15 Favourite Croissant Flavours for Bakeries and Cafés
There’s nothing like that first bite of a flaky, buttery pastry; the taste and texture combining to give you a moment of pleasure among the everyday hustle and bustle. Paired with a fresh cup of delicious coffee? Perfection.
If you’re not currently offering croissants throughout the day in your café or bakery, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity. Thanks to social media, croissants in various shapes, sizes and styles are going viral, and with just a few additional ingredients you could capitalise on the trend. Read on to discover why you should add a range of stuffed croissants to your pastry collection, and how Keylink can help…
by Lyndsey Hall
30 May 2025
According to research by Bridor, 95% of UK consumers reach for a croissant first when choosing a pastry, and 93% of croissant fans eat them at least once a week.
The much-loved viennoiserie isn’t just a breakfast item anymore; in fact you’ll find consumers tucking into a huge variety of croissant-based treats at all times of the day in the UK. From cronuts, crookies and cruffins to the viral New York Roll and even flat croissants, there’s a laminated, yeast-leavened dough pastry out there for every snack opportunity. Even savoury fillings and croissant sandwiches are becoming more adventurous than the traditional ham and cheese combination.
Butter croissants are still the top choice for Brits, but the second most popular flavour is chocolate (we approve!). There’s been an explosion of new and exciting flavour combinations over the last couple of years, spurred by social media users who are looking for snacks that deliver on both taste and appearance. Let’s take a look at five classic, bestselling flavours that will instantly elevate your pastry selection, and five trend-setting flavours to try as limited editions this year, creating a sense of urgency that will inspire your customers to try something new!
Five Fan-Favourite Flavours for Filled Croissants
If you’re looking to build a core range of croissant flavours that will keep your customers coming back time and time again, these are the five top choices we recommend, based on Bridor’s research and our experience:
Chocolate
Chocolate flavoured croissants are, unsurprisingly, the biggest seller for most bakeries, whether you pop a couple of bakestable chocolate sticks inside your pastry before baking, or pipe Milk Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread inside after baking and top with Neutral Glaze and Milk Chocolate Splitters. Put your own twist on the classic with a white chocolate version!
Almond
Almond croissants are a staple in every boulangerie and viennoiserie in France, where day-old croissants are given a new lease of life by filling with Almond paste and re–baking. Decorate with a few Flaked Almonds for an eye-catching and deliciously nutty croissant. It’s a brilliant way to reduce waste and maximise profits. Read more about our almond flavoured products in our blog, Flavour of the Month: Almond.
Fruit
Strawberry, raspberry, apple, lemon, apricot – the list of delicious fruit flavours for croissants goes on! Choose from bakestable 70% fruit fillings, creams and custards flavoured with fruit flavour compounds, or fruity inclusions. Apple was one of the top flavours for bakery items in our blog Five Essential Flavours That Fly Off Bakery Shelves, but other fruit flavours are growing in popularity, especially when combined with other products like caramel and nuts. Speaking of which…
Pistachio
You’ve probably heard of the viral Dubai pistachio chocolate bar, and all of the spin-offs it has spawned since going viral on TikTok in 2024. Thanks to a bumper crop of pistachios a couple of years ago, there’s a huge variety of different pistachio products on the market now, from pistachio pastes and pralinés to creams and spreads, and of course whole pistachios. We’re nuts for a croissant piped full of creamy Bakestable 15% Pistachio Spread and decorated with Pistachio Coating and a sprinkle of ground pistachios.
Lotus Biscoff
Buttery pastry filled with caramelised biscuit spread and decorated with Lotus Biscoff crumb. Where do we sign up? The warming, sweetly spiced speculoos biscuit flavour is a real customer favourite; proven by the supermarket versions that have popped up in recent years. Perfect for an autumn/winter range, alongside a rich hot chocolate!
Five Fun New Flavours We Think Your Customers Will Love
A quarter of consumers say they’re looking for originality when buying a croissant, so there’s a huge market for innovative, inspiring new flavours. Dessert flavours and cocktail flavours have been trending for a while, as well as nostalgic flavours that bring back happy childhood memories. Here are a few ideas we think will go down a treat:
Tiramisu
Tiramisu has quickly become the flavour of 2025, and we think it would taste phenomenal in a croissant. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee! With our Colac Tiramisu flavour compound, you can give your fillings a deliciously rich taste of condensed milk and cocoa. Dust with cocoa powder, and these will be sure to fly off the shelves.
