Pecan Free Pain au Chocolat
Few baked goods hit quite like a freshly pulled pain au chocolat — shatteringly crisp on the outside, pillowy and layered within, with pockets of melted dark chocolate running through every bite. The magic here comes entirely from lamination: a process of folding cold butter into the dough repeatedly to build those iconic flaky layers from scratch. Every ingredient in this recipe is straightforward pantry and dairy staple territory, with absolutely no nuts involved at any stage, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about cross-contact hiding in a store-bought version. The filling is simply dark chocolate batons tucked and rolled into each pastry before proofing, keeping things clean and focused on pure flavor. Yes, this takes patience — chilling between turns is non-negotiable — but none of the individual steps are technically difficult, and the process is genuinely satisfying once you get into a rhythm. Pull them from the oven when they're a deep, burnished amber and let that chocolate settle for just ten minutes before you tear one open. Honestly, it's hard to believe something this good came out of your own kitchen.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup whole milk, cold
- ¼ cup water, cold
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
For the butter block
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 225g) unsalted butter, cold
For the filling
- 16 dark chocolate batons (or 4 oz dark chocolate, cut into 16 short sticks)
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the cold milk and cold water, then mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Add the 2 tbsp softened butter and increase to medium speed, mixing until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
- 2
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape it into a flat rectangle roughly 6×8 inches, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
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