When you conjure up an image of visiting Paris, there are likely a few scenes that flood your imagination. Maybe you think of visiting Notre Dame or driving past the Arc de Triomphe. Perhaps you imagine strolling around the Louvre or gazing at the twinkling Eiffel Tower at night. But at some point, you’re likely going to think about sitting outside a café, watching the world go by, while you sip on an espresso and indulge in a croissant.
Despite the fact that their origins are not actually French, croissants are undeniably synonymous with France. But you don’t have to go all the way to mainland Europe to enjoy this flaky, buttery pastry. While you fantasize about visiting the French capital, you can treat yourself to croissants in most places around the world. And now, there are plenty of dairy- and egg-free versions on offer.
Here’s where to buy vegan croissants right now, but first: what actually is a vegan croissant? And where did the original pastry come from?
L’Artisane Creative Bakery
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What is a vegan croissant?
Croissants are flaky, crescent-shaped rolls. When they’re baked well, they are a little crunchy and crispy on the outside, and satisfyingly soft and moist on the inside. Traditionally, because they’re made with eggs, milk, and butter, croissants are not vegan.
But vegan croissants do exist—and they’re just as delicious as the original. This recipe by Sarah Sullivan of Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen, for example, swaps out regular butter for a few sticks of vegan butter, and instead of the usual egg wash that is brushed over croissants, it calls for a mix of vegan milk and maple syrup.
Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen
“These croissants may be vegan, but they are still so fluffy, flaky, buttery and delicious,” Sullivan writes in the blog post. “They taste amazing lightly toasted and spread with fruit preserves, but I have to admit my favorite way to eat them is to make breakfast sandwiches with Just Egg, vegan sausage, and cheddar.”
Where did croissants come from?
Now, croissants are a breakfast staple all over the world. As outlined by Sullivan, they can be savory or sweet, loaded with ingredients, or enjoyed with a simple spread (the latter is the most common in France, it’s worth noting). But their journey likely started a good few centuries ago, not in France, but in Austria.
Croissants are descended from kipfel, a traditional Austrian bread roll also shaped like a crescent. The first documented mention of the latter was all the way back in the 1200s, but it likely made its way to France more recently, when 19th-century Viennese bakers started setting up shop in Paris. Here, the French put their own stamp on the baked treat.
“The croissant began as the Austrian kipfel but became French the moment people began to make it with puffed pastry, which is a French innovation,” scholar Jim Chevallier told Smithsonian Magazine. “It has fully taken root in its adopted land.”
Where to buy vegan croissants
Thank goodness for kipfel, because without it, we wouldn’t have one of our favorite morning pick-me-ups. To stock up on flaky buttery goodness, here are some of the best places to buy vegan croissants right now.
Whole Foods Market | Instagram
1Whole Foods
Nationwide
If you’re making a trip to Whole Foods anyway, then you don’t need to go out of your way to buy vegan croissants, because you can simply grab some in-store. Just like the original, Whole Foods’ vegan version is deliciously buttery and flaky and perfect with a light smattering of butter and jam.
Find it Here
Crossroads Kitchen
2 Crossroads Sweet Stop
Los Angeles, CA
Angelenos flocked to Crossroads Kitchen when the beloved vegan restaurant announced it was launching Crossroads Sweet Stop, a weekend dessert pop-up based out of its Melrose location. With lines around the corner, the pop-up offered treats such as macarons, apple pie, banana pudding, and flaky croissants. Now officially operating the first Saturday of every month, Crossroads Sweet Stop is a must-try.
find it here
L’Artisane Creative Bakery
3 L’Artisane Creative Bakery
Coral Gables, FL plus nationwide shipping
As one of the first vegan French bakeries in the US, L’Artisane is a master of delicious, animal-free baked goods, and croissants are no exception. Treat yourself to one of the brand’s artisanal or gourmet boxes, which can be delivered nationwide and are packed full of delicious vegan croissants and pain au chocolat (which is essentially a chocolate croissant). Make sure you also stock up on espresso for the perfect European-style brunch.
