Choose a ready-to-eat croissant if you want to serve something with coffee without any preparation; choose a bake-at-home option if you have the time and suitable equipment to serve warm croissants. Then decide whether you want a butter or plant-based option, and check the ingredients, allergens, portion size and nutritional information for each product. A plant-based label alone says nothing about whether a product contains wheat or about its nutritional value.
You want to choose between a ready-to-eat croissant and one you can bake at home. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list different types of croissants in their ranges, so check the packaging to see what preparation each one needs.
You want a product labelled as plant-based, without assuming that this also means it is gluten-free. Jumbo lists wheat as an allergen for its Plant-Based Croissant and warns that it may contain milk.
You want to know which allergens the exact product contains or may contain. Ingredients and warnings vary between croissants, so check the current label or ask for allergen information if the product is sold loose.
First decide whether you want to serve the croissants straight away or bake them at home. Then compare the ingredients and portion sizes of the options that suit your coffee occasion.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Serve as they are or bake at home | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat or needs to be prepared. If baking it, follow the time and temperature on the packaging. | If I want to serve something with coffee straight away, I don’t want to plan time to use the oven; around 33% of consumers prioritise being able to serve croissants immediately. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warning. Ask for allergen information if the croissants are sold loose. | If I need to consider allergens, I want to be able to check the exact product; around 25% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| Plant-based option | Check the plant-based label as well as the product’s full ingredients and allergen information. | If I’m looking for a plant-based croissant, I don’t want to assume from the name that it is free from wheat or possible traces of milk; for around 25% of consumers, choosing a plant-based option is the deciding factor. |
| Portion size and nutritional information | Compare the weight of each croissant and the nutritional values per 100 g or for an equal portion. | If I’m considering different sizes to have with coffee, I want to know how much one croissant weighs; around 17% of consumers prioritise portion size and nutritional information. |
A 45 g portion is not the same as a 90 g croissant. Voedingscentrum uses 45 g as the weight of an average croissant; Albert Heijn lists its AH Luxury Butter Croissant as weighing 90 g.
Compare the weight of each croissant and use the same unit for nutritional values, such as per 100 g or per equal portion.
Jumbo’s plant-based croissant contains wheat and may contain milk. A product label does not replace the allergen information for the specific option you choose.
Read the current label, including any ‘may contain’ warning, and ask for allergen information if the croissants are sold loose.
Cooking instructions vary by product. PLUS recommends baking its butter croissants in the oven at 200 °C for 4–6 minutes; a Délifrance product lists 2–3 minutes at 200 °C.
Follow the instructions on the packaging of the product you’re actually using, even if you choose to use an air fryer.
Jumbo lists iodised salt among the ingredients of its Butter Croissant. This does not tell you which type of salt is used in another croissant.
If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for the specific product.
Albert Heijn’s croissant range includes ready-to-eat and bake-at-home options.
Jumbo’s range includes butter and plant-based croissants.
PLUS stocks butter croissants that can be baked at home.
Dirk stocks a butter croissant weighing 65 g each.
Lidl lists a butter croissant as an in-store product.
ALDI offers a fresh butter croissant, sold individually in store.
These Joybuy products include a croissant weighing 85 g each and two packs of four. For the four-packs, check the product instructions to see what preparation suits your coffee occasion; the product name alone does not always make this clear.
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An 85 g croissant for anyone looking for an individual portion to enjoy with coffee. Check the ingredients and allergen information before serving; for this product, also note the warning about the E102 and E110 colourings.
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Four croissants for a coffee occasion when you want to bake them at home. Check the time and temperature on the packaging before baking, and read the allergen information if it matters to your choice.
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A pack of four croissants weighing 180 g in total, ideal for a coffee occasion with several portions. Check the packaging to see whether they can be served as they are or need to be baked first, and read the current allergen information.
Choose a ready-to-eat croissant if you want to serve it straight away; choose one to bake at home if you have time to prepare it according to the packaging. Don’t assume there’s one standard baking time: PLUS and Délifrance list different oven times for the products reviewed.
No. Check the allergen information for the exact product. Jumbo’s Butter Croissant lists milk and wheat, among other ingredients; ask for allergen information if the croissant is sold loose.
Not necessarily: Jumbo lists wheat for its Plant-Based Croissant and warns that the product may contain milk. Check the ingredients and allergens for the option you want to buy, rather than relying on the plant-based label alone.
You can’t tell from the product name. Jumbo lists iodised salt in its Butter Croissant; if the type of salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for any other option.
