If you specifically want a sourdough croissant for a late-night snack, check the ingredients list: words such as butter or artisan don’t confirm that sourdough is used. A ready-baked croissant can be eaten without any preparation at home, while bake-at-home croissants and chilled dough need to be prepared first. Always check the latest allergen and storage information, too.
If you want to be able to prepare something after the shops have closed, look for a croissant you can store at home according to the storage instructions. A bake-at-home or frozen option still needs preparing when you fancy a snack; a ready-baked croissant doesn’t.
The ingredients list is a more reliable guide than an artisan-style product name. PLUS lists wheat and spelt sourdough in its 180 g Butter Croissants. Check the listing again on the product you buy.
If you need to check for wheat, milk or other allergens, the information for the specific product is what matters. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on pre-packed food labels; also check for any warnings about possible traces.
First, decide whether sourdough is a must-have. Then choose a product that suits how much time you want to spend preparing food late in the evening, and check the packaging and label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough | Look for sourdough to be explicitly listed in the ingredients and check which grains are named. | I specifically want a croissant that demonstrably contains sourdough, not just one with an artisan-sounding name. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this ingredient information. |
| Preparation time | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat or needs baking, defrosting or shaping; follow the preparation instructions. | If I get hungry late at night, I want to know how much I need to do before I can eat. For around 27% of consumers, being able to eat quickly matters most. |
| Portions and storage | Check the number of croissants and the instructions for storing them and using them after opening or defrosting. | For a single snack, I don’t want to open or prepare more croissants than I can use. Around 20% of consumers prioritise avoiding leftovers. |
| Label information | Read the latest ingredients, allergen and nutritional information; check the type of salt if it matters to your choice. | I need to be able to check which ingredients and allergens are listed on my product before buying. For around 20% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
Words such as luxury or butter don’t tell you whether sourdough has been used. PLUS lists wheat and spelt sourdough in its 180 g Butter Croissants; the ingredients list shown by Albert Heijn for Danerolles Croissants Original doesn’t include sourdough.
Check the latest ingredients list for the croissant you want to buy rather than relying on its name.
PLUS says its listed bake-at-home croissants take 4–6 minutes in the oven or 4 minutes in the air fryer. Danerolles Croissants Original needs to be cut and rolled first, then baked for 12–15 minutes according to the product information from Albert Heijn.
Before buying, decide whether you want something ready to eat, something to bake briefly, or dough you can shape and bake yourself. If you choose a frozen option, allow time for the instructions on the packaging, too.
The listed ingredients and possible presence of other allergens vary from product to product. For example, PLUS lists wheat, spelt and milk for the butter croissants checked, with possible traces of other cereals.
Always read the latest label or ask for the product information, even if you’ve bought a croissant with the same name before.
The ingredients list for the PLUS croissants mentioned above includes iodised salt. That doesn’t tell you anything about the salt in a different croissant.
Check the salt information on the label of the product you choose; don’t assume every product in the category has the same ingredients.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a bake-at-home croissant that explicitly lists sourdough.
Worth considering if you want to compare different types of croissant.
Worth considering if you want to shape and bake chilled dough yourself.
Worth considering if a frozen pack better suits the way you stock up at home.
Worth considering if you want to buy a single, already-baked butter croissant in advance.
These croissants come in different pack sizes for a late-night snack. Check each pack to see whether it lists sourdough and how the croissants need to be prepared; the product name or number of pieces won’t always tell you.
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A pack of four to keep at home for a later snack. Before buying, check the ingredients list if sourdough is important to your choice, and read the packaging for preparation instructions and allergen information.
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An 85 g croissant for anyone looking for a single piece. If you want to eat it without baking, check the instructions on the packaging. If you prefer sourdough, look for it to be explicitly listed in the ingredients and read the allergen information.
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A pack of four croissants for several snack breaks. Read the preparation and storage instructions before choosing them for a late-night snack; check the ingredients list separately if sourdough or an allergen matters to you.
Look for sourdough in the ingredients list for that specific croissant. PLUS lists wheat and spelt sourdough in its 180 g Butter Croissants; words such as luxury, artisan or butter don’t confirm that sourdough is used.
No. A croissant isn’t automatically gluten-free just because it contains sourdough. The PLUS croissant mentioned above contains wheat and spelt sourdough. Always check the ingredients and allergen information on the latest label for each individual croissant.
Don’t assume so. PLUS lists iodised salt in its 180 g Butter Croissants, but that ingredients list only applies to that product. Check the salt information for the croissant you want to buy.
Not if the packaging says it needs to be baked first. According to the product information from Albert Heijn, Danerolles Croissants Original dough must not be eaten raw; after cutting and rolling, it needs to be baked for 12–15 minutes. Follow the instructions on the latest packaging.
