Paris Viral Crookies

When you take that first bite of a fresh Le Crookie, you'll discover an amazing texture combo that's got dessert fans everywhere hooked – that awesome mix of buttery, flakey croissant giving in to soft, chewy cookie filled with melty chocolate pockets. This Paris treat, first made at Maison Louvard, has blown up on social media platforms for obvious reasons.

I made these for a family get-together last Sunday and my usually quiet brother-in-law took one bite and said they were "mind-blowing." My friend who just came back from Paris told me they were almost identical to the ones she waited 60 minutes in line for at that famous bakery. What makes them work? Using top-notch croissants as your foundation and making sure not to cook them too long, keeping that cookie middle nice and chewy.

Key Components and Shopping Advice

• Croissants: Go for new, premium, all-butter ones. Pick croissants with golden coloring and visible fold lines. Ones from yesterday will do in a pinch but won't give you that same soft middle.
• Cookie Dough: Make your dough with a bit less butter than normal recipes so it won't be too oily when paired with the already buttery croissant.
• Chocolate: Cut up good chocolate bars (60-70% cacao) by hand instead of using chips – they melt better and make awesome chocolate spots throughout.
• Vanilla Extract: Real vanilla extract makes the cookie dough taste better without taking over the chocolate flavor.
• Sea Salt: A tiny bit of flaky sea salt on top before baking brings out all the tastes and gives you that fancy sweet-salt balance.

After lots of testing, I've found that Costco all-butter croissants work surprisingly well in this recipe. They're just the right size, and they're almost as good as fancy bakery ones but cost way less.

Step-by-Step Baking Guide

Step 1: Get Your Materials Ready

Pick out 4-6 fresh, all-butter croissants and let them warm up to room temp. Heat your oven to 350°F and put parchment paper on a baking sheet so cleanup is easy.

Step 2: Whip Up Your Cookie Mix

Mix ½ cup soft butter with ¼ cup white sugar and ½ cup light brown sugar until it's fluffy. Add in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, stirring till it's smooth. In another bowl, mix 1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt before adding to your wet stuff. Fold in 1 cup of roughly chopped chocolate pieces.

Step 3: Put It All Together

Cut open each croissant and carefully spread about 2-3 tablespoons of cookie dough inside, staying away from the edges where it might leak out. Don't add too much – a thin layer makes the best texture difference. Close the croissant gently, pressing just enough to keep it together without squashing the layers.

Step 4: Bake To Perfection

Put your filled croissants on the baking sheet, keeping them at least 2 inches apart. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top if you want. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the croissants turn dark golden and the cookie dough is just set but still soft in the middle. Timing might change based on your oven and croissant size.

Step 5: Serve While They're Good

Let the Crookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a plate. They taste best when they're still warm, when you can really notice the difference between the crispy outside and gooey inside. For an extra special treat, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some fresh berries.

Pin it

I was pretty nervous about the double-frying thing when I first tried making these. After a few wonky tries, I figured out that simple folds work just as well as fancy ones - they still taste awesome either way. Now my kids help with the folding, making their own funny shapes that have become our family's special thing.

How To Nail That Amazing Texture

What makes these croissants so special is how they're crispy on the bottom but soft and tasty inside. I've learned that managing moisture is super important. First, you've gotta squeeze all the extra water out of the salted cabbage or your filling will get mushy. Then, the cornstarch doesn't just hold everything together – it soaks up any leftover moisture too. And finally, the way you cook them – fry, then steam, then fry again – gives you that crispy bottom while making sure the filling cooks all the way through.

Pin it

Prepare Ahead For Easy Entertaining

One thing I love about this recipe is how you can make stuff ahead of time. When I'm having people over, I often do this in stages: shape and freeze the balls up to a month before, bread them the day before (keeping them covered in the fridge), and then just bake them when guests show up. The smell of these baking makes the whole house smell amazing and gets everyone excited to eat. For bigger parties, I make two batches, keeping the second one warm in a low oven until it's needed.

New Ways To Use What's Left

If you somehow have leftover croissants (which hardly ever happens at my place!), you can turn them into totally different meals. Mix crumbled pieces into scrambled eggs for a French-style breakfast mix, or cut them up and toss them in a green salad with spicy dressing for a quick lunch. My favorite trick is to put halved leftover croissants on top of a bowl of creamy grits, making a filling breakfast that carries the flavors into tomorrow.

Pin it

Pro Cooking Advice

• Let the balls sit for 5 minutes after they come out of the oven before eating – this helps the inside set up just right
• Want more flavor? Try adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika to your panko mix
• Can't find good croissants nearby? Order them online from places like Bourgeois Meat Market or The Best Stop
• Put out several dipping options – maybe a spicy remoulade and cool ranch along with the Louisiana dipping sauce
• For a party display, arrange the balls on a plate with spots of chopped parsley, purple cabbage, and yellow bell pepper to show the traditional green, purple, and gold colors

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I take a shortcut with pre-made cookie dough?

Sure thing! Go for top-notch store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough. Let it sit out for a bit until it softens up. This makes spreading it into the croissants a lot easier.

→ How do I keep leftover crookies fresh?

Pop them in an airtight container at room temperature, and they'll stay good for 2 days. Want them to last longer? Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm them up again in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes or zap them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

→ Can I freeze these treats?

You sure can! Prep them completely beforehand and freeze them before baking, or store baked ones after they cool. For unbaked ones, freeze them until solid, then stash them in a bag. Bake straight from frozen, but add an extra couple of minutes. Baked ones should thaw at room temp before reheating.

→ Are day-old croissants okay?

Definitely! In fact, slightly older croissants are even easier to cut and fill without them squashing down too much. Just make sure they're not rock-hard or too dry.

→ What mix-ins can I add to the cookie dough?

Feel free to jazz it up! Toss in some chopped nuts, dried fruit, white chocolate chunks, or even mix in some Nutella. Spices like cinnamon or cardamom can switch up the flavors too.

→ Why did my crookies fall apart in the oven?

If they spread too much, the cookie dough probably got too warm or had too little flour. Chill the filled croissants for about 15-20 minutes before baking next time. And when making the dough, use butter that's not overly soft.