The 56-Cent Costco Find That Stops Me in My Tracks

They're a luxurious treat for under a dollar.

Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

If you shop at Costco, you've probably gone in with a list and come out with a few irresistible extras. It's hard to be mad about those impulse buys, though. They have often turned out to be some of my favorite discoveries.

Most recently, it was the Au Pain Doré frozen croissants. These all-butter croissants bake up golden and flaky, with a crisp exterior and tender, layered interior worthy of a French patisserie.

A box of 30 costs $16.79, which works out to just 56 cents per freshly baked croissant; an absolute steal. 

Costco Au Pain Doré Croissants

• Price: $16.79 for 30 croissants
• Why I Love It: These flaky, tender all-butter croissants are an easy way to elevate breakfast, snack, or dessert. They bake into bakery-worthy treats in under 30 minutes.

Why I Love Costco's Au Pain Doré Croissants

You might be skeptical that something from the freezer aisle could compete with your neighborhood bakery. After 25 minutes at 350°F, your kitchen smells like a Parisian café. You'll pull out golden, puffed croissants that look like you spent 24 hours laminating butter into dough. 

The all-butter recipe makes all the difference. You get impossibly flaky layers and a rich, buttery flavor that oil-based pastries just can't match. I keep a box stashed in my freezer whenever I can, because it's my go-to solution for elevated morning treats and last-minute brunch hosting, as well as my favorite one-ingredient dessert. 

Simply Recipes / Au Pain Dore

When friends drop by, I love having a luxe snack ready to go. With these in my freezer, I can have warm croissants on the table in under 30 minutes. It's best to let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes; however, you can bake them directly from frozen.

They're perfect warm, torn apart layer by layer or hurriedly smeared with homemade jam. And they're far more versatile than you might expect.

They're incredible for sandwiches. That sturdy yet tender texture holds up beautifully to ham and cheese or a simple bacon and egg. When I sprinkle them with a mixture of cheese and herbs or tuck a square of good chocolate inside before baking, they become a top-tier, savory or sweet bakery treat. 

And, of course, my family loves croffles, which happen when you press a lightly thawed croissant directly into a hot waffle iron until it's golden and crispy. The result is this exceptional hybrid that gets lightly caramelized on the outside and is decidedly addictive with a sprinkling of icing sugar. Lately, it's one of our favorite easy desserts. 

Keeping a box in the freezer feels like having a bit of magic on standby; the kind that turns ordinary mornings into something special with almost zero effort.

At 56 cents each, they're delicious, foolproof insurance against boring breakfasts.

_{To learn more about our approach to product recommendations, see HERE.}

from Simply Recipes | Recipes and cooking advice for home cooks https://ift.tt/dRh4QtT