Which option is right for you?

If you’re hosting brunch

A ready-to-serve croissant can be handy for a sweet breakfast with guests, as it means there’s less to prepare just before you eat.

If you want to bake at home

A bake-at-home croissant is a good choice if you want to decide when to serve it and can set aside the time and oven space needed to prepare it.

If you need to check the ingredients

If you have concerns about allergens or specific ingredients, the information for the product you choose is essential. For an unwrapped croissant, ask the retailer for allergen information.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want to serve your croissants straight away, bake them at home or keep them frozen. Then check what the preparation instructions and ingredients mean for your breakfast.

Ready to serve

Choose this: if you want to serve croissants without baking them at home.

Consider: you can’t choose when they’re baked; for unwrapped croissants, check the allergen information too.

Bake at home

Choose this: if you want to prepare the croissants yourself shortly before breakfast.

Consider: you’ll need an oven and time to follow the preparation steps.

Frozen

Choose this: if you want to keep croissants in stock for a later breakfast.

Consider: you’ll need freezer space and will have to plan when to prepare them.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Serving straight away Check whether you can serve the croissants without baking them at home, and how many you’ll need. When I’m having guests, I don’t want to use the oven just before breakfast. Minimal preparation is the priority for around 45% of consumers.
Baking them yourself Check whether you’re buying bake-at-home croissants, dough or frozen croissants, and follow the preparation instructions. I want to bake the croissants myself shortly before serving and can set aside the time to do so. This is the main priority for around 33% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current packaging; for unwrapped croissants, ask for allergen information. I need to know which ingredients and allergens the croissant contains before I can choose. This check comes first for around 22% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Treating ‘luxury’ as a reliable measure of quality

    A luxury label doesn’t tell you how a croissant is packaged, what ingredients it contains or how to prepare it.

    Instead, compare the product format, contents, ingredients and preparation method with how and when you plan to serve it.

  • Choosing bake-at-home croissants without considering storage and preparation

    A bake-at-home product needs preparation; a frozen option also needs space in your freezer.

    Before buying, check the storage instructions and preparation details on the packaging.

  • Relying on the name ‘butter’ to check for allergens

    The product name doesn’t give you a full list of the allergens it contains. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about allergens present must be available for non-prepacked foods.

    Read the current packaging or ask for allergen information when buying unwrapped croissants before making your choice.

  • Assuming every croissant contains baker’s salt

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether it’s present just from the product category.

    Check the label or ask your baker if this ingredient is relevant to your choice.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn offers a luxury butter croissant, along with petit, seeded and flavoured varieties.

  • A range of croissants to compare by product format and ingredients.
  • The word ‘luxury’ alone doesn’t help you compare taste or quality.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers butter croissants, as well as luxury frozen butter croissants in packs of four.

  • The frozen option is a familiar product format if you want to plan ahead and keep some in stock.
  • Check the current availability on each product listing; not every variety shown previously is still available online.

PLUS

PLUS offers an individual luxury butter croissant, as well as 400 g of butter croissant dough.

  • The dough gives you a different way to prepare croissants compared with buying them individually.
  • Check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions.

Délifrance

Délifrance offers packaged butter croissants, including packs of 4 × 45 g and packs of six weighing 330 g in total.

  • The packaging tells you how many croissants you’ll get.
  • Compare the specific pack and its storage and preparation instructions, rather than just the brand name.

Lidl

Lidl offers a butter croissant in store and provides a link to ingredient and allergen information for the product.

  • The product listing gives you a useful starting point for checking the ingredients.
  • Check availability at the store where you plan to buy it.

ALDI

ALDI sells a butter croissant individually.

  • Buying individually can suit a breakfast where you only need a few croissants.
  • Check availability at your local store.

Dirk

Dirk offers an individual 65 g butter croissant, as well as packaged butter croissants in packs of four weighing 180 g in total.

  • You can choose between individual and packaged croissants, depending on how you want to buy and serve them.
  • For packaged croissants, check the preparation instructions; for unwrapped ones, ask for allergen information.

Croissants at Joybuy

These croissants are all suited to a sweet breakfast, but they don’t all need the same preparation. SCHOOF is described as a bake-at-home product; check how to prepare the g'woon options before planning when to serve them.

g'woon Butter Croissants, 4 pieces, 180 g

g'woon Butter Croissants, 4 stuks, 180 g

A pack for a breakfast where you want to serve four croissants. Check the packaging to see whether they need baking, and refer to the current allergen information if you need it to make your choice.

View at Joybuy
SCHOOF Croissants, 4 pieces

SCHOOF Croissants, 4 stuks

For anyone who wants to bake four croissants at home and choose when to serve them. Check the packaging for the baking time and temperature; if you’re specifically looking for butter croissants, check the ingredients.

View at Joybuy
G'woon Mini Butter Croissants

G'woon Mini Butter Croissants

A mini option if you want to serve smaller croissants at breakfast. Check the net weight on the packaging and read the preparation instructions before deciding when to serve them.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Which croissant needs the least preparation for a sweet breakfast?

A ready-to-serve croissant doesn’t need any baking at home. If you’d rather bake shortly before breakfast, choose a bake-at-home or frozen option and check the preparation and storage instructions.

How can I check for allergens in an unwrapped croissant?

Before buying, ask the retailer for information about the allergens present. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must also be available for non-prepacked foods.

Does every Dutch croissant contain iodised baker’s salt?

No, you can’t assume that: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the label or ask your baker if this ingredient is relevant to your choice.

How should Délifrance Croissants with Butter 4 × 45 g be stored?

Jumbo says to store this pack in a cool, dry, dark place and to eat the croissants immediately after opening and baking. When you buy them, follow the instructions on the current packaging.