A Quick Look at the Recipe

✅ Recipe Name: Pumpkin almond croissants
🕒 Ready In: ~ 35 minutes
👪 Serves: 6
🧑‍🍳 Main Ingredients: Store bought croissants, canned pumpkin puree, almond flour, egg, spices and honey.
📌 Difficulty: Easy baking recipe

Why you’ll love these pumpkin spice almond croissants?

I gave the beloved French almond croissant a cozy fall makeover with pumpkin spice! Buttery, flaky Costco croissants are filled with a rich pumpkin spice almond cream, then baked until golden and finished with a sweet honey glaze and a dusting of powdered sugar.

They're a fantastic way to transform store-bought croissants into a bakery-worthy breakfast or dessert with minimal effort. You can even assemble them the night before and bake them fresh in the morning, making them perfect for stress-free entertaining. Whether you're serving them for Thanksgiving or Christmas brunch, a holiday breakfast, or a fall potluck, these croissants are guaranteed to impress.

- maria doss

What Makes Pumpkin Almond Croissants Different

These croissants put a cozy fall spin on the classic French bakery favorite. I take a traditional almond frangipane and stir in pumpkin purée and warm fall spices, while still letting the rich almond flavor shine. The pumpkin adds a subtle sweetness, extra moisture, and an irresistibly creamy texture without overpowering the frangipane filling. Once baked, the croissants are crisp and flaky on the outside with a soft, velvety center, bringing together everything you love about a classic almond croissant and your favorite pumpkin dessert in one pastry.

Why Pumpkin Works So Well in Frangipane

Frangipane is a rich, creamy almond filling that's a staple in many French pastries. It's made with butter, sugar, eggs, and finely ground almonds, then baked until it transforms into a soft, tender filling with a lightly cakey texture and rich, nutty flavor.

Pumpkin is a natural fit for frangipane. Its mild sweetness and creamy texture blend seamlessly into the almond filling, adding extra moisture and a velvety richness without overpowering the classic almond flavor. The result is a softer, almost custard-like filling that still bakes up beautifully, creating the perfect balance of buttery almond, cozy pumpkin, and warm fall spices.

Why Almond and Pumpkin Pair So Well

Pumpkin and almond are one of those flavor combinations that simply belong together. Pumpkin has a mild, earthy sweetness, while almonds add a rich, buttery, nutty flavor. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves bring the two together beautifully, enhancing the pumpkin without overpowering the delicate almond flavor.

The pairing works just as well in texture as it does in flavor. Pumpkin purée adds moisture and creaminess, while almond flour keeps the filling light and tender instead of dense or heavy. The result is a perfectly balanced pastry that's rich, cozy, and full of fall flavor without feeling overly sweet or soggy.

Ingredients you'll need

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Croissants – Slightly stale croissants work best because they absorb the honey syrup more effectively; I love using Costco croissants for this recipe since they’re large, buttery, and save you the effort of making croissants from scratch.
• Pumpkin Puree – Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices that can throw off the flavor balance.
• Almond Flour – Super fine almond flour is essential for a smooth almond cream filling and gives these fall croissants that classic French bakery texture.
• Egg – Just one egg is needed to bind the almond frangipane filling, helping it hold together during baking.
• Butter – Use room temperature butter so it blends easily into the almond flour mixture; if you're using salted butter, skip any added salt to keep the flavors balanced.
• Sliced Almonds – These go on top of the croissants for a beautiful, crisp finish that gives them that classic French pastry look and texture.
• Honey – Brushing the croissants with a light honey syrup adds flavor and sweetness that makes them completely irresistible; if preferred, you can substitute with plain white sugar syrup.

How to make?

You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

Tips for Success

• Use day-old or slightly stale croissants instead of fresh ones—they absorb the syrup better and hold their shape when baked, resulting in a crisp exterior and creamy center. I like using Costco croissants because they're large, buttery, and perfect for this recipe.
• If you're using Costco croissants, you'll need 4. For smaller croissants, plan on using 6.
• Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
• Both the pumpkin almond cream and the honey syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days—perfect for prepping in advance!

Make ahead instructions

While these pumpkin croissants are fabulous either warm or at room temperature on the day they are baked, they are best enjoyed fresh and may not store well for several days.

If you're preparing these for brunch, you can make the honey syrup and pumpkin almond cream in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. When your guests are about to arrive, simply assemble the pastries and bake them. Remember to let the pumpkin almond cream sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before use, allowing the butter to soften.

Looking for more sweet breakfast treats to serve for brunch? Try this French toast muffins or homemade donuts.

More recipes using croissants

• This eggnog croissant bread pudding is the ultimate holiday breakfast or brunch dish, especially for Christmas morning! Fresh cranberries bring a vibrant pop of color and a refreshing tartness that perfectly balances the richness of the dish.
• This croissant bread pudding is inspired by the classic tiramisu! It is heavenly when served with vanilla tres leches sauce with optional booze, making it one of the best breakfast desserts you’ve ever had and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.