Often referred to as Italian croissants, cornetti are classic Italian pastries made with yeasted buttery dough that’s lightly sweetened. A great introduction to laminated pastry, cornetti dough falls somewhere in between brioche and croissant dough. 

Cornetti Recipe: How to Make Italian Croissants

Cornetti (“little horns”) are an Italian style of laminated pastry. The final shape is similar to a croissant, but the dough takes less hands-on time than a [French croissant recipe](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/make-the-perfect-croissant-with-chef-dominique-ansel). A cornetto has a soft, dense interior with flaky layers of butter throughout. The dough gets enriched with milk and eggs and is slightly sweeter than traditional croissant dough. Instead of using a butter block for lamination, you can use the “rough puff” pastry style of incorporating a layer of frozen butter into the dough to create the distinct layers classic to an Italian cornetto. 

While you can serve the pastry as-is, some bakeries add optional fillings, like apricot jam, hazelnut chocolate spread, or [pastry cream](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-chef-dominique-ansels-pastry-cream). Typically served in Italy during breakfast or as an afternoon snack, cornetti pair well with a [cappuccino](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cappuccino-coffee-guide) or a shot of espresso. 

Here’s how to make soft and buttery Italian cornetti at home.

1. __Use a scale__. Baking requires precision to get consistent results, and volume measures can be less accurate than measuring by weight. Learn [how to use a kitchen scale](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-a-digital-kitchen-scale-benefits-to-cooking-and-baking-with-a-digital-scale) like the professionals do to step up your baking game.
2. __Keep the dough cool__. Unlike yeasted breads that require a warm rising temperature, cornetti dough rises in the refrigerator or at a cool room temperature. Since there are layers of butter suspended within the dough, you want to ensure those don’t melt. 
3. __Let <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods","linkCopy":"proof","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>proof</a> overnight__. A long slow rise allows for fermentation, which gives the dough a tangy flavor that balances well with the buttery, sweet notes of a cornetto. 

Often referred to as Italian croissants, cornetti are classic Italian pastries made with yeasted buttery dough that’s lightly sweetened. A great introduction to laminated pastry, cornetti dough falls somewhere in between brioche and croissant dough.

Cornetti (“little horns”) are an Italian style of laminated pastry. The final shape is similar to a croissant, but the dough takes less hands-on time than a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/make-the-perfect-croissant-with-chef-dominique-ansel' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/make-the-perfect-croissant-with-chef-dominique-ansel","linkCopy":"French croissant recipe","category":null}'>French croissant recipe</a>. A cornetto has a soft, dense interior with flaky layers of butter throughout. The dough gets enriched with milk and eggs and is slightly sweeter than traditional croissant dough. Instead of using a butter block for lamination, you can use the “rough puff” pastry style of incorporating a layer of frozen butter into the dough to create the distinct layers classic to an Italian cornetto. While you can serve the pastry as-is, some bakeries add optional fillings, like apricot jam, hazelnut chocolate spread, or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-chef-dominique-ansels-pastry-cream' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-chef-dominique-ansels-pastry-cream","linkCopy":"pastry cream","category":null}'>pastry cream</a>. Typically served in Italy during breakfast or as an afternoon snack, cornetti pair well with a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cappuccino-coffee-guide' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cappuccino-coffee-guide","linkCopy":"cappuccino","category":null}'>cappuccino</a> or a shot of espresso.

What Are Cornetti?

Here’s how to make soft and buttery Italian cornetti at home.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use a scale. Baking requires precision to get consistent results, and volume measures can be less accurate than measuring by weight. Learn <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-a-digital-kitchen-scale-benefits-to-cooking-and-baking-with-a-digital-scale' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-a-digital-kitchen-scale-benefits-to-cooking-and-baking-with-a-digital-scale","linkCopy":"how to use a kitchen scale","category":null}'>how to use a kitchen scale</a> like the professionals do to step up your baking game. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Keep the dough cool. Unlike yeasted breads that require a warm rising temperature, cornetti dough rises in the refrigerator or at a cool room temperature. Since there are layers of butter suspended within the dough, you want to ensure those don’t melt. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Let <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/baking-101-what-is-proofing-learn-how-to-proof-breads-and-other-baked-goods","linkCopy":"proof","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>proof</a> overnight. A long slow rise allows for fermentation, which gives the dough a tangy flavor that balances well with the buttery, sweet notes of a cornetto. </li></ol>

3 Tips for Making Cornetti

Italian Cornetti Recipe

Often referred to as Italian croissants, cornetti are classic Italian pastries made with yeasted buttery dough that’s lightly sweetened. A great introduction to laminated pastry, cornetti dough falls somewhere in between brioche and croissant dough.

Often referred to as Italian croissants, cornetti are classic Italian pastries made with yeasted buttery dough that’s lightly sweetened. A great introduction to laminated pastry, cornetti dough falls somewhere in between brioche and croissant dough. 
