Yes, croissant does have some other names that are used to refer to this beloved French pastry. The crescent shape of the croissant is the inspiration for several of its alternate names across different cultures and languages. While the croissant originated in Austria, it became forever associated with French cuisine after being popularized in France. As the croissant spread around the world from France, each culture named it according to their own languages and perspectives. Below we will explore some of the other common names for croissant and the stories behind them.
Other Names for Croissant
Here are some of the other names that are used for croissant around the world:
Kipferl
Kipferl (pronounced “kip-ferl”) is the original Austrian name of the croissant. It comes from the German language, where Kipferl translates to “crescent”. The Kipferl bread dates back to the 13th century in Austria and was the prototype for the modern croissant.
Medialuna
In many Spanish speaking countries, the croissant is known as a medialuna, which translates to “half moon” in English. This name refers to the famous crescent shape of croissants. The medialuna name is especially used in places like Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Mexico.
Cornetto
Italians use the name cornetto for croissants, which means “little horn” in English. Again, this name refers to the signature curved shape of a croissant. Cornetto is the most common name for croissants across Italy, and often refers to croissants filled with pastry cream or chocolate.
Croasant
The Portuguese name croasant sounds very similar to the French croissant, but with a slightly different spelling. This name is used for croissants in Portugal as well as some former Portuguese colonies such as Brazil.
Kruasán
In Hungary, croissants are referred to as kruasán, which stems from the Austrian name kipferl. The Hungarian name translates approximately to “crescent” or “crescent roll” in English.
Rogal
The Polish name for a croissant is rogal, which means “horn” or “crescent”. Rogal refers specifically to the traditional Polish croissant, which is sometimes made with fillings like poppyseed paste or cottage cheese.
Croissantje
Croissantje is a Dutch diminutive term for croissants, meaning “little croissant”. This name references the small size of some croissants compared to breads. The Dutch language borrows heavily from French, so croissantje sounds very close to the original French word.
Semmelwuascht
Semmelwuascht is an Austrian German dialect name for croissants, literally meaning “bread sausage”. This creative name compares the rolls of dough layers in croissant pastry to a sausage shape.
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| German | Kipferl | Crescent |
| Spanish | Medialuna | Half moon |
| Italian | Cornetto | Little horn |
| Portuguese | Croasant | – |
| Hungarian | Kruasán | Crescent roll |
| Polish | Rogal | Horn, crescent |
| Dutch | Croissantje | Little croissant |
| Austrian German | Semmelwuascht | Bread sausage |
Origins of the Croissant
To understand how the croissant got all these different international names, we have to look back at its origin story.
The earliest form of the croissant can be traced back to the Austrian kipferl bread. Kipferl, from the German for “crescent”, referred to a variety of crescent-shaped baked goods. These pastries were made from yeasted dough layered with butter and sugar.
Some legends state that the kipferl was created in 1683 to celebrate the defeat of the Ottoman attack on Vienna by Polish-Austrian forces. The crescent shape was meant to mock the Islamic crescent symbol after the victory. Other food historians dispute this legend and claim the kipferl predates this battle, but the story does highlight the symbolism of the croissant’s shape.
Either way, the kipferl became popular in Vienna and spread across the Austro-Hungarian empire. Bakers in other regions began making their own variants under local names like the Hungarian kruasán.
So how did the Austrian kipferl evolve into the French croissant?
The turning point came in the 19th century, when Austrian bakery techniques migrated to France. French bakers perfected the recipe by adding extra layers of butter to create the flaky texture croissants are so famous for. The new buttery pastry became a hit in France under the name croissant, based on its crescent shape.
The croissant rose to prominence in France during the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, which allowed the world to discover Austrian baking traditions. By the mid-1900s, the croissant was a French national staple, but its Austrian roots were largely forgotten. Most people assumed France was the croissant’s country of origin.
As French cuisine spread worldwide, the croissant traveled abroad too and was locally christened with each language’s version of “crescent”. From cornetti in Italy to medialunas in Latin America, the croissant’s many international names are a legacy of its cross-continental journey from Austria to global fame.
Why So Many Different Names?
The croissant has spawned so many colorful variations across different languages for a few key reasons:
1. Its shape
The most obvious source of the croissant’s diverse names is its iconic curved form. Croissants are universally recognized by their crescent silhouette. Many languages chose local words meaning “crescent”, “little horn” or “half moon” to describe this shape.
