crust will soften. To revive them, you can reheat them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes to help re-crisp the exterior.
FAQs: Your Kouign-Amann Questions, Answered!
What does Kouign-Amann mean?
It’s from the Breton language of Brittany, France, where the pastry originated. “Kouign” means cake, and “amann” means butter. So, it literally translates to “butter cake”—a very fitting name!
Can I use a different method than grating the butter?
Yes. The traditional method is to pound the cold butter into a flat square (a “beurrage”). However, the grating method is much more forgiving for home bakers, as it distributes the butter easily without requiring as much force, which can tear a less-developed dough.
Why is my dough so sticky and hard to work with?
This is a relatively high-hydration dough, so it is naturally a bit sticky to start. That’s why the initial kneading on a well-floured surface is important. If it’s becoming unmanageable during the lamination process, it’s almost always because it has gotten too warm. A quick trip back to the fridge is the best solution.
Why did all the butter leak out of my pastries in the oven?
This is a classic lamination heartbreak! It usually means there was a tear in the dough, allowing the butter to escape, or that the dough was not chilled enough before its final roll-out and bake, causing the butter to melt out instead of creating steam between the layers.
Final Thoughts: A Legendary Labor of Love
There is no greater achievement in a home baker’s journey than mastering a legendary pastry like the Kouign-Amann. It is a project that requires patience, care, and a great deal of butter, but the reward is a truly unforgettable culinary experience. I hope this guide empowers you to tackle this wonderful challenge and to taste the sweet, salty, and buttery victory. Happy baking!
