For something you can eat straight away during your first shop, choose a croissant sold as ready to eat. Croissants to bake and croissant dough need preparing, and may need to be kept chilled. If you’re looking for a croissant to fill, consider its size or choose dough you can shape yourself; a larger size alone doesn’t prove that the croissant is sturdier.
If you want breakfast straight away or a snack to take with you, check the difference between ready-to-eat croissants and products you still need to defrost or bake. Chilled dough also comes with storage and use-by instructions.
For a filled snack, consider the size and how much room there is for the filling. PLUS describes croissant dough that you can shape into mini or maxi croissants. This lets you choose the size, but it also requires preparation and baking.
Read the information for the variety you’ve chosen, especially for butter croissants, filled croissants and dough products. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products is shown on the label; for unpackaged products, the shop must provide this information in another way.
First, decide whether you want to eat the croissant straight away or can bake it. Then compare the size, number of croissants and information about ingredients and storage.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to eat or to bake | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat or still needs defrosting or baking. If you’re buying dough, read the storage instructions too. | I want to eat my croissant straight away and can’t assume there’ll be an oven available. For around 33% of consumers, being able to eat it straight away comes first. |
| Size and filling | Check the size or choose dough you can shape yourself. Weight and number of croissants don’t, on their own, tell you how much room there is for a filling. | For a filled snack, I want to check first whether the croissant is large enough for my filling. This is the most important consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Number of croissants and storage | Check the pack size, best-before date and instructions for using the product after opening. | I’m buying for one or more occasions and want to know whether I can use the pack in time. A suitable quantity and storage period come first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens and nutritional information | Read the current label or ask about allergens if the croissant is unpackaged. Compare nutritional values per 100 g and per serving. | If ingredients or nutritional values determine my choice, I need to check the information for the exact variety I’m buying. This is the top priority for around 17% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn’s croissant dough and the Danerolles product mentioned need to be prepared. They’re therefore not a substitute for a ready-to-eat croissant for the same occasion.
Before buying, check whether the product is ready to eat and read the instructions for baking, storage and use after opening.
Baking takes time to prepare. If a product needs to be used straight away or finished after opening, you’ll also need to plan for the number of croissants in the pack.
Ingredients can vary between varieties. PLUS lists wheat, milk and egg in its small butter croissant; don’t assume another product has the same ingredients.
For a packaged product, read the current allergen information. If the croissant is unpackaged, ask the shop about that product before you buy it.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 181 kcal, 5 g of saturated fat and 0,53 g of salt, among other values, for a 45 g croissant. These figures don’t automatically apply to a larger or filled croissant.
When comparing different sizes, check the nutritional value per 100 g as well as the amount you’re actually buying as a portion.
The ranges reviewed include larger croissants and dough you can shape yourself. The term ‘thick cut’ doesn’t tell you whether a croissant is suitable for filling.
Check the product description and size. If you want to make a larger croissant yourself, check that the dough can be shaped that way and find out how it needs to be prepared.
These examples show the different types of products you may come across. Always check the preparation and label information for each croissant.
A useful option if you want to bake croissants at home from chilled dough.
A range where you can compare different croissant shapes and sizes.
Worth considering if you’re choosing between a croissant to defrost and bake, and dough you can shape yourself.
A place to compare individual croissants with multipacks.
A good option if you’re looking for a fresh butter croissant sold individually.
An option if you’re looking for croissants in a multipack.
These two croissants suit different plans for your first shop: one is described as ready to eat, while the other needs baking. If you’re planning a filled snack, check the size separately; there’s no confirmed information about how much room either product offers for a filling.
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For anyone who wants to eat without using an oven: the product description says this croissant is ready to eat.
The product name gives the weight as 85 g. Check the dimensions separately if you want to fill it.
If you have allergies, check the current label for wheat, egg and milk, which are listed in the product description.
The product description warns that the colourings tartrazine (E102) and Sunset Yellow FCF (E110) may adversely affect children’s activity and attention. Check the current packaging.
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For anyone who wants to use an oven: the product description says these croissants need baking, so they’re not ready to eat.
According to the product name, the pack contains four croissants. Follow the instructions on the current packaging for the oven temperature and baking time.
If you have allergies, check the label: the product description mentions possible traces of sesame, lupin, milk and soya. Check the size separately if you want to fill the croissants.
No. Don’t use that term as a guide to whether a croissant is suitable for filling. Instead, check the product’s size or look for croissant dough you can shape into a larger croissant yourself, such as the dough PLUS describes for mini and maxi croissants.
Don’t assume you can: check the preparation instructions for the specific product. Albert Heijn’s croissant dough needs to be baked in the oven at 200 °C for 12–15 minutes, according to the product instructions. If you want something to eat straight away, choose a croissant sold as ready to eat.
Before buying, ask the shop for the allergen information for that exact croissant. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says this information must be available for unpackaged products in a way other than on a packaging label; for prepacked croissants, it appears on the label.
You can’t assume that every croissant does. To find out whether a specific product contains iodised baker’s salt, check the available ingredient or product information; don’t infer it from the word ‘croissant’ in the product name alone.
