If you want to serve croissants straight away alongside coffee and cake, choose a variety that’s ready to eat. Bake-at-home croissants are a good choice when you’d like to serve them warm and have time to prepare them. Frozen croissants also need freezer space, while croissant dough lets you choose the size but takes more work. Whichever type you choose, check the preparation method, quantity and up-to-date ingredients and allergen information.
For an impromptu coffee break, look for a croissant that’s ready to serve, perhaps sold individually. Dirk, ALDI and Lidl list individual butter croissants; check the latest information for the product you choose.
You’d rather plan your serving around warm croissants and have the time and suitable equipment to prepare them. PLUS lists bake-at-home croissants and croissant dough, while Jumbo also lists a frozen option that requires freezer space and planning to defrost.
If an ingredient or allergen affects your choice, check the exact variety you’re buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for pre-packed products appears on the label, while information for unpackaged products must be made available in another way.
First decide whether you need the croissants ready to serve or would like to prepare them at home. Then choose a suitable quantity and check the product information for the variety you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to serve | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat and whether you can buy the number you want individually. | When I have unexpected guests, I don’t want to have to defrost or bake anything. An estimated 31% of consumers prioritise being able to serve croissants straight away. |
| Warm from the oven | Check the equipment and preparation time required. For dough and frozen products, also check the storage and defrosting instructions. | If I want to serve the croissants warm, I can plan the preparation around my coffee break. For an estimated 25% of consumers, this is the main reason for choosing a particular type. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. If buying an unpackaged croissant, ask about it before you buy. | If an ingredient or allergen affects my choice, I need to know what’s in this particular croissant. An estimated 25% of consumers put this check first. |
| Quantity and portions | Compare the number of croissants, their size and the pack size with the number of people you’re serving. | When there’s cake too, I’d rather serve smaller portions or avoid buying more croissants than I need. Around 19% of consumers prioritise getting the right quantity. |
Product information varies between varieties. For example, PLUS lists wheat, egg and milk for a small butter croissant; other croissants may also carry warnings about the possible presence of allergens.
Check the latest packaging for the product you’ve chosen. If buying an unpackaged croissant, ask how to get the allergen information before you buy.
Bake-at-home croissants, frozen croissants and rolls of croissant dough don’t all need the same preparation. PLUS says its bake-at-home croissants take 4–6 minutes in an oven at 200 °C; the Jumbo frozen product reviewed has separate instructions for use after defrosting.
Before you buy, check that you have the necessary equipment, preparation time and storage space. Then follow the instructions on the packaging.
Individual croissants and multipacks suit different numbers of guests. If there’s cake on the table too, the size may also be a factor.
Decide how many croissants you want to serve, then compare the number of pieces, their size and the pack size.
The agreement published by Overheid.nl describes efforts to encourage the use of iodised salt in bread and bread substitutes. This doesn’t mean that every croissant contains it.
If this ingredient matters to you, check the ingredients list for the specific croissant.
These supermarket ranges show the different types of croissants you might come across. Always check the individual product before choosing.
Albert Heijn’s croissant range includes fresh, bake-at-home, frozen and mini croissants.
Jumbo lists plant-based croissants and frozen butter croissants, among other options.
PLUS lists bake-at-home croissants, small butter croissants and chilled croissant dough.
Dirk lists individual butter croissants as well as packs of butter croissants.
ALDI lists fresh butter croissants sold individually.
Lidl lists a butter croissant that the product page marks as in-store only.
This selection includes croissants to bake at home, one that’s ready to eat and packaged butter croissants in different sizes. For the packaged options in particular, check whether they need preparing before choosing them for your coffee break.
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For a coffee break when you’d like to bake the croissants at home. The pack contains four; check the required temperature and baking time before buying.
Choose another variety if butter is a must for you. If you have allergies, check the latest packaging.
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A good choice if you want to serve an individual croissant without baking it at home. The stated weight is 85 g.
Don’t assume this Danish croissant is a plain butter croissant. Check the ingredients list, especially if egg, milk or gluten matters to your choice.
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The mini size could be ideal if you’d like to serve smaller croissants alongside cake. The stated pack weight is 200 g.
Before buying, check the packaging to see whether they’re ready to serve or need preparing first. Also check the latest allergen information.
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A pack of four butter croissants for matching the number of pieces to your guests. The stated pack weight is 180 g.
Check the packaging to see whether they need preparing before you serve them, and read the latest ingredients and allergen information.
Ask before you buy if the information isn’t clearly displayed. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that sellers must also be able to provide consumers with allergen information for unpackaged products.
No, don’t assume it does. The agreement published by Overheid.nl encourages the use of iodised salt in bread and bread substitutes; it doesn’t say that every croissant contains it. Check the ingredients list for the product you want to buy.
Not in the case of the frozen butter croissants described by Jumbo: Jumbo says they must not be refrozen after defrosting and should be prepared and eaten within 24 hours. For other products, follow the instructions on their packaging.
Choose the number and size to suit what you’d like to serve alongside the cake. Buying croissants individually lets you pick up just a few; with mini or multipacks, it’s worth checking the number of pieces and the preparation method first.
