If you have coeliac disease, start by choosing a croissant clearly labelled gluten-free, rather than relying on claims such as wheat-free or lactose-free. A shelf-stable bake-at-home option is suitable if you don’t want to use freezer space; a frozen option needs room in the freezer and careful attention to the instructions after defrosting. Check the latest allergen information for both, and prepare the croissant without exposing it to crumbs containing gluten.
You’ll want to check that the packaging clearly says gluten-free and avoid the croissant coming into contact with crumbs containing gluten or used utensils at home. The Dutch Coeliac Society stresses the importance of preparing food on a clean surface.
You’re looking for a shelf-stable gluten-free croissant that you can bake at home. Albert Heijn says its AH Glutenvrij Croissants can be prepared in the oven or air fryer; check the storage instructions on the packaging too.
You can store a frozen pack and want to check which allergens, as well as gluten, are relevant before buying. Jumbo lists egg, milk and wheat among the allergens in Schär Croissant à la Française.
When choosing croissants for someone with coeliac disease, first check that they’re labelled gluten-free. Then compare the allergens, storage instructions and nutritional information that matter to your household.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and preparation | Check that the packaging says gluten-free, and use a clean worktop and clean utensils at home. | If I’m baking for someone with coeliac disease, I want both clear gluten-free labelling and preparation without crumbs containing gluten. For around 42% of consumers, gluten-free suitability comes first. |
| Other allergens | Read the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning; gluten-free labelling doesn’t rule out other allergens. | If you also need to take account of an allergy, you won’t want to overlook egg, milk or wheat. For around 25% of consumers, checking for other allergens is the main concern. |
| Storage and preparation | Check the storage temperature and the instructions for after opening or defrosting. | Without freezer space, I want to be able to bake from a shelf-stable supply; with a freezer, I need to plan for defrosting. Around 17% of consumers prioritise storage and preparation. |
| Nutritional information and baker’s salt | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients list to see whether baker’s salt is mentioned. | If I eat less standard bread, I want to be able to consider the nutritional information for croissants as part of my overall diet, rather than assuming they contain iodine from the ingredients. Around 16% of consumers give this aspect of their diet top priority. |
These labels answer different questions. If you have coeliac disease, the first thing to check on a croissant is that it’s labelled gluten-free; other dietary claims don’t replace this.
First check that the current packaging says gluten-free, then check the other ingredients and allergens that are relevant to you.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that traces can get onto gluten-free food from worktops and utensils.
Clean the worktop and any utensils you use, and keep the croissant separate from bread and pastries containing gluten.
Storage after opening is different from storage after defrosting. Jumbo says that Schär Croissant à la Française must not be refrozen after defrosting.
Choose a pack size you can use, and follow the instructions for the exact croissants you’ve bought.
The fact that a croissant is gluten-free doesn’t tell you whether iodised baker’s salt has been used. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that using baker’s salt in bread is not compulsory.
Read the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging. If you have questions about a diet that includes little standard bread, consider your overall diet rather than using one croissant as a guide.
Albert Heijn describes its AH Glutenvrij Croissants as two part-baked croissants, each weighing 80 g, ready to bake at home.
Jumbo describes Schär Croissant à la Française as a frozen pack of four croissants with a total weight of 220 g.
Jumbo lists product information for Consenza Glutenvrije Croissants, in a pack of 3 × 60 g, but says this particular pack is no longer part of its online range.
A gluten-free label is the starting point when buying, but preparation at home matters too. Check the current packaging and avoid contact with crumbs containing gluten, as the Dutch Coeliac Society advises.
A croissant made with gluten-free wheat starch can be labelled gluten-free and still list wheat as an allergen. So gluten-free for coeliac disease doesn’t automatically mean it’s suitable for someone with a wheat allergy; if you have an additional allergy, read the full allergen information.
Prepare the gluten-free croissant on a clean worktop using clean utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises avoiding contact with crumbs and traces containing gluten, even if standard bread is being prepared in the same kitchen.
No, you can’t tell the iodine content from the word ‘salt’ alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that using iodised baker’s salt in bread is not compulsory; check the ingredients in the croissant and consider your overall diet if you eat little standard bread.
According to Jumbo, Schär Croissant à la Française must not be refrozen after defrosting: keep it in the fridge and use it within one day. For a different version, follow the instructions on its own packaging.
