Grains and starches

Croissant nutrition, every number, sourced.

1 medium croissant lands at 231 calories and brings 4.7 g of protein with it. That is USDA’s figure for “Croissants, butter”. Beyond the headline number, it is notable for selenium and thiamin. Choose how much you are eating and the panel does the arithmetic from there.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central record 174987 and are worked out locally, with no sign-up.

The calorie count for croissant

1 medium croissant is 231 calories. Per 100 g it is 406. USDA publishes the serving weights below, so these are measured portions rather than rounded guesses.

How much protein does croissant provide?

There are 4.7 g of protein in 1 medium croissant, or 9 percent of the 50 g the FDA uses as a daily reference. 8 percent of the energy in croissant is protein, which is too little to plan around.

By calories rather than by weight the split is 8 percent protein, 47 percent fat and 45 percent carbohydrate, so in practice it is mostly a fat rather than anything else.

Croissant in the kitchen

Croissant is a laminated yeast pastry rich in butter. You can buy them baked, frozen raw, or as refrigerated dough. Look for a deep golden-brown colour, distinct visible layers on the curved sides, and a light feel when held. Avoid pale, heavy pastries that suggest underbaking or too little butter.

Reheating croissants requires a gentle oven to crisp the outer layers without melting the internal butter. Microwaving is the most common mistake, as it turns the pastry damp and chewy. If baking from raw, prove them slowly so the butter layers do not melt and run out onto the baking tray.

Enjoy them warm with unsalted butter and fruit preserves for a French continental breakfast. For a savoury option, split them to hold ham and gruyère cheese before baking. In some regions, stale croissants are split, soaked in almond syrup, filled with frangipane, and baked again.

The complete croissant breakdown

The figures worth noticing in 1 medium croissant are selenium (24 percent of the Daily Value), thiamin (18 percent of the Daily Value). The full list follows and tracks your selected portion.

Fibre runs to 2.6 g per 100 g, or 9 percent of the Daily Value.

It carries 11 g of sugar per 100 g.

Sodium is the figure to watch here: 384 mg per 100 g is 17 percent of a day’s limit, which is what usually decides how often croissant fits.

Where croissant fits in a day

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1 medium croissant accounts for 12 percent of them, and for 9 percent of the 50 g protein benchmark. To replace 2,000 with your real number, use the TDEE calculator; to turn that into targets, the macro calculator.

Croissant recipes, with the numbers

These are the Calorie Counter Team’s recipes for croissant. Their nutrition panels are arithmetic: ingredient weights multiplied through USDA records, divided by servings.

Breakfast · British

Baked Egg and Croissant Pudding

A savoury breakfast dish of torn croissants baked in an egg and cheese custard.

35 min · serves 2

462kcal

19gprotein

28gfat

32gcarbs

Ingredients

• 2 butter croissants 120 g
• 2 large eggs 100 g
• Whole milk 150 g
• Cheddar cheese 50 g
• Salt 2 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Tear the croissants into 3cm pieces and place them in a baking dish.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt together in a bowl.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants and scatter the grated cheese on top.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.

Summed from 5 USDA records and divided by servings. Heat alters weight and a few nutrients, so read it as a close figure.

Lunch · French

Toasted Ham and Gruyere Croissant

A warm lunch sandwich cooked in a frying pan to melt the cheese and crisp the pastry.

10 min · serves 2

490kcal

23gprotein

32gfat

28gcarbs

Ingredients

• 2 butter croissants 120 g
• Cured ham 80 g
• Gruyere cheese 60 g
• Unsalted butter 15 g
• Dijon mustard 10 g

Method

1. Slice the croissants in half horizontally.
2. Spread the mustard on the bottom halves, then layer with the ham and cheese.
3. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
4. Place the closed croissants in the pan and press down gently with a spatula.
5. Cook for 3 minutes on each side until the cheese melts.

5 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Breakfast · British

Baked Croissant Pudding

A baked sweet custard dish utilising stale croissants.

45 min · serves 4

543kcal

13gprotein

32gfat

51gcarbs

Ingredients

• Croissants 240 g
• Whole milk 300 g
• Double cream 120 g
• Whole eggs 150 g
• Caster sugar 75 g
• Unsalted butter 15 g

Method

1. Slice the croissants into 2-centimetre pieces.
2. Whisk the eggs, caster sugar, milk, and double cream in a bowl.
3. Grease a 20-centimetre baking dish with the butter.
4. Arrange the croissant pieces in the dish and pour the egg mixture over them.
5. Leave the mixture to soak for 15 minutes.
6. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes until the custard sets.

Per serving, from 6 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Putting croissant on a plate

A worked example, every line from the same USDA data as the table above. Swap any of it; the arithmetic is the point, not the menu.

How croissant compares with similar foods

Per 100 g, each in the form its own page leads with; the second column says which.

Questions about croissant

How many calories does 1 medium croissant have?

Count 231 calories. The source is the USDA record “Croissants, butter” (FDC 174987), which lists 406 calories per 100 g.

How much protein is in croissant?

1 medium croissant has 4.7 g of protein. By weight that is 8.2 g per 100 g, and the serving covers 9 percent of the Daily Value.

Does croissant fit a calorie deficit?

No food causes or prevents weight loss on its own. The useful facts are that 1 medium croissant is 231 calories with 4.7 g of protein, which makes 8 percent of its calories protein; useful alongside a protein source rather than as one.

Is croissant high in carbs?

Expect 26 g of carbs from 1 medium croissant, including 1.5 g of fibre and 6.4 g of sugar.

How do you store leftover croissants to keep them fresh?

Keep them in a paper bag at room temperature. Avoid plastic bags, which trap moisture and soften the crisp crust. For longer storage, wrap them tightly and freeze them, then warm them in the oven directly from the freezer.

Why did my croissants lose their shape and butter pool on the tray?

The proving environment was too hot. When the dough rises in a warm place, the butter layers melt before the flour structure sets. Always prove them in a cool room to keep the fat solid until baking.

Sources

• Croissants, butter — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174987
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9