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Croissants are arguably one of the greatest things to come out of Austria – sort of. While widely considered a French creation, the buttery pastry owes its origin to the kipferl, a crescent-shaped roll born in Vienna. It was later elevated by French bakers into the flaky, laminated pastry we know and love today. And despite being more than 15,000 kilometres away from Vienna or Paris, Australia is baking up some of the finest croissants in the world.
If you’re searching for the flakiest, most perfectly layered croissants Down Under, you’ve come to the right spot. The results of the Professional Bakery Competition at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show are officially out, awarding medals to Australia’s finest breads, pastries, cakes, biscuits and baked goodies. Out of all the trophy winners, we have our eyes firmly on one prize: the best plain croissant. Each buttery entry was blind-judged in the Viennoiserie category against five core criteria: visual appeal, texture, technique and artistry, flavour balance, and overall finish.
In 2026, the Gold Coast’s beloved Burleigh Baker claimed the highest overall score in the Viennoiserie category for its sourdough croissant. Crafted over three days using a 30-hour natural fermentation process, their croissants feature a light, open honeycomb crumb and a clean, delicate finish.
"Our croissant combines highly skilled craftsmanship with exceptional Australian ingredients," says Burleigh Baker CEO Maxime Bernard. "We use Wholegrain Milling sustainable heritage flour, selected for its nutritional quality, CopperTree Farms cultured grass-fed butter, filtered water, less than seven per cent sugar and our real sourdough starter. The recipe continually evolves with our local ingredients and seasonal conditions. It reflects the Burleigh Baker ethos since 2014: nutrition, gut health, local ingredients and uncompromising craftsmanship."
Claiming second place was Crois, a tiny Wollongong bakery that had been open for less than a year. Its plain croissant is also a three-day labour of love, and landed just ahead of Canberra favourite Three Mills Bakery, which took the bronze.
You can check out the full results from the 2026 Professional Bakery Competition here.