Who doesn't love a buttery, flaky croissant with their morning cuppa? Supermarket versions offer convenience without the trek to a bakery, but quality varies dramatically.
I've scoured the aisles of Britain's favourite grocery chains to find which croissants are worth your hard-earned pounds and which should stay firmly on the shelf.
1. M&S All Butter Croissant
Buttery perfection achieved! M&S has mastered the art of the supermarket croissant with their signature offering.
The exterior shatters satisfyingly between your teeth while the interior remains gloriously elastic. That slightly salty, savoury profile elevates these beyond mere pastry to morning ritual status.
2. Waitrose 1 Croissants Au Beurre De Charentes
Cultured butter makes all the difference in these delightfully French-style offerings. The Charentes butter (a whopping 32%) creates an almost nutty undertone.
Morning sunlight streaming through your kitchen window practically demands these croissants' presence. Each bite releases delicate shards of pastry that whisper of Parisian cafés.
3. Co-Op Irresistible All-Butter Croissant
French butter transforms these humble pastries into something rather special. At a quid each, they're practically a steal for the quality.
Crisp exteriors give way to puffy, light interiors that pull apart with satisfying resistance. The Co-op has quietly created a croissant that punches well above its weight class in the supermarket pastry wars.
4. Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Croissants
Evenly bronzed beauties that wouldn't look out of place in a French patisserie window. The Normandy butter creates a distinctive richness that lingers pleasantly.
Peeling apart the lacy interior reveals a moist, tender crumb that's neither doughy nor dry. These strike that elusive balance that makes you wonder why you'd bother making the journey to an artisanal bakery.
5. Tesco Finest All-Butter Croissants
Golden-hued with impressive architectural structure, these croissants certainly look the part. The crisp outer shell creates that essential first-bite experience we all crave.
Inside awaits a pleasingly moist interior, though butter lovers might wish for a more pronounced dairy punch. Still, they're remarkably consistent across batches – no small feat in mass-produced pastry.
6. Asda The Bakery Croissants
Surprising value champions! These unassuming croissants don't flaunt fancy French butter percentages on their packaging, yet deliver unexpectedly satisfying results.
Soft and buoyant rather than shatteringly crisp, they offer a different – but entirely pleasant – croissant experience. Perfect for those who prefer their pastries less aggressively flaky and more pillowy in texture.
7. Aldi Specially Selected Luxury Croissants
Brittany butter (31%, they'll have you know) gives these budget-friendly pastries surprising credentials. The toasted exterior delivers a satisfying crunch that contrasts nicely with the interior.
Rich, creamy dough provides substance rather than ethereal lightness. Think of these as the heartier, more substantial members of the croissant family – perfect for those who find traditional versions too insubstantial for breakfast.
8. Lidl Rowan Hill Bakery Croissants
Absolute bargain hunters, rejoice! These generously-sized offerings deliver remarkable value without sacrificing essential croissant character.
The layering shows genuine craftsmanship, creating distinct, visible sheets of pastry. While not reaching the buttery heights of pricier competitors, their neutral, pleasant flavour makes them versatile breakfast companions or sandwich bases.
9. Bon Appetit! Croissants
Wallet-friendly winners that won't break the bank! At this price point, expectations should be managed, yet these humble offerings deliver respectable results.
What they lack in perfect flakiness, they make up for in honest, straightforward taste. Slightly sweet with a pleasingly tender crumb, they're particularly good when lightly toasted and slathered with jam.
10. Morrisons All Butter Croissants
Disappointment lurks within these deceptively normal-looking pastries. Despite promising packaging, these croissants fall flat – quite literally – in both texture and taste.
Dryness pervades each bite, requiring coffee to wash them down. The faintly sweet, oddly neutral flavour lacks the buttery richness promised by the name. At this price point, expectations reasonably include moisture.
11. St Pierre Croissants
French name, decidedly un-French experience. These widely available packaged croissants commit the cardinal sin of pastry: chewiness where flakiness should reign.
The strange caramelised flavour creates an almost artificial sweetness that overwhelms any buttery notes. Lacking proper definition between layers, they resemble bread rolls that merely aspired to croissant status but never completed the transformation.
12. Aldi All Butter Croissants
Visual trickery at its finest! These croissants boast promising spiralled layers and golden exteriors that tragically mislead the hopeful customer. One bite reveals the deception – an odd, pronounced yeasty sweetness dominates every mouthful.
The texture somehow manages to be both doughy and dry simultaneously, a perplexing culinary achievement best avoided despite the tempting price point.
