For a small Sunday breakfast without using the oven, an individual croissant that’s ready to eat is a good choice. A pack of four or six is better if you’re expecting several people and will use all the portions. Frozen croissants need freezer space and time in the oven. Whichever type you choose, check the preparation instructions, ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
If you’re eating alone or with just one other person, an individual croissant is handy when you don’t want to use a whole pack. Do check the product type, though: ALDI sells its individual butter croissant fresh, while PLUS’s product information says its small individual croissant needs to be defrosted and baked.
If several people are eating, compare the number of croissants in a pack with the number of portions you need. Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Dirk list packs of four, while Dirk also offers a six-pack from Danerolles. Bear in mind that some may need to be baked before serving.
A frozen pack is a good choice if you want to store portions ahead of time and have time to bake them on Sunday morning. According to the product information, Délifrance croissants at PLUS should be stored at −18 °C and baked from frozen for 18 minutes at 185 °C.
When to choose it: pick an individual croissant that’s ready to eat if you only need one or a few and want to avoid using the oven.
Things to bear in mind: not every individual croissant is ready to eat; according to the product information, PLUS’s small version also needs to be defrosted and baked.
When to choose it: a pack with several croissants is handy when you’re making breakfast for a group and plan to use the oven.
Things to bear in mind: plan what you’ll do with any leftovers. Albert Heijn says the four-pack reviewed isn’t suitable for freezing at home.
When to choose them: this type is a good fit if you want to store portions and can bake them on the morning of your breakfast.
Things to bear in mind: the Délifrance version at PLUS needs freezer space and 18 minutes in the oven. The product information says defrosted croissants must not be refrozen.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Small quantities | Check whether you can buy individual croissants and whether they’re ready to eat. | If I only need one or two croissants, I don’t want to be left with unused portions. Around 33% of consumers say having the right small quantity is their top priority. |
| Several portions | Count the croissants in each pack and work out how many you’ll actually serve. | For breakfast with several people, I want enough croissants without unnecessary leftovers. Around 27% of consumers prioritise having the right number of usable portions. |
| Preparation | Check whether defrosting or baking is needed, and look at the stated oven time. | On Sunday morning, I want to know when the croissants will be ready. For around 20% of consumers, preparation is the most important consideration. |
| Label | Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the current packaging. | If I need to watch out for certain ingredients or allergens, I want to be able to decide whether this particular product suits me. For around 20% of consumers, the label is the deciding factor. |
An individual croissant and packs of four or six provide different numbers of portions. If you don’t check how many you’ll get, you could come home with more croissants than you need for breakfast.
Decide how many you want to serve first, then compare packs with the same product type and preparation method.
Délifrance croissants at PLUS should be stored at −18 °C and, according to the product information, baked for 18 minutes at 185 °C. The information also says not to refreeze defrosted croissants.
Make sure you have enough freezer space and time, and only take out the portions you want to prepare.
The name ‘butter croissant’ doesn’t tell you which other allergens a particular product contains. The ingredients and allergens listed vary between the products reviewed.
Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the croissants you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be clearly identifiable in the ingredients list.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo list iodised salt in the butter croissants reviewed. That doesn’t tell you what’s in another croissant.
If the type of salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on the specific pack.
Albert Heijn lists a pack of four own-brand butter croissants, weighing 180 g in total, to bake at home.
Jumbo lists a pack of four own-brand butter croissants, weighing 180 g in total.
Dirk lists both a pack of four own-brand butter croissants and a six-croissant pack from Danerolles.
PLUS lists both a small individual butter croissant and frozen Délifrance butter croissants.
ALDI lists a fresh individual butter croissant for anyone who doesn’t need a whole pack.
Lidl describes croissants that you can bake at home.
These Joybuy products offer different options for Sunday breakfast: croissants to bake at home, mini croissants and an individually wrapped croissant. Choose the number of croissants, ingredients and preparation method to suit your breakfast.
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Four croissants for a breakfast where you want to bake them at home. Check the pack for the oven time, temperature, ingredients and allergens before planning your breakfast.
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Mini croissants for anyone who wants to serve smaller pastries at breakfast. The product information lists different weights, so check the net weight, number of croissants, preparation method and allergens on the pack.
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An individual croissant for a small breakfast without a planned oven step, provided the packaging confirms it’s ready to eat. The product information mentions cheese herbs and warns that the colourings E102 and E110 may have an adverse effect on children’s activity and attention. Check the current ingredients and allergen information too.
Start with the number of croissants you actually need, then compare the preparation methods. A fresh individual croissant, a pack for a quick bake and frozen croissants all need different preparation.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current label for the specific croissants. The products reviewed have different declarations: Albert Heijn lists milk and cereals containing gluten, among other things, while according to the product information, the small PLUS butter croissant also contains egg and may contain soya.
Not if the label on those croissants advises against it. For the Délifrance frozen croissants reviewed, PLUS says defrosted products must not be refrozen, so plan ahead and only prepare the portions you need.