2. Origins in different empires
The birth of the croissant in the Austro-Hungarian empire also contributed to its varied European names. Lands like Hungary and Poland had their own local words for the pastry under the empire. When they later split from Austria, the original names stuck.
3. Adoption in non-French cultures
France may have popularized the croissant globally, but other cultures wanted names in their own tongues. Hence medialunas in Spanish and cornetti in Italian developed when the pastry spread abroad from France. These non-French names gave the croissant a unique sense of belonging in each new region.
4. Variations in recipe
Subtle tweaks to the croissant in different countries also generated new names. In Poland, rogal refers to the distinct Polish croissant with fillings like poppyseed or cottage cheese. Other names indicate local croissant variations too.
5. Diminutives and nicknames
Some names are diminutives or nicknames, like the Dutch croissantje which translates endearingly to “little croissant”. These creative names add a playful twist in local dialects.
Conventional French Croissant Recipe
Since the croissant is so quintessentially French, let’s take a look at the traditional French croissant recipe that formed the basis for its many global variations:
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – 500g
- Whole milk – 250ml
- Granulated sugar – 25g
- Instant yeast – 10g
- Salt – 10g
- Unsalted butter (chilled) – 300g
- Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp milk or water
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, milk, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix into a shaggy dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball.
- Flatten the dough ball and place on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle. Spread half the chilled butter over the bottom two-thirds.
- Fold the unbuttered top third down and the buttered bottom third up, like folding a letter. Pinch the edges to seal.
- Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
- Repeat the rolling, buttering and folding process twice more, chilling 30 minutes between folds.
- Roll the dough into a 15×10 inch rectangle. Cut triangles with 4 inch bases from the dough.
- Gently stretch the triangles to elongate them. Roll from the wide end to the tip.
- Place tips-down on a baking sheet. Curve into crescents. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Brush croissants with egg wash.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool slightly before serving warm.
This multi-step process of lamination gives the croissants their signature flaky layers. The key is using high-quality European butter and keeping it cold throughout shaping. French bakers also advocated for gently handling the dough rather than over-mixing to prevent toughening the pastry.
While simple in ingredients, great croissants take skill and patience! Many imitations skip the time-consuming folding or use lower quality fats, yielding inferior texture. Authentic French croissants are all about mastering the technique.
Popular Global Croissant Variations
While the classic French recipe is the gold standard, croissants around the world have evolved wonderful local twists. Here are some beloved regional riffs on the traditional croissant:
Jampong (Korea)
Jampong is a sweet Korean croissant variation filled with sweetened red bean paste. This flavor combination is extremely popular in Asian bakeries. The bean filling can be swapped out for other ingredients too like whipped cream or custard.
Rogal świętomarciński (Poland)
This Polish “Saint Martin’s Croissant” is named for St. Martin’s Day on November 11th. It is shaped like a horseshoe and filled with white poppy seed paste. Poles love to indulge in these seasonal pastries as part of their St. Martin’s traditions.
Medialunas (Argentina)
In Argentina, medialunas refer to small, sweet croissants. Typical additions include dulce de leche caramel, chocolate, or vanilla custard. Argentinian medialunas have a defining cookie-like crunch from added egg yolks.
Pandemoniums (Cambodia)
Cambodian pandemoniums are a savory croissant hybrid filled with chicken, pâté or cheese. They may be topped with sesame, onion or chilli. These hearty stuffed croissants make a popular street food or snack.
Saccottini al burro (Italy)
Italy’s saccottini al burro are mini butter croissants served warm for breakfast. Their small size showcases the fine layers and butteriness of Italian croissant pastry. Espresso is the customary accompaniment.
From Asia to South America, every culture has put its own spin on the beloved croissant. Global bakers have innovated fillings, flavors and forms while staying true to the croissant’s essential qualities. The diversity of worldwide croissant variations pays testament to the pastry’s flexible, cross-cultural appeal.
Conclusion
While the croissant is forever tied to the culinary legacy of France, its journey from Austria onward imbued it with multi-cultural flair. The variety of international names for croissants reflects this rich, transcontinental history. Each version captures a slice of the pastry’s evolution across borders, empires and languages.
From Austria’s kipferl to Turkey’s kurabiye, these names embody the croissant’s transformation from a regional specialty to a pillar of global bakery. The stories concealed within each linguistic variation provide insight into how an icon of French patisserie came to feel at home around the world. They are a reminder that even the most local-sounding dish has roots that stretch far and wide.