If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, choose a croissant explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ and make sure it doesn’t come into contact with foods containing gluten during preparation or serving. Then compare the allergens, number of croissants and preparation and storage instructions: the AH, Schär and Consenza options mentioned here differ in these respects. Check the label on your chosen pack just before you buy.
You want to serve a gluten-free croissant without crumbs from gluten-containing food getting onto it while it’s in the oven or at the table. The Dutch Coeliac Association highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
You’re looking for a gluten-free croissant, but also need to check the ingredients and allergens that are relevant to your guests. The AH, Schär and Consenza options mentioned here differ in this respect.
You want to know how many croissants you’ll need, how to store them and whether you can fit their preparation in around the rest of your Christmas dinner.
Start by checking that the croissants are labelled ‘gluten-free’ and can be prepared separately for your guest with coeliac disease. Then check which other allergens you need to consider, and only after that plan the number of croissants and when to bake them.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and served separately | Check that the pack says ‘gluten-free’ and keep the work surface, utensils and serving area free from crumbs containing gluten. | When I’m cooking for someone with coeliac disease, I also want to prevent contact with gluten while baking and serving. This is the top concern for around 50% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack, even if it says vegan or lactose-free. | As well as coeliac disease, I may need to consider an egg, milk or soya allergy at the table. Around 30% of consumers say these additional checks are their top priority. |
| Portions and preparation | Compare the number of croissants, storage instructions and stated preparation method with the oven, air fryer or microwave you have available. | I want to serve the croissants on time while preparing the rest of the meal too. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
A ‘gluten-free’ label on the pack won’t prevent cross-contamination from crumbs, hands or shared spreads at the table. The Dutch Coeliac Association advises avoiding cross-contamination with gluten.
Prepare the croissant with clean utensils and serve it separately from bread containing gluten and shared dips.
The Schär and Consenza croissants mentioned here contain egg and milk; the Consenza option also contains soya. Albert Heijn says its AH option is lactose-free and vegan, but the product information states that it may contain egg.
Ask which allergens are relevant to your guests and read the full information on the current pack for each option.
The packs mentioned here contain two AH croissants, four frozen Schär croissants or three Consenza croissants. AH says its option is not suitable for home freezing; the Schär option mentioned here must not be refrozen after defrosting.
Work out how many you need in advance and allow time and space to prepare them without handling products containing gluten at the same time.
A general rule about baker’s salt won’t tell you which ingredients are in the croissant on your table or how much iodine it contains.
Check the ingredients for the specific option and ask the manufacturer for product information if iodine is important to your choice.
The AH Glutenvrij Croissants mentioned here are bake-at-home croissants, sold in packs of two.
The Schär Croissant à la Française mentioned here is a gluten-free frozen option, with four croissants and a pack weight of 220 g, according to Jumbo.
The gluten-free Consenza croissants mentioned here are sold in packs of three, at 60 g each; Jumbo lists the oven or microwave as preparation methods.
Choose a croissant explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ and prevent cross-contamination during preparation and serving. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, the ‘gluten-free’ label means the product must contain less than 20 mg of gluten per kg; check the current packaging label.
Use clean hands, a clean work surface and separate utensils, and give the croissants their own serving area. Make sure crumbs containing gluten don’t get into spreads and dips intended for your guest with coeliac disease.
No, that doesn’t follow from the ‘gluten-free’ label. The relevant product pages say that the Schär and Consenza options mentioned here contain egg and milk; according to Albert Heijn, the AH option is lactose-free and vegan, but may contain egg. If you have an allergy, always read the information on the pack you choose.
It depends on the option. Albert Heijn says its bake-at-home croissants mentioned here are not suitable for home freezing. The Schär croissants mentioned here are sold frozen, but must not be refrozen after defrosting; follow the storage instructions on the pack.
Don’t assume that every gluten-free croissant contains iodine, or that they all contain the same amount. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients for iodised baker’s salt and ask the manufacturer about the ingredients in the specific option.