find it here
Chaumont Vegan | Instagram
4Chaumont Vegan
Beverly Hills, CA
An offshoot of much-loved Beverly Hills eatery Chaumont Bakery and Café, Chaumont Vegan specializes in delicious, animal-free offerings, including croissants. If you’re in the area, we recommend ordering one of everything.
find it here
@bakers.bench | Instagram
5 Baker’s Bench
Los Angeles, CA
Chinatown hidden gem, Baker’s Bench is making some of the best vegan croissants in Los Angeles. Jennifer Yee, the mastermind behind the golden croissants utilized her professional baking background to make buttery, flaky, vegan croissants a reality.
find it here
@stephyoungren | Instagram
6 Clementine Bakery
Brooklyn, NY
This Brooklyn-based vegan bakery is jam-packed with delicious treats, and croissants are key among them. The almond croissants and chocolate croissants are to die for and the added ambience of the cute bakery spot is just icing on the … croissant.
find it here
Curious Cat Bakery
7 Curious Cat Bakery
Multiple locations, Florida
When Curious Cat Bakery’s founder Natalia Lima visited Paris, she fell in love with croissants. So now, alongside many other tasty baked goods, she specializes in making vegan versions for everyone to enjoy. As well as pain au chocolat, Curious Cat Bakery delivers its Traditional Vegan Butter Croissants and Everything Croissants to households near its base in St. Petersburg, FL. For a full list of locations, check out its website. Curious Cat Bakery is also known to offer nationwide shipping periodically. Join its waitlist to be notified when croissant delivery returns.
find it here
Sugarbloom Bakery
8 Sugarbloom Bakery
Los Angeles, CA
Chef Sharon Wang’s sesame pretzel croissant—a whole wheat croissant topped with toasted white sesame seeds and Maldon sea salt—was always crave worthy and now there’s a vegan version you can buy online for local delivery or pickup! They also offer an everything bagel croissant, as well.
find it here
Frogs Bakery
9 Frogs Bakery
Gardena, CA
California-based Frogs Bakery makes a wide range of French-style baked goods, including a flaky, plant-based croissant, featuring all-natural ingredients. But if you don’t live near Gardena, where the bakery is based, you can also find its baked goods at several farmers markets across Southern California. Additionally, you can order its treats online from the online delivery platform Farm Fresh to You.
find it here
Good Rebel
10 Good Rebel
Toronto, Canada
Canadian brand Good Rebel, which has both an online store and a brick-and-mortar in Toronto, has everything a vegan food lover’s heart desires. It stocks vegan meat, eggs, and cheese, and there are even dairy-free candy, cake, and chocolate treats. Plus, you can load up on frozen vegan croissants, too. When a craving hits, all you need to do is pop them in the oven to warm up and they’ll be ready for breakfast in just a few short minutes.
find it here
Bridor
11 Bridor
Multiple locations
As one of the leaders of top-quality baked goods in North America, Bridor, of course, offers croissants. Two of its options are totally vegan: the Straight Vegan Croissant and the Vegan Curved & Pinched Croissant. The brand supplies coffee shops, restaurants, and hotels all over the US.
find it here
Délifrance
12Délifrance
Multiple locations
The clue is in the name, but Délifrance specializes in French-style baked goods, so of course, it offers croissants. But in 2017, it upped its baked goods game when it started offering vegan croissants. The US’ vegan version of the classic pastry is made with quinoa, spelt flour, and vegetable margarine. In the UK, Brits can also buy vegan citrus croissants, oat croissants, lemon and ginger croissants, and blueberry croissants from Délifrance.
find it here
Brioche Gourmet
13 Brioche Gourmet
Multiple locations
Available for purchase online and at some popular grocers like Sprouts and Whole Foods, Brioche Gourmet’s vegan croissants bring that bakery experience into the comfort of your own home. You can store them fresh or frozen, so a croissant is ready to go whenever the craving strikes.
Find it here
For more on vegan baked goods, read:
Sarah McLaughlin (@sarahmclaughlin) is the New Products Editor at VegNews and is always on the search for the newest innovations in plant-based food.
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
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