I’m all about balance here at Nourished Sweetly. That means sometimes I drink green smoothies and eat quinoa salad and sometimes I make decadent desserts like this pain au chocolat recipe. To me, there is nothing healthy about a deprivation mindset and constantly telling yourself you can’t have certain foods. Instead, I feel, finding a balance between nutritious meals and your favourite treats is where it’s at. However, achieving this balance can be particularly challenging if you have food allergies causing there to be certain foods you genuinely can’t eat without doing harm to yourself.
People who know me and my allergies often ask me if there are foods I really miss. And I’ve honestly replied no because I’ve created allergy-friendly versions of almost all my favourite foods. Except for pain au chocolats, I tell them. Recreating my favourite French pastry seemed impossible. Until recently when I had an epiphany… puff pastry! It’s easy to find puff pastry that’s egg-free, dairy-free, yeast-free and nut-free. Or if gluten is a concern for you, there are homemade gluten-free puff pastry recipes and store-bought options out there for you as well.
And here’s the best part. Usually, allergy-friendly alternatives, as wonderful as they are in their own rate, taste a little different than the traditional variety. But these chocolate croissants are every bit as good as the traditional version — or, dare I say it… better. They are seriously So. Good.
Plus, this pain au chocolat recipe is incredibly easy. Rather than dealing with the lengthy, complicated process of creating dough with yeast, puff pastry can be left to thaw, then rolled out, wrapped around chocolate, baked and you’re done. Ridiculously easy and mind-blowingly delicious. Like, seriously. You NEED to make these.
These pain au chocolats are egg-free, dairy-free, yeast-free and nut-free. They may be free of a lot of things, but they're full of a whole lot of deliciousness! Making yummy chocolate croissants has never been so easy!
- 2-9x9 inch puff pastry sheets (1 standard box) — be sure to check the ingredients to ensure that brand is okay for your allergies or dietary preferences
- 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- Icing sugar (optional, for decoration)
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Let the puff pastry thaw out of the freezer for 20 minutes and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
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Gently open the puff pastry, making sure it is thawed enough or it will snap.
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Using a rolling pin, roll out one sheet of puff pastry in one direction, making it thinner and shaped like a rectangle. Long side should measure about 15-inches.
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Cut pastry into three even sections width-wise.
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Take one section and place 1 heaping tablespoon of chocolate chips just right of centre. Fold right side of pastry over chocolate chips and gently press down sides to seal slightly.
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Place 1 heaping tablespoon of chocolate chips over seam formed by right side of the pastry. Fold left side of pastry over chocolate and gently press down sides to seal. Repeat with other 2 pieces of pastry.
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Place pastries on a large, parchment-paper lined baking tray.
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Repeat steps 2-7 with other sheet of puff pastry. You may have to use two trays and bake in separate batches depending on the size of your tray as pastry will puff out.
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Brush tops with melted coconut oil.
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Bake in oven for 25-27 minutes, or until edges begin to lightly brown.
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Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with icing sugar, if desired.
If all the pain au chocolats don't get eaten up the day they are made, they will keep in a sealed container or Ziploc bag in a cool, dry place for a few days. To return them to their original freshness and flavour, simply reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.
I hope you enjoy these easy, delicious and allergy-friendly pastries as much as I do!