The “Heavenly” Croissants I’m Stocking in My Freezer for Thanksgiving Weekend

Breakfast is my favorite meal, hands-down. Usually I’ll make scrambled eggs and buttered toast (Kerrygold butter is a chef-y non-negotiable in my home). Sometimes I’ll change it up — especially on weekends when I want something extra special that also doesn’t require much effort. 

The pastries come frozen and are available in boxes of eight or 16, starting at $60. They’re packed with savory smoked heritage ham and melty Swiss Emmentaler cheese, and are pretty easy to make too. Just thaw them in the fridge for at least three hours, then let them proof on the counter for another two or three hours. Then, they’re ready to bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The wait is totally worth it to have freshly made, piping hot croissants right at home. 

Williams Sonoma’s Ham and Cheese Croissants were a sight to behold coming out of the oven: golden all over, flaky on top, cheese oozing out of the sides, with the most heavenly buttery smell. Then, when I broke into a croissant, it got even better. The ham was slightly thicker than your usual deli ham. It was smoky and salty, while the cheese was creamy and gooey and didn’t overpower the savory, buttery flavors of the ham and the pastry. 

Making these is easy — they just take a while to thaw and proof, so you’ll want to plan for them (which is why they’re great for when you have out-of-towners staying with you). I thawed mine in the fridge for five hours, and then let them rise for three. I was worried they hadn’t proofed enough because they didn’t totally look doubled in size, but they were perfectly golden, flaky, and puffy when they came out of the oven. 

These croissants are so comforting. They’re ideal for a cozy weekend in, or a holiday spent with family. My box of croissants will be lucky if it makes it to Thanksgiving at this point.

Buy: Williams Sonoma Ham & Cheese Croissants, $59.95 for eight croissants at Williams Sonoma

What’s your favorite croissant? Tell us about it in the comments below.