The Croissant Rule You've Been Breaking

There's something glorious about a croissant, especially its delicate, buttery crust — a masterpiece of pastry dough. But according to some, there are certain expectations regarding the proper, acceptable way to eat one — namely, that it's not considered très chic to butter it. 

Many French people consider it a steadfast rule that croissants should be left as is because they are already made with beaucoup de butter — sometimes up to 80% butter, in fact. Oh là là! Adding more would be like buttering your butter (what, like that's a bad thing?). So even though, officially, someone wearing a beret might berate you for buttering, plenty of croissant-lovers everywhere (oui, even in France) have a more laissez-faire attitude about it.

The general consensus on the subreddit r/France is that you can eat a croissant in whatever way bakes your brie. Besides, almost everyone agreed that butter is très bien and that you simply can't have too much of it. One person commented, "Genuine puff pastry, which croissants are made with, is already laden with butter. So yes, you probably should add some more." Others suggested that croissants should have so much butter that they glow, though some are on the side that if a croissant needs additional butter, it's a sign of a crappy croissant. Another Redditor had a more dystopian outlook on the subject and wrote, "Existence is a burden; life is a prison. Free yourself from the constructed hellscape of society and butter your croissant however you like it." 

To butter or not to butter isn't the only question when it comes to croissants. There are other rules — especially if following the guidelines set by the French. For example, many people — even those who consider buttering a sin — think it's alright to dunk croissants in a hot beverage. Most would recommend a good café au lait, tea, or hot chocolate, which should ideally be sipped from a bowl to give you more room for dunking. It's hard to stuff a whole croissant into the tiny mouth of a mug, especially without dripping coffee and croissant mush everywhere.

Acceptable accoutrements for a croissant include jelly, Nutella, chestnut cream, béchamel sauce (one of the French mother sauces), or, if you're British, marmalade. You can enjoy one stuffed with chocolate or almond cream if it comes from the bakery that way, or eat it with ham and cheese like a sandwich. And if you do insist on buttering yours, salted or half-salted butter is preferable.

Croissants must be cut lengthwise down the middle, never the other way or from the top. However, several purists still consider this to be a croissant massacre, saying that you will squash the delicate innards of the pastry by cutting into it. Instead, they advocate tearing off little bits with your fingers and eating them piece by piece. Finally, if you truly want to eat a croissant à la Frenchy style, skip the plate. The French almost never use plates for breakfast, instead eating directly off a placemat or the table. Don't be alarmed when you leave behind a wake of croissant crumbs.