Croissants: Nutrition Facts, Are Croissants Healthy, and Croissant vs Bagel

Croissants are flaky, crescent-shaped pastries made from a yeast dough layered with fat. This guide uses USDA data to show croissant nutrition for a plain croissant in three sizes, explains where its saturated fat comes from, compares filled croissants and a cheese danish, and answers two common questions: are croissants healthy, and how does a croissant vs bagel comparison turn out? It closes with the wheat, gluten and milk facts for people with allergies or celiac disease.

Peptide Labs does not sell croissants or any bakery products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What are croissants?

A croissant is a laminated pastry. The baker wraps a cold sheet of fat, traditionally butter, inside a lightly sweetened yeast dough, then rolls and folds it several times to build dozens of thin layers. The dough is cut into triangles, rolled into crescents, proofed and baked. In the oven, water in the fat turns to steam and lifts the layers apart, which creates the honeycomb crumb and shattering crust.

That layering is the reason croissants are so different from bread nutritionally: fat is part of the structure, not just a spread. Bakery and packaged croissants may use butter, margarine or other fats, so the ingredient list tells you which. Our butter vs margarine guide compares the two. The USDA SR Legacy entry used below is named “Croissants, butter”.

Croissant nutrition (USDA SR Legacy)

The table shows croissant nutrition for one medium plain croissant (57 g) from USDA SR Legacy (FDC 174987). Percent Daily Values (%DV) use FDA reference amounts.

Croissants vary a lot in size. USDA lists a mini croissant (28 g) at 114 calories with 3.3 g of saturated fat (16% DV), and a large croissant (67 g) at 272 calories with 7.8 g of saturated fat (39% DV). Bakery croissants come in many sizes, so the label or the bakery’s nutrition information is the place to check.

Why croissants are high in saturated fat

Most of the saturated fat in a classic croissant comes from the butter folded into the dough; our butter guide covers that ingredient. FDA’s Daily Value for saturated fat is 20 g, and FDA’s general guide is that 20% DV or more per serving is high. At 33% DV, a medium USDA croissant is high in saturated fat by FDA’s measure, even before any butter or cheese is added at the table.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030, say that in general saturated fat consumption should not exceed 10% of total daily calories. That is a limit across a whole day of eating, not a rule for one food, so it helps to look at what else is on the plate. Our high-fat foods guide puts croissants next to other rich foods.

Filled croissants and other pastries

Fillings shift the numbers in both directions. USDA SR Legacy has entries for cheese and apple croissants and for a cheese danish, shown here with %DV in parentheses:

USDA does not report total sugars for the apple croissant, and SR Legacy never separates added sugars. FDA lists baked goods among the main sources of added sugars for most Americans and sets the Daily Value for added sugars at 50 grams on a 2,000 calorie diet, so the Added Sugars line on a label is worth a look for chocolate, almond or glazed croissants. Our foods high in sugar guide has more. Savory versions with ham and cheese add protein along with sodium, while chocolate croissants add sugar and more fat; see our dark chocolate guide for the chocolate itself.

Croissant vs bagel

A croissant and a bagel are both breakfast breads, but they are built in opposite ways. Here is a medium croissant next to a medium plain bagel, both from USDA SR Legacy:

In the croissant vs bagel matchup, neither is simply the better pick. In USDA data the croissant has fewer calories and about half the sodium, but more than fifteen times the saturated fat. The bagel has about twice the carbohydrate and more than twice the protein. Both are low in fiber because both are usually made with white flour. Our bagels guide covers bagel sizes, enriched flour and toppings.

Are croissants healthy?

A croissant is a rich pastry, and the data reflect that. Here is a fair summary:

• Saturated fat: a medium croissant supplies a third of the Daily Value for saturated fat in USDA data, which counts as high under FDA’s %DV guide.
• Refined grain: croissants are made with white flour; the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines say to prioritize fiber-rich whole grains and to significantly reduce highly processed, refined carbohydrates such as white bread and packaged breakfast options.
• Cholesterol: USDA lists 38 milligrams of cholesterol in a medium croissant, 13% of FDA’s Daily Value.
• Some vitamins: USDA lists thiamin (18% DV) and folate (19% DV) for a medium croissant; when a label says enriched flour, FDA’s standard (21 CFR 137.165) requires added thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron.
• Little fiber or protein: USDA lists 1.5 g of fiber and 4.7 g of protein, so a croissant alone is not much of a meal.

If you enjoy croissants, the size you choose and what you serve alongside matter more than any single rule. Fruit, eggs, yogurt or a handful of almonds round out a croissant breakfast, and our egg nutrition guide has the egg numbers. For the bigger picture on white flour foods, see our refined carbs guide, and for whole grain loaves see our rye bread guide and sourdough bread guide.

Wheat, gluten, milk and egg: allergen and celiac facts

Croissants are wheat pastry. FDA lists wheat among the nine major food allergens, and NIDDK explains that gluten is a protein found naturally in wheat, barley and rye and is found in baked goods. Butter is made from milk, which FDA also lists as a major allergen, and many bakers brush croissants with beaten egg, another major allergen on FDA’s list. Almond croissants add tree nuts. Check the ingredient list and Contains statement on packaged croissants, and ask bakery staff when there is no label, as FDA advises for restaurant food.

For celiac disease, NIDDK notes that packaged gluten-free baked goods are sold, that foods labeled gluten-free must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, and that storing and preparing gluten-free foods separately helps prevent cross-contact. Our foods with gluten guide lists other sources.

Storing and reheating croissants

• Room temperature: keep croissants in a paper bag rather than plastic, which softens the crust.
• Re-crisp: a few minutes in a warm oven restores flakiness better than a microwave.
• Freeze: wrap croissants well and freeze them; reheat in the oven straight from frozen.
• Slice with care: a serrated knife keeps the layers from crushing when you split one for a sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Bagels: Nutrition Facts, Are Bagels Healthy, and Bagel vs Bread, Butter: Nutrition Facts, Salted vs Unsalted, Is It Healthy?, Refined Carbs vs Whole Grains: Simple and Complex Carbs Explained.