• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Plant Based School
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Us
  • All Recipes
  • Mains
  • Pasta
  • Sweet
  • Collections
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts

    Vegan Cornetti - Italian Croissants

    Published: Mar 27, 2021 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    These vegan cornetti or Italian croissants with custard are the ultimate Italian breakfast recipe. The dough is light, soft and aromatic, and you can fill them with our delicious vegan custard or with your favourite jam. Our recipe is easy to make, with simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry.

    vegan cornetti - Italian croissants
    On this page:
    • What are cornetti?
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • Equipment
    • Mistakes I made
    • Tips
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Storage
    • Variations
    • Similar recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best vegan breakfast recipe collection!

    What are cornetti?

    Cornetti are the Italian take on the French croissant. They look almost exactly the same, crescent-moon-shaped, but they are made with a different dough, and they often come with a filling of custard, jam, or chocolate.

    Also, did you know that in Italy, dipping a croissant in a warm cappuccino is probably the most beloved breakfast of all? If you have ever been to Italy, you know that croissants are served in literally every single café, from north to south, and these days it's even possible to find delicious vegan cornetti in many places.

    If you go to an Italian supermarket, you can find more than a dozen different types of cornetti, made with different doughs and with different fillings. When it comes to doughs, there are two main types. One is a butter-layered leavened dough, very similar to puff-pastry. The other is a leavened brioche bread dough.

    cornetti - Italian croissant zoomed in
    cornetto with crema pasticcera

    When it comes to fillings, there are 3 main varieties of fillings. With custard (cornetti alla crema), with apricot jam (cornetti all'albicocca), and with nutella (cornetti al cioccolato).

    Our recipe is made with a vegan leavened brioche bread dough, and can be filled with anything you like. Our tip is to fill them with our vegan custard / vegan pastry cream, and eat them for breakfast, dipped in your favourite plant-milk cappuccino.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • Flour: I use first-clear flour but, if you can't find it, just go for bread flour. That is basically a flour that is less refined than all-purpose, but not as heavy as whole-grain flour.
    • Sugar: plain sugar works best. No syrups or other sugar types.
    • Instant dry yeast: I love instant dry yeast because you don't have to mix it with water to activate it. You can replace it with fresh yeast, but if you do so you need 3 times more fresh yeast compared to our instant dry yeast dose.
    • Soy-milk and water: this is our go-to milk for cooking. You can replace it with any other plant milk of your choice. We mix it with water in this recipe to make the vegan cornetti extra light and soft.
    • Sunflower oil: this is our go-to fat because it is comparatively healthier than coconut oil, and because it has little flavour, it's affordable and widely available.
    • Vanilla extract and orange zest: both necessary for the aroma. Better if the orange is organic.
    • Filling: either vegan custard, vegan nutella, or apricot jam.
    close up vegan brioche croissant
    close up vegan brioche croissant

    Equipment

    If you want to fill your croissants then you'll need a pastry piping bag with a long and thin nozzle.

    Mistakes I made

    • I put the filling before rolling, and it's a mess. It's way easier to put it after they are cooked. Just let them cool down for 10 minutes, then fill them up using a pastry piping bag with a long and thin nozzle.
    • I used too much flour when rolling the dough, and the croissants dried out too much. The second time I made them, I didn't use any flour when rolling the dough flat, and the result was a lot better. The vegan cornetti turned out soft, light and airy.
    close up of Italian croissant with custard
    close up of Italian croissant with custard

    Tips

    • Pick the right yeast: I use instant dry yeast, which doesn't require to be activated in warm water and sugar, but it can simply be added to the flour. If you don't have instant dry yeast, you can use either 7g (1.4tsp) of active dry yeast or 25g of fresh yeast. In both cases, you need to first dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and sugar before adding it to the flour.
    • Proof the dough in a warm place: turn on your oven for 30 to 45 seconds, then turn it off and put the dough to proof inside it. You can also keep the light of the oven on (just the light, not the heat), if you have that function.
    • Cover the dough with a damp cloth: a damp cloth is better than a piece of film because 1) it doesn't add up to plastic pollution, and 2) because it keeps the dough moist, helping the yeast do a better job. Keep in mind though that the dough will double or triple in volume, so leave enough space between the dough and the damp cloth.
    cornetti alla crema
    cornetti alla crema

    Frequently asked questions

    What are croissants called in Italy?

    In Italy croissants are called cornetti, and sometimes, especially in the north, people call them brioche.

    What does cornetti mean?

    Cornetti means "little horns", from the Italian "corno", horn. Italian croissants are called "cornetti" because their shape resembles that of little horns.

    Are croissants French or Italian?

    Croissants are neither French, nor Italian, but most probably are of Austrian origin, even though they are a very popular preparation in both France and Italy.

    What is the difference between French and Italian croissants?

