Lemon Cream Caramelized Croissants (Costco Copycat)
Why buy Costco's Lemon Cream Caramelized Croissants when you can make an even more delicious version at home for less? These flaky, buttery pastries are filled with tangy lemon cream cheese, topped with crunchy streusel, and baked until beautifully caramelized. They're easy to make in a muffin pan, more affordable than buying them ready-made, and best of all, you know exactly what's going into them!
Servings: 12 pastries
Calories: 308kcal
Equipment
- Parchment circles (optional, but highly recommended)
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest finely grated
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed
- Pinch of salt
For the Muffin Pan
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
Lemon Cream Filling
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest finely grated
- 8 ounces cream cheese full-fat, softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ½ cup lemon curd plus more for finishing
Pastry and Topping
- 1 14-ounce sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Prepare the Muffin Pan
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spray the inside of each well of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place a 2-inch circle of parchment paper in the bottom of each well.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the parchment circles and the sides of each muffin well with melted butter. Divide the granulated sugar evenly among the wells, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the bottoms and sides with sugar. Tap out any excess.
Make the Crumb Topping
- In a medium mixing bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar and then add the flour and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining. Set aside.
Make the Lemon Cream Filling
- In a mixing bowl, rub lemon zest into the granulated sugar. Add the softened cream cheese, cornstarch, and salt and beat with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in a lemon curd until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate the filling while preparing the pastry.
Prepare the Puff Pastry
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the puff pastry into an 11 x 14-inch rectangle.
- Carefully lay the pastry over the prepared muffin pan, making sure it covers all 12 muffin wells. Gently press shallow indentations into the pastry to mark the location of each well.
Assemble
- Divide the lemon cream filling evenly among the 12 muffin wells, using approximately 2 tablespoons per pastry. Make a small indentation with a back of a spoon on top of each lemon cream filling and add a teaspoon dollop of lemon curd into each.
- Sprinkle half of the crumb topping over the filling. I like to use a mason jar ring over each one to ensure that the topping goes where I want it.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, carefully cut the puff pastry between the muffin wells to separate each pastry.
- Fold the corners of each pastry inward over the filling, gently easing the pastry down into the muffin wells. Leave a little of the lemon cream exposed in the center.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the exposed puff pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle the remaining crumb topping over the pastries.
Bake
- Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, checking at 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is puffed, deeply golden brown, and cooked through.
- The lemon cream filling should be slightly set around the edges but may still be soft in the center.
Cool and Remove
- Allow the pastries to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes.
- Carefully run a butter knife or small offset spatula around the edges to loosen any caramelized sugar, then gently lift each pastry out of the pan.
- Remove the parchment circles from the bottoms and transfer the pastries to a wire rack. Allow them to cool for another 10 minutes so the lemon cream can settle and the caramelized crust can firm up.
Finish and Serve
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use parchment circles for easy removal: I highly recommend placing a 2-inch parchment paper circle in the bottom of each muffin well before adding the melted butter and sugar. While it's not required, I find that it makes removing the croissants much easier without breaking that beautiful caramelized crust on the bottoms and sides.
- You can purchase inexpensive pre-cut parchment circles or easily cut your own from a sheet of parchment paper.
- Make ahead: The lemon cream filling and crumb topping can be prepared separately and refrigerated overnight. Give the lemon cream a quick stir before assembling the pastries.
- Storage: Store completely cooled croissants in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes to help restore the crispness of the pastry.
Nutrition
Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 394IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
