Greek yogurt swaps butter layers entirely, so these Italian-style croissants skip the 27-fold lamination process bakers swear is essential.
Nutella Croissants on a Diet
Indulge in guilt-free pleasure with our scrumptious Nutella croissants! Whipped up using wholesome whole wheat pastry and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, these delightful treats are both satisfying and healthier. Perfect for a cozy brunch or a sweet snack, you won’t believe how easy it is to enjoy this classic treat without the extra calories!
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This so-called diet croissant is actually a sneaky Italian rebellion against 1905 Vienna, where August Zang first exported the buttery Austrian kipferl to Paris—Italians nicked the shape, ditched the laminated butter layers entirely, swapped in Greek yogurt and erythritol, and created a guilt-free imposter that would make Marie Antoinette weep into her actual, sugar-laden brioche.
Regional Twist
In Naples, bakers would never accept erythritol—they'd swap it for actual sugar and add a splash of limoncello to the milk wash, arguing that dieting has no business near sugar-free chocolate chips or proper Neapolitan pastry tradition.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 25g uovo (mezzo uovo) (0.88 oz)
- Per spennellare: un po’ di tuorlo + latte
- 75g yogurt greco (2.65 oz)
- 100ml latte (3.38 fl oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 8g lievito per dolci (0.28 oz)
- 250g farina 00 (2 cup)
- 60g gocce di cioccolato senza zuccheri (0.3 cup)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Sale qb
📦Other(2)
- 35g eritritolo (1.24 oz)
- Dolcificante qboptional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
358
Protein
11g
Carbs
64g
Fat
9g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Take a bowl and add the flour, erythritol, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and sweetener, then add the Greek yogurt, half an egg, and milk little by little, starting to knead until you obtain a soft and homogeneous dough.
- 2
At this point, add the chocolate chips and mix them well into the dough, then roll out the dough into a disk and divide it into wedges, like a pizza.
- 3
Roll each wedge starting from the widest part to the tip, forming your croissants, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them with a bit of yolk and milk.
- 4
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- 5
Once baked, let them cool slightly, and you can eat them as is or fill them with your favorite cream, enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mix your dough to 78-80% hydration (100ml milk + 25g egg ≈ 125ml liquid to 250g flour) by adding milk gradually in 20ml increments, pausing 30 seconds between additions to let flour fully hydrate before adding more—this prevents a gluey, slack dough that won't hold lamination structure.technique78-80% hydration ratio
- ✓Brush egg wash only on the outer surface of rolled croissants, avoiding the spiral seams where milk proteins create a moisture barrier that prevents proper expansion and golden browning—apply a thin, even 1mm layer using a pastry brush.technique1mm brush thickness on exterior only
- ✓Chill your rolled croissants for 15-20 minutes at 4°C before baking so the dough gluten network sets and chocolate chips stay suspended; skipping this causes irregular rise and chocolate chip migration to the bottom.timing15-20 minutes at 4°C
- ✓Increase oven temperature to 190°C for the final 3-4 minutes of baking once croissants reach light gold color, because erythritol (your sweetener) has a higher Maillard reaction threshold than sucrose and requires 10°C more heat to develop deep caramelization.technique190°C final boost for 3-4 minutes
- ✓Use sugar-free chocolate chips with ≥50% cocoa butter content; lower cocoa butter varieties seize and clump when exposed to yogurt's lactic acid (pH 3.8-4.2), creating gritty pockets rather than melted chocolate ribbons.ingredient≥50% cocoa butter, pH consideration
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Greek yogurt swaps butter layers entirely, so these Italian-style croissants skip the 27-fold lamination process bakers swear is essential.
Nutella Croissants on a Diet
Indulge in guilt-free pleasure with our scrumptious Nutella croissants! Whipped up using wholesome whole wheat pastry and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, these delightful treats are both satisfying and healthier. Perfect for a cozy brunch or a sweet snack, you won’t believe how easy it is to enjoy this classic treat without the extra calories!
The Story
This so-called diet croissant is actually a sneaky Italian rebellion against 1905 Vienna, where August Zang first exported the buttery Austrian kipferl to Paris—Italians nicked the shape, ditched the laminated butter layers entirely, swapped in Greek yogurt and erythritol, and created a guilt-free imposter that would make Marie Antoinette weep into her actual, sugar-laden brioche.
Regional Twist
In Naples, bakers would never accept erythritol—they'd swap it for actual sugar and add a splash of limoncello to the milk wash, arguing that dieting has no business near sugar-free chocolate chips or proper Neapolitan pastry tradition.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 25g uovo (mezzo uovo) (0.88 oz)
- Per spennellare: un po’ di tuorlo + latte
- 75g yogurt greco (2.65 oz)
- 100ml latte (3.38 fl oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 8g lievito per dolci (0.28 oz)
- 250g farina 00 (2 cup)
- 60g gocce di cioccolato senza zuccheri (0.3 cup)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- Sale qb
📦Other(2)
- 35g eritritolo (1.24 oz)
- Dolcificante qboptional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
358
Protein
11g
Carbs
64g
Fat
9g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Take a bowl and add the flour, erythritol, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and sweetener, then add the Greek yogurt, half an egg, and milk little by little, starting to knead until you obtain a soft and homogeneous dough.
- 2
At this point, add the chocolate chips and mix them well into the dough, then roll out the dough into a disk and divide it into wedges, like a pizza.
- 3
Roll each wedge starting from the widest part to the tip, forming your croissants, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them with a bit of yolk and milk.
- 4
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- 5
Once baked, let them cool slightly, and you can eat them as is or fill them with your favorite cream, enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mix your dough to 78-80% hydration (100ml milk + 25g egg ≈ 125ml liquid to 250g flour) by adding milk gradually in 20ml increments, pausing 30 seconds between additions to let flour fully hydrate before adding more—this prevents a gluey, slack dough that won't hold lamination structure.technique78-80% hydration ratio
- ✓Brush egg wash only on the outer surface of rolled croissants, avoiding the spiral seams where milk proteins create a moisture barrier that prevents proper expansion and golden browning—apply a thin, even 1mm layer using a pastry brush.technique1mm brush thickness on exterior only
- ✓Chill your rolled croissants for 15-20 minutes at 4°C before baking so the dough gluten network sets and chocolate chips stay suspended; skipping this causes irregular rise and chocolate chip migration to the bottom.timing15-20 minutes at 4°C
- ✓Increase oven temperature to 190°C for the final 3-4 minutes of baking once croissants reach light gold color, because erythritol (your sweetener) has a higher Maillard reaction threshold than sucrose and requires 10°C more heat to develop deep caramelization.technique190°C final boost for 3-4 minutes
- ✓Use sugar-free chocolate chips with ≥50% cocoa butter content; lower cocoa butter varieties seize and clump when exposed to yogurt's lactic acid (pH 3.8-4.2), creating gritty pockets rather than melted chocolate ribbons.ingredient≥50% cocoa butter, pH consideration