How to Make Zaatar Croissants: A Fusion of Flaky French Pastry and Middle Eastern Flavour

Discover how to make buttery croissants with a delicious zaatar twist – perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a savoury snack.

If you love the rich, flaky texture of a classic French croissant and the earthy, herby flavour of zaatar, then zaatar croissants are a must-try. These golden pastries combine buttery layers with the aromatic spice blend commonly found in Middle Eastern cuisine – typically made from thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt.

Perfect served warm with tea or coffee, zaatar croissants are both elegant and comfortingly simple. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through how to make them at home using British English spelling, including how to use ready-made pastry for ease, or how to make them from scratch if you’re feeling adventurous.

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🧂 What Is Zaatar?

Zaatar is a beloved spice blend in Middle Eastern kitchens. It usually consists of:

Dried thyme or oregano

Toasted sesame seeds

Ground sumac (adds a lemony tang)

Salt

Zaatar is used to season breads, dips, meats, and more – and it pairs beautifully with rich, buttery pastries like croissants.

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🥐 Ingredients (Makes 8 Croissants)

For the croissants:

1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry (or croissant dough if available)

1–2 tablespoons zaatar

1–2 tablespoons olive oil

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Optional for homemade dough:

250g strong white bread flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

7g fast-action yeast

125ml warm water

150g unsalted butter, cold, for laminating

> Note: Making croissant dough from scratch takes time, with rolling and resting over several hours. If you prefer a quicker version, use puff pastry.

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👩‍🍳 Method (Using Puff Pastry)

1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Prepare the Zaatar Mixture

In a small bowl, mix the zaatar with the olive oil to form a paste.

3. Cut the Pastry

Unroll the sheet of puff pastry onto a clean surface. Cut it into 8 equal triangles – you can do this by cutting the sheet in half lengthways, then into triangles.

4. Fill and Roll

Brush each triangle lightly with the zaatar paste. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle up into a croissant shape, tucking the tip underneath. Curve the ends slightly to form a crescent.

5. Egg Wash

Place the croissants on your lined tray, spaced apart. Brush each one with beaten egg for a shiny, golden finish.

6. Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the croissants are puffed up and golden brown.

7. Cool and Serve

Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

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🧈 Optional: How to Make Croissant Dough from Scratch

If you're up for the challenge of making your own croissant dough:

1. Make the dough: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add water and mix to form a dough. Chill for 30 minutes.

2. Laminate with butter: Roll out the dough, place the cold butter in the centre, and fold the dough over it. Roll and fold the dough 3 times, chilling between each turn.

3. Shape and fill: Roll out, cut into triangles, fill with zaatar, and shape as above.

4. Prove and bake: Let them rise for 1–2 hours, then egg wash and bake.

Note: This version takes 6–8 hours with chilling and rising.

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🌿 Variations to Try

Cheese & Zaatar: Add a small cube of feta or cream cheese before rolling.

Zaatar & Honey: Drizzle a touch of honey over the filling for a sweet-savoury contrast.

Spicy Zaatar: Add a pinch of chilli flakes or Aleppo pepper to the zaatar mix for heat.

Mini Croissants: Cut smaller triangles for bite-sized versions, perfect for parties.

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🫖 What to Serve With Zaatar Croissants

Zaatar croissants are delightful with:

Hot tea, especially mint or black tea

Fresh labneh, hummus, or olives on the side

A simple cucumber and tomato salad

Laban (a chilled yoghurt drink) or Ara

bic coffee

--- write ✍️ by foodie Parmod.