Choose fresh butter croissants if you want to serve them on brunch day without having to plan around the oven. If you’d rather bake them just before serving, frozen or ready-to-bake croissants are a better fit, provided you have the oven space and time. Croissant dough lets you choose the shape and filling, but you’ll also be taking on the preparation.
A fresh croissant per person is a good choice if you don’t want to use the oven on brunch day. Albert Heijn offers options including luxury butter and mini croissants; check which varieties are available at your chosen store.
Frozen and ready-to-bake croissants work well if you can coordinate your oven space, storage and serving time. Jumbo offers frozen options, while PLUS provides specific baking instructions for its Délifrance croissants.
Croissant dough lets you make smaller or larger shapes and choose a sweet or savoury filling. You’ll need time to shape the dough and bake it according to the packet instructions; PLUS describes these options for its butter croissant dough.
First decide whether you want to serve the croissants straight away, bake them just before brunch or shape them yourself. Then consider the size and how many you’ll need.
Best when: you want to serve individual croissants without baking them at home.
Bear in mind: which options your chosen store has available on brunch day.
Best when: you want to bake shortly before serving and can set aside oven space.
Bear in mind: the storage, baking and any cooling instructions for the product you choose.
Best when: you want to choose the sizes or fillings yourself.
Bear in mind: the extra work involved in shaping and baking.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and butter | Check the size and ingredients of the specific croissant; the word ‘luxury’ is not a judgement of taste. | If I want to put a celebratory pastry in front of each guest without baking, appearance and product type are what matter most. This is said to be the top priority for roughly 33% of consumers. |
| Serving warm | Read the baking instructions and allow for the oven space and any cooling time required. | I want to bake the croissants just before brunch, but I may also need the oven for other dishes. Serving them warm is said to be the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Shape and filling | Check whether you’re buying a ready-made option or dough, and how much shaping and baking is involved. | I’m happy to do a little extra preparation for a platter with different sizes or my own choice of fillings; this flexibility is said to matter most to around 20% of consumers. |
| Number of croissants | Compare the number of croissants in each pack and the size of each one with your guest list. | For a larger brunch, I want to plan enough portions without relying on size alone. The number of croissants is said to be the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
Words such as ‘luxury’ describe how a shop presents a croissant. They don’t tell you which option your guests will prefer.
For your brunch, compare the ingredients, size and preparation method of the specific products.
A croissant may also need to cool after baking. PLUS says its large luxury butter croissant takes 20–25 minutes to bake, followed by 30 minutes to cool.
Work backwards from when you want to serve and check the instructions on your packet, especially if you’re cooking several dishes in the same oven.
Ingredients and warnings vary from one croissant to another. This matters if a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients.
Read the current label on the exact product before buying it, and check it again before serving.
An option shown online may not be available at your chosen store when you want it. For example, Lidl describes its butter croissant as an in-store-only product.
Check with your chosen store shortly before doing your Easter food shop, especially if you need a particular size or several croissants.
Albert Heijn offers fresh, ready-to-bake and frozen croissants, including luxury butter, mini and flavoured varieties.
Jumbo offers options including butter, luxury frozen, plant-based and Danerolles croissants.
Lidl describes its butter croissant as being made with real butter.
ALDI offers fresh butter croissants sold individually.
PLUS offers options including a large luxury frozen croissant, Délifrance frozen croissants and butter croissant dough.
Dirk offers options including 1 de Beste butter croissants for baking and Délifrance frozen croissants.
These butter croissants come in standard and mini sizes for your brunch table. Check the packet to see whether they suit your portion plan and whether they need any further preparation.
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A pack of four croissants is a good option if you want to plan portions for each guest.
The product name states 4 pieces and 180 g. Check the packet to see whether the croissants need to be prepared, and read the current ingredients and allergen information.
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The mini size is a good choice if you want to serve smaller croissants at brunch.
The product name states 200 g. Check the net weight, number of pieces and preparation method on the packet, as well as the current ingredients and allergen information.
Work backwards from serving time, using the instructions on the packet you’ve chosen. PLUS says its Délifrance butter croissants take 18 minutes to bake at 185 °C without defrosting. For its large luxury butter croissant, PLUS recommends 20–25 minutes at 165 °C with steam, followed by 30 minutes to cool. Follow the instructions for your product and keep the oven free when you need it.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the packet of each croissant you choose. The butter products described here include ingredients such as wheat, milk and egg; some product information also mentions possible traces of soya or nuts. Ingredients and warnings may vary by product.
Check the ingredients of the specific croissant for iodised salt or baker’s salt. PLUS’s large luxury butter croissant lists iodised salt. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that, in bread and other bakery products, iodine compounds may only be present through added baker’s salt; this does not tell you how much iodine an individual croissant contains.
Not if the packet says not to refreeze them. PLUS gives this instruction for its large luxury butter croissant and Délifrance butter croissants. Store and prepare the product according to the instructions on the packet you buy.
