King Cake Stuffed Croissants (Printable)

Flaky croissants filled with rich pecan cream and topped with vibrant icing and sugars.

# What You'll Need:

→ Croissants

01 - 8 large store-bought or bakery croissants, preferably day-old

→ Pecan Filling

02 - 1 cup pecan halves or pieces
03 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Icing and Decoration

10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugars for decoration

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a food processor, pulse pecans until finely chopped but not ground into paste.
03 - In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Stir in chopped pecans until well combined.
04 - Using a sharp knife, split each croissant horizontally, leaving a hinge so they open like a book.
05 - Evenly spread pecan filling inside each croissant, then gently close.
06 - Place stuffed croissants on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and filling is set.
07 - While croissants bake, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth, thick, and pourable.
08 - Let croissants cool slightly, then drizzle with icing. Immediately sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugars in festive stripes.
09 - Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Bakery-quality results using store-bought croissants, so you look like you spent all morning cooking.
  • The pecan filling has just enough spice to feel fancy without overwhelming the buttery layers.
  • You can assemble these the night before and bake fresh in the morning, which is how brunch dreams actually happen.
02 -
  • Don't overwork the pecan filling or the pecans will turn into paste and lose their lovely texture, making the whole thing feel dense instead of rich and chunky.
  • The icing needs to go on while the croissants are still slightly warm, otherwise it won't flow and the sanding sugars won't adhere the way they should for that professional-looking finish.
03 -
  • Keep the pecan filling at room temperature before you stuff the croissants so it spreads smoothly without cracking or tearing the pastry layers.
  • A light touch is everything when closing the croissants after filling—press gently so they stay together but don't squeeze the filling out the sides.
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