I love croissants. The tender, flaky pastry layers and the delicious buttery taste are the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, and even lunch sandwiches. Who has time for that rolling and proofing though? That’s why I now make frozen croissants in the air fryer instead!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Frozen croissants take all the hard work out of actually making the bread. That’s right, just pull your pastry from the freezer and it’s ready to bake!
Instead of the tedious process of thawing and proofing the dough, you can skip all that thanks to the air fryer. I cook my frozen croissants right from frozen state, which means you can get to eating them that much quicker!
Plus, this method works for all different types of croissants! Trader Joe’s are my favorite, and they make regular, mini, almond, and chocolate frozen croissants. They’re all great, and I’m sure most other brands are too.
Pair them with honey, butter, jam, or my easy Microwave Chocolate Sauce for the perfect bakery fresh bite! Croissants make a quick breakfast, sweet treat, afternoon snack, tea time favorite, or even a lunch paired with some savory options.
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Ingredients List
- Frozen croissants, any brand (I have Trader Joe’s almond)
- Toppings as desired (optional)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- While I’m using Trader Joe’s almond croissants (they’re addictive, I could eat the entire box in one sitting), but you can swap in chocolate, regular, or their mini option as well. Alternatively, grab a different brand if preferred – Costco makes a great frozen croissant, but you can purchase them from the frozen section of most grocery stores and online too
- I typically top my croissants with some powdered sugar but you can use anything else you like as well
Proofing Frozen Croissants
- This recipe method is for cooking Trader Joe’s frozen croissants without proofing. Frozen, the almond croissants measure approximately 3.5” long x 2” wide x 0.5” high. After cooking, they measured about 3.75” long x 2.5” wide x 1.25” high
- For comparison, I also tested the overnight proofing method before cooking my croissants the next morning. After proofing, they measured 4” long x 2.5” wide x 1.5” high. After cooking, they measured about 4” long x 2.5” wide x 2 ¼” high. The end result tasted the same, but there was a much larger air pocket in the middle (which supports the height difference)
- If you want to follow the proofing method, thaw the croissants overnight (allowing them to rise at room temperature for 6-7 hours at the minimum) before cooking. However, this requires planning ahead significantly more so it’s up to you what the better method is – either way they’ll be flaky and delicious!
Step By Step Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 330°F (or the closest equivalent setting your air fryer offers)
- Place the frozen croissants in the preheated air fryer basket, allowing space between each one (they will expand during cooking)
- Brush the tops of the croissants with a little melted butter or egg wash if you want a darker crust (optional). If you’re using the Trader Joe’s almond croissants, skip this or you’ll dislodge the almonds
- Cook on the air fry setting for 12-15 minutes at 330°F (or 8-12 minutes if thawed instead of frozen), until croissants are browned and cooked through (or until a thermometer reads 180°F-190°F when inserted into the center of the bread). Frozen mini croissants can be cooked at 350°F for 4-5 minutes.
- Serve plain, or with some butter, jam, or other toppings as desired!
What to Serve With Croissants
- Powdered sugar
- Jam
- Butter
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Nutella
- Honey
- Ice cream
- Yogurt
- Fresh fruit
- Eggs
- Lunch meats
- Chicken salad
- Smoked salmon
- Bacon
- Cheese
- Coffee
- Fruit juice
Try your air fryer frozen croissants with a side of my easy Microwave Chocolate Covered Strawberries or learn How to Make Coffee in the Microwave for a beverage pairing!
Top them with some Sangria Wine Jelly or serve them alongside some Banana Almond Butter Overnight Oats!
Recipe FAQs
Can You Cook Frozen Croissant in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can cook a frozen croissant in an air fryer. They may be cooked from frozen, or defrosted and proofed ahead of time.
The timing will change slightly depending if you’re cooking from thawed or frozen, but they come out equally delicious.
Can You Air Fry Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants?
