Skip The Bakery: Shoppers Say These Frozen Croissants Are Better (And Cheaper)

Bakery croissants are perfection in pastry form with their honeycombed layers of laminated dough and rich, buttery flavor. Everything about them is amazing, except perhaps the price. They're basically just folded flour and butter, but you'll probably pay $4 to $6 for a standard bakery croissant. While $5 might not break the bank, there's a cheaper croissant waiting at the grocery store that tastes fresher and better than some bakery versions: Trader Joe's box of four frozen almond croissants, priced at $5.99 (about $1.50 for each pastry). 

To make Trader Joe's Almond Croissants, let the dough proof at room temperature overnight, then pop them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes the next morning. Don't be fooled by the initial size of the dough coming out of the box — they triple in size as they sit. Each lump of dough bakes up into a satisfying croissant, about the size you'd get from a bakery. Not only can you claim they're home-baked, but they'll also last longer than bakery croissants.

Shoppers say they're surprised by how well the frozen dough creates a flaky, layered croissant. In fact, Trader Joe's croissants are so good, they're raising standards across the board. "Definitely shockingly good," wrote a Reddit user. "They make me grumpy that so many coffee shops/etc have mediocre croissants though — if TJ can have great frozen ones, surely they can do better too!"

As a Trader Joe's must-buy breakfast item, they've become a weekly household treat for some shoppers. Fans have become pros at baking these goods, and some have even come up with a few tricks for making them even better. One person suggested throwing the dough in the fridge while the oven preheats to prevent the butter inside from pooling during baking. Then, when it's time to place them on the baking sheet, space them out with plenty of room to expand while they bake, and be patient — don't take them out of the oven before 20 to 25 minutes to avoid undercooking in the middle. Others note an egg wash does wonders to boost the flavor and richness of the croissants.

Trader Joe's customers have discovered the frozen almond croissants make a great base for other breakfast dishes as well, like cinnamon rolls (use this trick to make cinnamon rolls even easier to share). "Try cutting them into ¼s when they are frozen and putting them into a pan (like you would with cinnamon rolls) and follow the normal baking instructions," explained a Redditor. "Cover them with icing or jam once they are out of the oven." Trader Joe's frozen almond croissant dough is also a simple bread swap for flaky and buttery holiday stuffing and other bread-based savory dishes.