Who are these formats for?

Hosts planning a drinks party with food

If you want to offer a range of fillings and create savoury bites to suit your guests, start with unfilled brioche mini burger buns. Then check how many you plan to serve alongside the other dishes.

Hosts organising individual desserts

Individual brioche buns are ready to serve and make it easy to plan portions, whether you’re serving them with coffee or adding them to a dessert table without having to slice a large brioche. The stated weight per portion gives you an idea of what you’ll be putting on the table.

Shoppers checking for allergens

If the ingredients need to suit certain guests, check the label on the product you buy before choosing a format. The products mentioned include cereals containing gluten, eggs or milk; precautionary ‘may contain’ warnings vary by product.

What should you compare?

Brioche mini burger buns to fill

Choose these for:  savoury bites with fillings of your choice.

Bear in mind:  you’ll need to prepare the fillings, and the amount you add will also affect the finished size of each bite.

Individual sweet brioche buns

Choose these for:  serving a small brioche with dessert or coffee, without having to prepare any fillings.

Bear in mind:  a sweet brioche bun, especially one topped with pearl sugar, isn’t a substitute for a bun intended for a savoury filling.

What you need What to check Who is it for?
Making savoury bites Choose mini buns to fill rather than brioche that’s already filled or sweet; check how many buns are in the pack. For a drinks party where everyone should be able to choose their own filling, I want to start with an unfilled bun. Around 37% of consumers may prioritise being able to customise their bites.
Serving a sweet portion Compare the weight of each brioche bun and any added sweet ingredients, such as pearl sugar. With coffee or dessert, an individual brioche bun saves me from having to slice a larger one. Around 27% of consumers may prioritise a sweet treat that’s ready to serve.
Planning how many bites to serve Check the number of pieces and the net weight, then factor in the other dishes and the fillings. When I’m serving several dishes, I look for a pack size that matches the number of bites I want to serve, rather than relying on the pack weight alone. Around 27% of consumers may prioritise working out the quantities.
Checking the ingredients Read the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you’re buying. If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I have to check the exact product being served before adding it to the menu. For around 9% of consumers, this may be the most important factor when choosing.

Common mix-ups to avoid

  • Mistaking a sweet brioche bun for a bun to fill

    Harrys Mini Tressée is sprinkled with pearl sugar, while the mini burger buns mentioned here are designed to be filled. They won’t taste the same in a savoury bite.

    For a make-your-own drinks party spread, look for ‘mini burger bun’ or ‘to fill’ on the pack. Save sweet brioche buns for dessert or coffee.

  • Comparing packs by piece count alone

    Carrefour Traiteur and E.Leclerc list packs of 20 mini buns weighing 300 g and 8 brioche mini burgers weighing 160 g respectively. The piece count alone doesn’t tell you the weight of each bun or how big each bite will be once filled.

    Compare the number of pieces and the net weight, then decide how many bites you want to serve, taking the rest of the menu into account.

  • Relying on an old ingredients list

    Allergens and ‘may contain’ warnings vary between products. Checking a product listing in advance is no substitute for reading the information on the pack you’ll be serving.

    Read the label when you buy it, especially if a guest has told you they need to avoid a particular ingredient.

  • Refreezing a defrosted catering product

    Carrefour Traiteur states that its pack of 20 sesame mini burger buns has been defrosted and must not be refrozen. This instruction applies to this specific product.

    Plan when you’ll collect and use it accordingly, and follow the instructions on the pack you buy.

Brands to know

These products show two different ways to serve brioche: small buns to fill and sweet individual brioche buns. Compare the specific products rather than assuming their ingredients based on the brand name alone.

La Fournée Dorée

La Fournée Dorée Mini Brioch’Burgers are small brioche buns to fill for a drinks party. Auchan sells them in a pack of 10, weighing 200 g.

  • The pack size makes it easy to count the buns before preparing the fillings.
  • The listed ingredients include wheat, eggs and dairy ingredients; check the label if you’re serving guests with dietary requirements.

Jacquet

Auchan sells Jacquet brioche mini burgers in a pack of 10, weighing 210 g. The retailer’s listing says they can be served hot or cold.

  • The pack states how many buns it contains, making it easier to prepare a platter to fill.
  • The listing flags allergens and possible traces; check the storage instructions on the pack too.

Brioche Pasquier

Brioche Pasquier Briochettes are individual sweet brioche buns, intended to be enjoyed as a sweet treat rather than used to make mini burgers.

  • Brioche Pasquier gives the weight per portion as 40 g, which is useful when planning how many to serve.
  • The ingredients include wheat, eggs and dairy ingredients; check the label to make sure they’re suitable for your guests.

Harrys

Harrys Mini Tressée is an individual brioche bun topped with pearl sugar, making it a good option for a sweet snack or dessert.

  • Its individual size means there’s no need to slice it when serving.
  • The pearl sugar sets it apart from a mini bun designed to be filled for a drinks party. Check the allergen information on the pack too.

Epi d’Or / Marque Repère

E.Leclerc lists Epi d’Or brioche mini burgers in a pack of 8, weighing 160 g.

  • You can factor the number of buns into your plans for a selection of savoury bites.
  • Check the product ingredients and how to buy it at your chosen store or for click and collect.

A brioche-bite option on Joybuy

These savoury bites are already filled and ready to serve at a drinks party. They’re ideal if you don’t want to offer a choice of fillings, but they’re not a substitute for mini burger buns you can customise.

ERHARD mini brioche bites with ham and Emmental, 9 pieces

ERHARD mini brioche bites with ham and Emmental, 9 pieces, 115 g

Serve these individual savoury bites at a drinks party without having to prepare any fillings. The box contains 9 bites already filled with ham and Emmental, weighing 115 g in total.

This product contains gluten, milk and eggs. Store frozen at −18 °C or below. Once defrosted, keep it in the fridge and eat within 24 hours. Do not refreeze, and cook thoroughly before serving in accordance with the product instructions.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How many mini burger buns should I plan for at Christmas?

Start with the number of savoury bites you plan to serve, then add up the pieces in the packs you’ve chosen. Carrefour Traiteur says its platter of 20 mini buns serves 6 people. Auchan lists 10 pieces for La Fournée Dorée and Jacquet, while E.Leclerc lists 8 for Epi d’Or. Adjust your calculations to account for the other starters and main courses, as well as the amount of filling you plan to use.

Can a sweet brioche bun replace a brioche mini burger bun?

For a savoury bite to fill, choose a mini burger bun designed for that purpose. Brioche Pasquier Briochettes and Harrys Mini Tressée are made for individual sweet servings; Harrys, in particular, describes its bun as finished with pearl sugar.

What should I check on the label before serving these products?

Check the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you’ve actually bought. Depending on the product, the ingredients may include cereals containing gluten, eggs or milk; some also list sesame or possible traces of other allergens.

Can mini buns or brioche bites be refrozen?

Follow the instructions for each product. Carrefour Traiteur says its pack of 20 mini buns has been defrosted and must not be refrozen. The ERHARD bites featured here also carry a warning not to refreeze after defrosting. Don’t assume the same instructions apply to other products.