Croissant, pronounced khru-ah-son, is a type of puff pastry that’s light, buttery and flaky. It derives its name from its shape, as croissant means crescent in French. Though this flaky pastry is often associated with France, and is a staple in most French boulangeries (bakeries), food historians place its origins in Austria and believe that it was introduced to France in the 19th century by two Austrian bakers.