9 Genius Ways to Give Your Stale Croissants a Second Life

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© Shutterstock / Alp Aksoy

Crunchy Croissant Brittle

Perfectly sweet and balanced with hints of salt, this croissant brittle makes the perfect midday pick-me-up. Snack on the crunchy layers between meetings or pack it in your children’s lunch for a sweet treat. Fresh croissants only last a day or two, but this quick and easy brittle recipe will last all week!

Ingredients:

• Stale croissants (or fresh if you simply want to try this recipe!)
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Slice the croissants about 1/4–1/2 inch thick and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the half & half over medium-low heat until it begins to steam.
4. Combine the heated half & half with the sugar and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until both the sugar and salt are dissolved, creating the syrup.
5. Dip both sides of each croissant slice into the syrup, then gently squeeze the croissant to remove any excess syrup. The croissant should be damp with syrup throughout, but not dripping.
6. Place the syrup-coated croissant slices on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 min., rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time.
8. After 45 min., check the croissant slices by giving them a little poke. They should be firm with a little bit of give.
9. Remove the croissant slices from the oven and let them cool for 10 min. If they don’t feel brittle after cooling, return them to the oven for another five min.
10. Snack on them as full slices, or break them up into smaller pieces for your kids!