Gipfeli Recipe
This Gipfeli recipe is a delightful guide to creating flaky, buttery Swiss pastries at home. Gipfeli, similar to croissants, are beloved for their crispy, golden exterior and soft, airy layers inside. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as an indulgent snack.
Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Resting Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Swiss, Swiss pastry
Servings 4
Calories 220 kcal
Mixing bowl
Rolling Pin
Baking Tray
Parchment paper
Oven
- 250 g All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 120 ml Warm milk
- 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 125 g Unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 Egg for egg wash
In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and combine until it forms a dough.
Knead dough briefly until smooth, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
Roll dough into a large rectangle. Spread the cold butter evenly over two-thirds of the dough, then fold dough into thirds, like folding a letter.
Rotate dough 90 degrees, roll out again, and fold into thirds. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process two more times. Chill between each fold.
After final chilling, roll dough out into a rectangle and cut into triangular shapes. Roll each triangle into the classic Gipfeli (crescent) shape.
Place Gipfeli on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover lightly and let rise 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush Gipfeli lightly with egg wash.
Bake 15–20 minutes, or until golden and flaky. Cool slightly before serving.
- Customize your Gipfeli by filling them with chocolate, almond paste, fruit jams, or savory ingredients like cheese.
- Gipfeli dough can be made ahead, refrigerated overnight, or frozen before baking.

Keyword homemade pastries, homemade Swiss pastry, Swiss croissant