I Made the Viral Rice Paper Croissants So You Don’t Have To (You Really Don’t)

If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably come across the viral rice paper croissants. These aren’t your traditional, buttery pastries but rather a unique twist on the classic, using rice paper as the main ingredient. The recipe’s simplicity and the option to use an air fryer caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try. I ended up making two versions: a plain one and a chocolate-filled one.

Spoiler alert—the chocolate version was the clear winner for me.

The first thing that struck me about these rice paper croissants was how easy they were to make. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, I was able to whip them up without much hassle. I opted to use my air fryer, which made the process even quicker. The idea of having croissants without the usual fuss of dough preparation was definitely appealing.

When it came to the texture, the croissants were quite the surprise. They were crispy on the outside, but not in the light, flaky way you’d expect from a traditional croissant. Instead, they were hard and crunchy—almost too much so. If you’re not careful, you might even give your gums a bit of a workout. But the most unexpected part was the inside. Unlike the soft, airy layers of a regular croissant, these had a chewy, gummy texture that reminded me more of mochi. It was a bit of a jaw workout to get through one, and while the appearance was impressive—complete with those layered looks—the texture didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

As for the taste, it’s important to note that I wasn’t expecting these to taste exactly like croissants, especially with the number of eggs involved. True to my expectations, the flavor leaned more towards French toast than anything else. It had that slightly eggy taste, which wasn’t unpleasant, but it also wasn’t what I’d reach for if I were craving an actual croissant. To avoid pushing the flavor further into French toast territory, I skipped the cinnamon, which I think was a good call.

How to Make the Viral Rice Paper Croissant

To begin, bring your eggs and milk to room temperature so the butter doesn’t clump up. In a wide dish or bowl (wide enough to submerge the rice paper), start by whisking one egg. Add one-third of the melted butter, then repeat the process with the remaining eggs and butter until they’re fully emulsified. Next, mix in the baking powder, sugar, and vanilla extract until fully dissolved. Finally, add a splash of milk to loosen the mixture.

With your egg mixture ready, it’s time to soak the rice papers. I used four rice papers per croissant, but you can use up to six if you want a thicker result—just keep in mind that more layers can lead to a denser, gummier texture.

Once the rice papers are soaked and stacked, use scissors (trust me, it’s much easier than a knife) to cut the stack into three pieces: a triangle in the middle and two half circles on the sides.

To assemble the croissants, place one of the half moons directly on top of the middle triangle and the other perpendicular to the triangle. Roll it up from the bottom and slightly shape the tips into a crescent shape. Place the rolled croissant onto a prepared baking sheet or directly into your air fryer.

For the chocolate-filled version, follow the same process, but before rolling, place a small rectangular piece of bittersweet chocolate near the bottom edge of the rice paper stack. Roll it up, and you’re ready to cook.

Related: My Easy 15-Minute Air Fryer Feta Pockets

Ingredients

• Extra large Vietnamese rice paper
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Bittersweet chocolate (for the chocolate-filled version)

 

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Final Thoughts on the Rice Paper Croissant

The plain rice paper croissants were an interesting experiment, but they didn’t quite satisfy my craving for a true croissant experience. The texture and taste were too far from what I associate with a croissant. They leaned more towards a chewy, eggy French toast, which isn’t how I like my croissants.

The chocolate-filled version surprised me. The chocolate masked the eggy flavor and added a rich, indulgent element that made these croissants much more enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a gluten-free alternative to traditional croissants, this might be worth a try—especially if you go for the chocolate-filled version. As for the plain ones, they’re probably not something I’ll make again, but I’m glad I gave them a shot.