Shoppers who want to serve quickly
Whether you’re serving breakfast, enjoying a coffee break or offering a small snack, it makes a difference whether a croissant is ready to eat or needs baking first.
Who are these options for?
Shoppers catering for fussy eaters
A plain butter croissant can sit alongside a multiseed, cheese or plant-based option. The right choice depends on the flavour and texture you’re after; there’s no need for one option to suit everyone.
Shoppers who check ingredients
If the people eating need to take different allergens or dietary requirements into account, the ingredients list for the specific croissant matters more than its name alone.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, check whether you have the time and equipment to bake them off. Then compare the different flavours and read the latest ingredients and nutritional information for each croissant you choose.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Is the croissant ready to eat, a bake-off product or raw dough? Follow the cooking instructions on the packaging when preparing it. | If the croissants need to be ready for coffee straight away, I don’t want to have to plan in an oven step. Being able to serve them straight away is the priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements, including for plant-based options. | If people need to avoid different allergens, I want to be able to check what’s in each pack and which traces may be present. Around 25% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Flavour and texture | Compare options such as butter, multiseed or cheese croissants; check the ingredients for any filling or seeds. | For fussy eaters, I want a choice between a plain croissant and one with a distinctly different flavour or texture. This is the most important consideration for around 17% of consumers. |
| Nutritional value and portion size | Compare salt, saturated fat and fibre on the same basis: per 100 g and, where stated, per croissant. | If two options have different portion sizes, I don’t want to compare their nutritional values directly per croissant. This comparison matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘multiseed’ means ‘wholemeal’
Seeds don’t tell you whether the whole grain has been used. The ingredients list for the multiseed croissant described by Albert Heijn starts with wheat flour.
If wholemeal is what you’re looking for, check for an explicit wholemeal claim and compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
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Assuming ‘plant-based’ means allergen-free
The plant-based croissant described by Jumbo contains wheat and gluten and may contain milk. The label alone also says nothing about the amount of salt or saturated fat.
Check the allergen information and nutritional details for the exact option you want to buy.
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Relying solely on an online product description
For the product you’re buying, the ingredients and warnings on the packaging matter. Lidl also states that it doesn’t provide a general online list of ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for food products.
Read the label on the pack you choose before buying, and check it again before serving if allergens are a concern.
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Treating croissant dough like a ready-made croissant
PLUS croissant dough must be heated and shouldn’t be eaten raw. Shaping it yourself also takes more effort than simply opening a pack or baking off a croissant.
Only choose dough if you have the time, an oven and suitable supervision for preparing it.
Brands to compare
Albert Heijn
Worth considering if you want to compare a multiseed croissant with other flavours.
- For the multiseed option described, details include the 80 g weight, ingredients and nutritional values.
- The ingredients list starts with wheat flour, so don’t assume the seeds mean it’s wholemeal.
Jumbo
Worth considering if you’re choosing between the packaged butter and plant-based croissants described.
- For both of the four-piece packs described, Jumbo lists the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
- The plant-based option contains wheat and gluten and may contain milk.
Lidl
Worth considering if you’re looking for a savoury cheese croissant for a change.
- Lidl describes its cheese croissant as a butter croissant with a cheese filling.
- Check the label on the pack you choose for ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
ALDI
Worth considering if you want an individual butter croissant that can be served straight away.
- ALDI describes its individual croissant as crisp and flaky.
- Check the packaging or ask in store for the ingredients and nutritional information.
PLUS
Worth considering for both butter croissants to bake off and dough you can shape yourself.
- PLUS gives baking instructions for the bake-off croissants in the pack described; the dough gives you the option to shape and fill them yourself.
- The croissant dough must be heated and shouldn’t be eaten raw.
Dirk
Worth considering if you want an individual butter croissant.
- Dirk describes a croissant weighing 65 g each.
- Check the information for the specific product for ingredients and nutritional values.
Croissants on Joybuy
This selection includes a ready-to-eat croissant, bake-off croissants and a packaged butter option. Pay particular attention to the preparation method, allergens and portion size of the option you choose.
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Bakery Village Danish Croissant 85 g
A ready-to-eat, individually wrapped option when there’s no time to prepare anything.
The portion is 85 g. The product description lists wheat and gluten, egg and milk, and also mentions the colourings E102 and E110. Check the current packaging before serving the croissant.
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SCHOOF Croissants, 4 pieces
A pack for baking off, not for serving straight away without preparation.
The description lists four croissants, wheat and possible traces of milk, lupin, sesame and soya. Check the baking time and temperature on the packaging before planning when to bake them.
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g'woon Butter Croissants, 4 pieces, 180 g
A packaged butter option when you want to offer four croissants.
The description lists 25% butter and mentions cereals containing gluten, milk and other allergens. Before buying, check the packaging to see whether the croissants are ready to eat or need baking first.
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G'woon Mini Butter Croissants
A mini option for baking off when you’d prefer smaller croissants.
The description says to bake them in the oven and lists 25% butter. Check the weight and quantity on the packaging: the title says 200 g, while the description lists four croissants weighing 180 g in total. Also check the cooking time, temperature and allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Is a multiseed croissant automatically wholemeal?
No. The multiseed croissant described by Albert Heijn contains seeds and wheat bran, among other ingredients, but its ingredients list starts with wheat flour. If you want a wholemeal option, look for an explicit claim on the label.
Can I rely on the ‘plant-based’ label if I have an allergy?
No, always check the label on the specific croissant. The plant-based option described by Jumbo contains wheat and gluten and may contain milk; if you have an allergy, also follow any personal medical advice.
How can I tell whether a croissant contains iodised salt?
Read the ingredients list for the option you’ve chosen; the product type alone won’t tell you. The ingredients lists for the multiseed croissant described by Albert Heijn and the butter croissant described by Jumbo both include iodised salt.
How do I prepare bake-off croissants or croissant dough?
Follow the instructions for the specific product. For its butter bake-off croissants, PLUS recommends 4–6 minutes in an oven at 200 °C or 4 minutes in an air fryer at 180 °C. The PLUS croissant dough described must be heated and shouldn’t be eaten raw.