Choose a fresh, individual croissant if you want breakfast straight after buying it, without having to prepare anything at home. A pre-baked option is a good fit if you have a few minutes to use an oven or air fryer; an unbaked frozen croissant takes more planning and is better suited to breakfast at home. When assessing a luxury or premium option, check the ingredients, preparation instructions and allergens for that specific product, rather than relying on its name alone.
If you want to eat on the way without using an oven or waiting, look for a fresh, individual croissant from a shop. Albert Heijn, Dirk and ALDI list butter croissants in their ranges. If a product is sold unpackaged, check the allergen information before choosing.
If you want to bake a croissant at home, a pre-baked option is different from one that’s already ready to take away. PLUS says its pre-baked butter croissants take four minutes in an air fryer or four to six minutes in an oven.
With an unbaked frozen croissant, you can plan when to bake it at home, but you’ll need freezer space and must follow the preparation and defrosting instructions. Jumbo sells a pack of six frozen butter croissants.
First decide what matters most for your breakfast: being able to eat straight away, baking croissants at home in a few minutes, or keeping them in the freezer. Then compare the ingredients and product types that suit your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to eat straight away | Check whether it’s a fresh, individual croissant that you can take with you without preparing it at home. If it’s sold unpackaged, ask about allergens. | If I need to get going straight away, I don’t want to use an oven or wait for dough to defrost first. Being able to eat straight away comes first for around 42% of consumers. |
| Quick to bake at home | Check the preparation method and time. PLUS says its pre-baked butter croissants take four minutes in an air fryer or four to six minutes in an oven. | I have breakfast at home and a few minutes to bake a croissant, but don’t want to plan my morning around a longer preparation time. A quick preparation time is the priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Keeping a supply in the freezer | Check the number of croissants, how much freezer space you’ll need, and the defrosting and baking instructions. | I want to keep croissants for several breakfasts and don’t mind that baking them takes time. Being able to keep a supply in the freezer matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
If you’re comparing butter croissants in particular, check the percentage on the packaging of the specific product. Albert Heijn states that its AH Luxe butter croissant contains 25% butter, while Jumbo’s frozen croissants contain 23%. These percentages describe the ingredients in different products; on their own, they don’t determine which flavour or product type you’ll prefer.
Pre-baked and unbaked frozen croissants still need preparing. PLUS says one pre-baked option takes four minutes in an air fryer or four to six minutes in an oven; the PLUS Luxe large butter croissant needs 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
Choose a fresh, individual croissant if you want to eat straight away. For breakfast at home, check the preparation instructions on the specific packaging.
Baking at home takes time and requires an oven or air fryer; a frozen option also needs freezer space.
The Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foodstuffs defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt used for bread and other bakery products. You can’t tell which salt has been used in a specific croissant just from the name ‘butter croissant’.
Check the ingredients list for terms such as baker’s salt or iodised salt. PLUS lists iodised salt in the pre-baked option described here.
The name doesn’t tell you which ingredients or possible traces are listed for the option you’ve chosen. The AH Luxe butter croissant contains wheat, egg and milk, among other ingredients; almonds and hazelnuts are also listed as possible allergens for this product.
Read the latest packaging or in-store information. If you’re buying an unpackaged croissant, ask about allergen information before you buy.
An individual croissant and a pack of frozen croissants differ in quantity, storage and preparation. For example, Dirk lists an individual 65 g butter croissant, while Jumbo also sells frozen croissants in packs of six.
Check the weight, number of croissants and what you need to do before eating them. Choose a pack that suits the number of breakfasts you’re planning.
These examples show the types of products available from the shops mentioned. When buying, always compare the information for each individual croissant; the features of one option don’t necessarily apply to the whole range.
Albert Heijn lists both an individual AH Luxe butter croissant and packaged and frozen croissants.
Jumbo lists packaged, plant-based and frozen croissants, among other options; check the product type for each one.
Lidl lists an individual butter croissant as an in-store product for anyone who wants to take one away and eat it straight away.
ALDI describes a fresh, individual butter croissant for breakfast or a snack.
PLUS lists both pre-baked butter croissants for quick preparation and a luxury frozen option that takes longer to bake.
Dirk lists an individual butter croissant as well as packaged croissants from other brands.
A croissant that still needs baking isn’t suitable if you want to eat breakfast straight after buying it. Check the preparation instructions: PLUS says its pre-baked butter croissants still need four minutes in an air fryer or four to six minutes in an oven.
Check the ingredients list for the specific croissant for terms such as baker’s salt or iodised salt. The Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foodstuffs defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt, but the word ‘croissant’ doesn’t tell you which salt has been used in the product.
For an unpackaged croissant, check the information in store or ask before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says consumers must also be given allergen information for unpackaged foods.
Don’t assume they are: the options described by Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list wheat or other cereals containing gluten. For any other croissant, check the label or allergen information for that exact product, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Check the storage temperature and the defrosting and baking instructions on the packaging you choose. The PLUS Luxe large butter croissant says to store it at −18 °C and not to refreeze it after defrosting; PLUS says it takes 20 to 25 minutes to prepare.