Raspberry & Pistachio
You’ve tried the viral Dubai pistachio chocolate, and the subtler pistachio cream filled croissant, but there’s a new pistachio flavour combination in town. Raspberry and pistachio are the perfect pairing, with tart, berry flavours and creamy, nuttiness creating a luxurious experience. Keep it simple by spreading our new Bakestable Pistachio Spread 15% inside your croissants, decorating with Pistachio coating and sprinkling with Freeze Dried Raspberry Crumble.
Limoncello
Another popular flavour this summer is the classic Italian liqueur, Limoncello, and we reckon it’s a great choice for a croissant filling. Either whip up a batch of zesty cream or ganache using Colac Limoncello flavour compound, or simply pipe our Bakestable Lemon Cream Spread inside your croissants for a quick and easy flavour burst, then decorate with Lemon Compound Coating and some Candied Lemon Peel Shavings.
Rhubarb & Custard
Thanks to the nostalgia trend that only continues to grow in confectionery and bakery, we’re throwing it back to our childhoods when rhubarb and custard was the peak dessert of every summer. With our Rhubarb Flavour Drops, you can create a scrumptious rhubarb flavoured custard to fill your croissants, nailing both flavours in one! Top with a blob of the custard and a traditional sweetie for a fun, eye-catching addition to your cake counter, and prepare to go viral!
Peach Melba
Dessert flavours have been growing in popularity for a couple of years, and Peach Melba is definitely one of our favourites. Combining peach and raspberry flavours for a sweet, tart and juicy fruity blend, it’s a refreshing and summery way to elevate your pastries. Whip up a peach cream or custard using our Peach Flavour Compound, and sprinkle with Freeze Dried Raspberry Crumble, or for an even more indulgent experience, spoon Bakestable Raspberry Filling inside your croissant before topping with the peach flavoured filling. Decorate with a drizzle of Valrhona Raspberry Inspiration for a decadent finishing touch that will really entice your customers.
Five Bonus Ways to Elevate Your Leftover Croissants
Fancy taking your croissant offering to the next level? We’ve got a handful of ideas to really vamp up your leftover croissants and knock your customers’ socks off:
French Toast
It doesn’t get Frencher than French toast made with croissants! Simply dip croissants in whisked eggs, cream, vanilla extract and cinnamon before frying in butter, then dust with icing sugar and serve with fresh berries.
Bread and Butter Pudding
Similarly to French toast, croissants can be used to replace the stale bread in a bread and butter pudding for a luxurious dessert. Whip up a rich vanilla custard and soak croissants before layering in a dish and baking, then serving with the remaining custard. You could even swap the traditional sultanas for chocolate chips to make it extra indulgent.
Waffles
Pop your croissants in a waffle maker for a few minutes, et voilá, a wassoint! Or croiffle… Either way, it’s a delicious base for all your favourite waffle and pancake toppings. You could even stuff the croissant before toasting for a warm, melty middle!
Crookie
One day-old croissant, one batch of raw, chocolate chip cookie dough. Stuff the croissant with the cookie dough, saving some to slather on top before baking. Take out of the oven and allow to cool slightly before indulging. You’re welcome!
Croissant Tiramisu
No, not another croissant filled with tiramisu flavoured cream, but a tiramisu made with croissants instead of lady fingers. Take your leftover croissants, soak them in coffee (already an elite combo) and use as a scrumptious layer in your dreamy Italian dessert. Pure heaven.
Adding a variety of tempting croissants to your product range doesn’t have to be complicated, but it could draw in customers looking for a quick breakfast, a midmorning snack, or an afternoon sweet treat with a hot drink. With these ideas and flavour pairings, your customers won’t be able to resist trying one (or all of them!), and a constantly changing range with seasonal specials and limited edition flavours will keep them coming back for more. C’est bon!
Tag us @ keylinkltd in all your croissant content on social media, we love to see what you’ve been making with our products.
Lyndsey is a marketing executive, writer and lover of books and chocolate from Sheffield.
Her favourite bake is a Chocolate brownie.