Yes, you can air fry Trader Joe’s chocolate croissants. Air frying is similar to convection baking, so your croissants will come out with a browned exterior and warm baked interior.
TJ’s chocolate croissants should be cooked for 12-15 minutes at 330°F in the air fryer, or 20-25 minutes in a standard range oven. Times may vary slightly between various air fryer brands and models.
Can You Cook Trader Joe’s Croissants From Frozen?
Yes, you can cook Trader Joe’s croissants directly from frozen. They won’t rise quite as much as proofing ahead of time, but will still increase in size.
The inside comes out gooey while the exterior browns. This is a great time saving option if you’re not concerned about the size of the air bubbles inside.
Can You Air Fry Almond Croissants?
Yes, you can air fry almond croissants. The air fryer will bake the dough and warm the interior filling.
They may be cooked from frozen or defrosted state.
Tips For the Best Air Fryer Frozen Croissants
- My frozen croissants were perfect with a gooey center after 12 minutes in a Ninja air fryer. At 15 minutes, they were less gooey and more doughy (but not overdone), so adjust based on your preference. Other air fryer brands and models may vary slightly
- It’s normal for a small amount of filling to leak out during cooking with the almond and chocolate varieties (especially from frozen; I didn’t have as much issue with the proofed ones). You can use a piece of parchment or a silicone mat in your air fryer to keep the mess down
Storage and Reheating
- Store any leftover croissants in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I do not recommend refreezing after baking, as it will draw out moisture
- To reheat croissants in the air fryer, use a temperature of 320°F-325°F and air fry for 2-3 minutes, until croissant is warmed through
More Trader Joe’s Foods to Try
Final Thoughts
Frozen croissants like Trader Joe’s are so delicious and easy to make in the air fryer. They come out buttery, flaky, and perfectly done in a fraction of the time the oven requires!
Whether you have mini, regular, au chocolat, or almond filled croissants, they’re all equally great in your air fryer. Since you can skip the long proofing process without sacrificing flavor, the air fryer truly makes great frozen croissants.
Serve these delicious pastries with butter and jam, or go a little more decadent with chocolate or caramel. Add some sliced meats for a sandwich and make it a lunch! Either way, these croissants are perfect to keep on hand in the freezer any time you have a craving.
If you’re interested in the sandwich option, check out my Smashed Croissant Air Fryer recipe!
Frozen Croissants in Air Fryer (Trader Joe’s Almond)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Frozen Trader Joe’s croissants, any flavor (or another brand of choice)
- Additional toppings if desired optional
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 330°F (or the closest equivalent setting your air fryer offers)
- Place the frozen croissants in the preheated air fryer basket, allowing space between each one (they will expand during cooking)2 Frozen Trader Joe’s croissants, any flavor
- Brush the tops of the croissants with a little melted butter or egg wash if you want a darker crust (optional). If you’re using the Trader Joe’s almond croissants, skip this or you’ll dislodge the almonds
- Cook on the air fry setting for 12-15 minutes at 330°F until croissants are browned and cooked through (or until a thermometer reads 180°F-190°F when inserted into the center of the bread)
- Serve plain, with powdered sugar, or with some butter, jam, or other toppings as desired!Additional toppings if desired
Notes
- I’m using TJ’s almond croissants, but you can swap in chocolate, regular, or mini as well. Alternatively, grab a different brand if preferred – Costco makes a great frozen croissant too
- I typically top my croissants with some powdered sugar but you can use anything you like
- This recipe method is for cooking Trader Joe’s frozen croissants without proofing. See the full notes in my article above about proofing vs not
- My frozen croissants were perfect with a gooey center after 12 minutes in a Ninja air fryer. At 15 minutes, they were less gooey and more doughy (but not overdone), so adjust based on your preference. Other air fryer brands and models may vary slightly
- It’s normal for a small amount of filling to leak out during cooking with the almond and chocolate varieties. You can use a piece of parchment paper or a silicone mat in your air fryer to keep the mess down if you like
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, toppings added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
