Choose a croissant that’s ready to eat if you want a snack straight away. Go for a bake-at-home option or croissant dough if you have time and a suitable oven. If you’re choosing a plant-based or gluten-free option, always check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product: these labels don’t automatically rule out other allergens. If you’re shopping late in the evening, also check whether the product is available when you need it.
If you don’t want to use the oven, look for a croissant that’s ready to eat. If you’re buying late, check your shop’s opening hours and availability; ALDI, Lidl and Dirk, for example, list individual butter croissants.
A bake-at-home croissant or croissant dough is a good choice if you have time to follow the preparation instructions. Check the difference between a pre-baked product and dough that you still need to shape and bake.
If you’re following a plant-based, gluten-free or other specific diet, the label on the front isn’t enough. Check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings about the possible presence of other allergens on the exact product packaging.
First, decide whether you want to eat the croissant straight away or have time to bake it. Then check the portion size and, if you have specific dietary requirements, read the label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to eat | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat or still needs to be defrosted, shaped or baked. | If I’m hungry now, I don’t want to switch on the oven or wait for dough. Around 40% of consumers prioritise being able to eat straight away. |
| Baking until warm and number of items | Compare the preparation instructions, equipment needed and number of croissants in each pack. | For a warm snack at home, I’m happy to wait for it to bake and want to choose how many to make. Baking at home is the first consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the up-to-date ingredients and allergen information for your chosen product, including any warnings about possible traces. | If I avoid certain ingredients, the exact croissant needs to suit my diet, even if the front says it’s plant-based or gluten-free. Around 30% of consumers put these checks first. |
Dough and some bake-at-home croissants need to be prepared first. Baking times vary by product; for example, Albert Heijn says its AH Verse original croissants take 12 to 15 minutes in the oven.
Before buying, check whether you’re choosing a ready-to-eat croissant, a bake-at-home product or dough, and follow the instructions on the packaging.
Baking at home takes time and requires suitable equipment.
Jumbo lists wheat and gluten in its plant-based croissant and warns that it may contain milk. For its AH Glutenvrij Croissants, Albert Heijn says that egg may be present.
Check the up-to-date allergen information for the exact product. If you’re buying an unpackaged croissant, ask for this information before you buy.
A croissant being part of a retailer’s range doesn’t mean it’s available at your local shop or for your preferred delivery slot. Lidl and ALDI list the butter croissants mentioned here as in-store products.
Just before you set off or place an order, check the opening hours, stock or delivery slot that applies to you.
A wasted trip to the shop takes up extra time.
A general note about baker’s salt won’t tell you which ingredients are in the croissant you want to buy.
If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients list on the packaging you’ve chosen.
Albert Heijn lists croissants that are ready to eat as well as options to bake at home, including a product explicitly labelled gluten-free.
Jumbo lists bake-at-home croissants, frozen options and a plant-based croissant, among other products.
Lidl lists an individual butter croissant from its in-store range.
ALDI lists a fresh butter croissant sold individually in store.
PLUS lists a butter croissant, a chocolate and hazelnut-filled croissant, and products to bake at home, among other options.
Dirk lists an individual butter croissant, a bake-at-home pack and a frozen option.
These products suit different ways of planning a late-night croissant snack: a ready-to-eat croissant, an option to bake at home and multipacks. For multipacks, check whether preparation is needed before assuming you can eat them straight away.
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A snack that doesn’t need baking: according to the product information, you can eat this croissant straight away. The product information also lists E102 and E110 and includes a warning about a possible effect on children’s activity and attention; check the current label.
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For anyone who wants to bake warm croissants at home. This pack contains four; check the baking instructions and allergen information before buying, and don’t expect them to be ready to eat.
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A pack of mini butter croissants for a snack. Check the packaging to see whether you can eat them straight away or need to prepare them first, and read the allergen information if the ingredients matter to your choice.
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A multipack if you want to share your croissants or keep them for later, following the instructions on the packaging. Check whether they need to be prepared before choosing these four for a late-night snack straight away.
No, don’t eat Danerolles Croissants original as raw dough. Danerolles says you need to shape and bake the dough; follow the preparation instructions on the pack you buy.
Not automatically: Jumbo lists wheat and gluten in its plant-based croissant and warns that it may contain milk, among other allergens. If you follow a specific diet, always check the allergen information for the exact product.
Ask for the allergen information for that croissant before buying it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that consumers must be able to get allergen information about unpackaged food before buying it too; a filled croissant may contain different ingredients from an unfilled one.
You can’t assume this is true of every croissant. Check the ingredients list for the product you’re buying; for example, Jumbo lists iodised salt in its plant-based croissant.