    French croissants are made with a butter-layered leavened dough, very similar to puff-pastry. The butter flavour and flakiness is what characterises French croissants.

    Italian croissants are sometimes made like French croissants, however, they are most often made with less butter and with a brioche-like dough. Also while the French croissant is neither sweet or salty, the Italian croissant is sweet, and filled with either jam, pastry cream, or nutella.

    Are croissants vegan friendly?

    Traditional croissants are not vegan friendly because of the butter, and sometimes egg, found in the dough. However, more and more places are offering vegan croissants that taste as delicious as the non-vegan ones.

    If you happen to drive on the Italian highway or freeway, or in some Italian airports, try a vegan croissant from "Autogrill", the iconic Italian rest-stop found everywhere in Italy. They are delicious!

    Storage

    Storage before cooking

    To store croissant before cooking them, you should create the shape of the croissant, put them on the baking tray, then freeze for 15 minutes. When they are hard, transfer them into a freezing bag and put them back in the freezer. They keep frozen for up to 3 months.

    To thaw them, take them out of the freezer, put them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and let thaw. Once they are thawed, let them proof for 1 hour before cooking them.

    Storage after cooking

    If you have already cooked and filled your cornetti, it is best to keep them in a reusable plastic bag that is suitable for storing food. This way they'll keep nice and soft for about 4 to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them for about 1 month. In this case, let them cool completely before freezing them.

    Variations

    The three most popular Italian croissants variations in Italy are with apricot jam and with chocolate or nutella filling. Check out our "just like nutella" spread. It's perfect to fill croissants.

    Similar recipes

    If you're also a fan of vegan baking, check out these other recipes with leavened dough:

    • Vegan brioche bread
    • Italian cream buns
    • Vegan brioche rolls
    • Italian breakfast buns with jam
    • vegan donuts

    For many more breakfast ideas, check out our breakfast category page.

    Recipe

    vegan brioche bread croissants with pastry cream

    Vegan Cornetti - Italian Croissants

    Author: Nico
    These vegan cornetti or Italian croissants with custard are the ultimate Italian breakfast recipe. The dough is light, soft and aromatic, and you can fill them with our delicious vegan custard or with your favourite jam. Our recipe is easy to make, with simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 9 votes
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Proofing 3 hrs
    Total Time 3 hrs 45 mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 16 croissant
    Calories 181 kcal

    Equipment

    • Pastry piping bag with long nozzle (only if you want to fill them)

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dry Ingredients

    • 500 g bread flour or all-purpose + 2 to 3 tablespoon for kneading*
    • 100 g sugar
    • 7 g instant dry yeast or 7g active dry yeast, or 20g fresh brewer's yeast but in this two cases dissolved in warm water.

    Wet Ingredients

    • 150 g plant-milk soy, almond, oat
    • 150 g water
    • 60 g sunflower oil
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 orange zest
    • 1 pinch salt

    For the filling

    • vegan custard
    • apricot jam

    Instructions
     

    • In a bowl add flour, sugar and instant dry yeast and give it a quick stir.
      Now add the rest of the ingredients: orange zest, lukewarm plant-milk, water, sunflower oil, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix with a spatula till all the ingredients come together.
      NB: if you don't have instant dry yeast, you can use either 7g (1.4tsp) of active dry yeast or 25g of fresh yeast. In both cases, you need to first dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and sugar before adding it to the flour.
      mixing the vegan dough
    • On a worktop add 2 tablespoon of flour, then transfer the dough on it, and knead with your hands. Let the dough absorb all the flour, then knead vigorously for 5 minutes. If the dough is too wet, you can add an additional tablespoon of flour.
      But keep in mind that by the end, your dough should be elastic, soft and moist. It should almost stick to the worktop.
      You can use a kitchen-aid if you prefer.
      kneading the dough
    • Put the dough in a bowl, brush it with a thin layer of oil and cover the bowl with a damp kitchen cloth, leaving enough space for the dough to double in volume. Let proof for 2 to 3 hours in a warm place.
      TIP: turn the oven on for 30 seconds, then turn it off and put the dough in it to proof.
      perfectly proofed dough
    • After proofing, transfer the dough onto a clean worktop and flatten it, first with your hands, then with a rolling pin.
      Make a rectangular shape of 50cm by 30cm (20inch by 12inch).
      flattening the dough
    • With a sharp knife or with a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 9 to 10 triangles.
      making triangles out of the dough
    • Roll each triangle on itself to give it the shape of a croissant. With the scraps, repeat the same process.
      shaping the vegan croissants
    • Put the finished croissants on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving some distance between them. On a standard tray, I fit 9 croissants. Let proof for 1 hour in a warm place.
      TIP: turn the oven on for 30 seconds, then turn it off and put the croissants in it to proof.
      vegan brioche croissants on a baking tray
    • Preheat the oven to 180C or 356F. Brush the top of the croissants with plant-milk and bake on the mid-lower oven rack for around 20 minutes.
      NB: The time really depends on the oven and on the size of the croissant, so keep an eye on them. They should be slightly golden on top.
      brushing the croissants with plant-milk
    • Let cool down for 10 minutes before eating them or before filling them with our vegan custard***, or with your favourite jam.
      just baked vegan croissants
    • To fill them you need a pastry piping pag with a long and narrow tip.
      filling the vegan croissant

    Video Recipe

    Notes

    MEASUREMENTS
    We recommend using the metric system for this recipe.
     
    *the dough for the croissants should be quite wet, so try to add as little flour as possible while kneading. 2 to 3 tablespoon should be enough.
    **for best results use a scale and precise grams measurements.
    *** here's the link to our vegan pastry cream recipe/vegan custard recipe.
    NB: Nutritional values are for croissants without filling.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Cornetti - Italian Croissants
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 181 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Potassium 64mg2%
    Carbohydrates 30g10%
    Dietary Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 56IU1%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 5mg6%
    Vitamin E 2mg13%
    Vitamin K 1µg1%
    Calcium 22mg2%
    Folate 26µg7%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 9mg2%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    You might also like:

    • 43 plant-based desserts including vegan custard and apple cake
      43 Plant-Based Desserts
    • Vegan Italian recipes such as ricotta and focaccia
      65 Vegan Italian Recipes
    • vegan brunch recipes including vegan frittata, french toast and vegan egg salad
      25+ Best Vegan Brunch Recipes

    « Mini apple tarts - Crostatine di mele
    Italian breakfast brioche - Buondì »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Giovanna

      February 20, 2023 at 4:46 pm

      Per avere la spiegazione della ricetta in lingua italiana?

      Reply
      • Nico

        February 21, 2023 at 9:10 am

        Ciao Giovanna,

        Ci stiamo spostando piano piano su un nuovo sito tutto in Italiano dove a breve potrai trovare tutte le nostre ricette.

        Intanto ti lascio il link per questa ricetta in lingua Italiana -> https://theplantbasedschool.com/cornetti-con-la-crema/?lang=it

        Il nuovo sito è https://tuttifoody.com/

        A presto
        Nico

        Reply
    2. Jessica

      November 12, 2021 at 2:22 am

      Hi! What would be the difference between using sunflower oil verses vegan butter?

      Reply
      • Nico

        December 07, 2021 at 8:05 am

        Hi Jessica, you can use melted vegan butter if you like. The nutritional difference depends on the type of vegan butter, but normally, vegan butters are made with mostly saturated fats (like palm and coconut oil) so that they are solid at room temperature. Some people for health or ethical reasons might not want to consume those products. Sunflower oil is mostly unsaturated. Personally, I think sunflower oil is a little healthier than vegan butters, and it makes the end product lighter (it's also cheaper and often locally grown). For more info on nutrition, I'd recommend checking out the book Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.

        Reply
    3. Zoha

      August 05, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      This recipe such as you're other ones is great and practical.
      Can I use grease paper instead of parchment one?
      Thank you in advance

      Reply
      • Nico

        August 11, 2021 at 12:11 pm

        Thanks so much Zoha, I think you can from what I read online, but I haven't tried myself actually 🙂

        Reply
    4. Mariah

      June 27, 2021 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      These turned out great!

      Reply
      • Nico

        August 22, 2021 at 8:24 am

        Thanks Mariah, so happy they turned out great 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a comment and star rating :-) Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise, and we love cooking! Welcome to our blog.

    Here we share veggie-packed recipes for the whole family.

    Omnivores, flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans, you are ALL WELCOME to this community.

    More about us →

    Trending

    • lentil curry with basmati rice
      Lentil Curry
    • vegan mushroom pasta
      Vegan Mushroom Pasta
    • cauliflower lentil salad
      Cauliflower Lentil Salad
    • chickpea soup with bread
      Chickpea Soup

    Seasonal

    • Roasted sweet potatoes on white platter
      Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    • broccoli pasta with fork
      Broccoli Pasta
    • roasted cauliflower soup
      Cauliflower Soup
    • lentil bolognese
      Lentil bolognese

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Top Recipes
    Vegan Custard
    Potato gnocchi
    Easy Focaccia
    Rice salad
    Vegan Ricotta

    Top Compilations
    Best Tofu Recipes
    Vegan Pasta Recipes
    Easy Dinners
    Best Plant-Based Desserts
    Vegan Appetizers

    Most Shared
    Eggplant Parmigiana
    Vegan Mayo
    Vegan melted cheese
    Hummus
    Roasted sweet potatoes

    HOME ABOUT RECIPES SUBSCRIBE PRIVACY POLICY NUTRITION DISCLAIMER IMPRINT

    Copyright © 2023 The Plant Based School