If you’re after a rich chocolate note, choose dark chocolate sprinkles rather than aniseed sprinkles: the aniseed sprinkles described here are aniseeds coated in sugar. If you want the distinctive shape and aniseed flavour, whole or crushed aniseed sprinkles are a better fit. Serve them as a separate sweet treat with coffee, cake or dessert, and check the allergens on the packaging you choose.
You’re looking for a sweet chocolate-flavoured topping to serve alongside a rijsttafel, rather than the aniseed flavour of traditional aniseed sprinkles. Dark chocolate sprinkles are a different type of product, not a dark-coloured version of aniseed sprinkles.
With rusks, cake or as a separate sweet treat, you’re looking for the distinctive shape and aniseed flavour of aniseed sprinkles. Whole and crushed sprinkles offer different textures.
You check the ingredients on the exact pack before serving anything to your guests. The blue and white aniseed sprinkles described here list wheat and gluten; the dark chocolate sprinkles described here list milk and soya.
First decide whether you want chocolate or actual aniseed sprinkles. Then check the ingredients and choose a pack that suits the occasion.
Choose these: if chocolate flavour is your priority with coffee, cake or dessert.
Bear in mind: these aren’t aniseed sprinkles. Even if a product is labelled ‘dark’, check the packaging for allergen information.
Choose these: if the aniseed flavour and tradition matter more to you than chocolate.
Bear in mind: crushed sprinkles are finer, but neither of the two varieties described is a dark chocolate option.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate flavour or product type | If you’re looking for chocolate, check that the pack says dark chocolate sprinkles; aniseed sprinkles are an aniseed product. | I want to taste chocolate with dessert and don’t need actual aniseed sprinkles on the table. Chocolate flavour is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Aniseed flavour and texture | Compare whole sprinkles with the finer, crushed variety. | If the distinctive shape of aniseed sprinkles is part of the sweet occasion, I don’t want to replace them with chocolate sprinkles. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this aniseed tradition. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the pack you choose, even if it says ‘dark’. | I won’t serve anything to guests until I know what’s listed on the packaging. Checking this is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Pack size and where to buy | Compare the weight in grams and check whether you can get the product through your preferred shopping route. | For a single coffee break, I want to choose a suitable amount without making an unnecessary trip to the shops. Practicality comes first for around 17% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn and PLUS list aniseed sprinkles and dark chocolate sprinkles as different products. If you’re expecting chocolate, the aniseed sprinkles described here are aniseeds coated in sugar.
Decide which flavour you’re looking for, then check the product type on the packaging.
The De Ruijter Dark Chocolate Sprinkles described here list milk and soya; the blue and white aniseed sprinkles described here list wheat and gluten. So the word ‘dark’ doesn’t replace checking the ingredients.
Read the current label on every pack you choose, including any warnings about other allergens that may be present.
PLUS lists 270 g of crushed aniseed sprinkles, while Lidl shows a 600 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles which, according to the product page, is only available in store.
Choose a pack size that suits the number of occasions you’ll serve it, and check in advance how you can buy it.
If you don’t use up a pack, you’ll have some left after the planned occasion; if an item is only available in store, you may need to make a separate trip to the shops.
The product ranges mentioned include both aniseed sprinkles and dark chocolate sprinkles.
Albert Heijn’s aniseed sprinkles range includes whole and crushed varieties from De Ruijter.
PLUS lists product information for De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles, crushed aniseed sprinkles and dark chocolate sprinkles.
ALDI lists Kiekeboe dark chocolate sprinkles in a 600 g pack, among other products.
Lidl lists Mister CHOC Dark Chocolate Sprinkles as a 600 g chocolate product.
These Joybuy products suit the chocolate option for a separate sweet treat alongside your rijsttafel. They’re chocolate sprinkles or chocolate chunks, not a substitute for the aniseed flavour and shape of aniseed sprinkles.
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An option if you’d like to use chocolate sprinkles with cake or dessert instead of aniseed sprinkles.
Pack size: 200 g. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging before serving to guests.
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A chocolate option for a separate sweet treat if aniseed sprinkles aren’t what you’re looking for.
Pack size: 390 g. If you specifically want fine chocolate sprinkles, check the product’s shape before choosing, and read the label for the ingredients.
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An option if you want to serve dark chocolate sprinkles instead of aniseed sprinkles as a sweet treat.
Pack size: 390 g. If the cocoa content is important to you, compare the wording on the packaging; check the allergens too.
No. The aniseed sprinkles described here are aniseeds coated in sugar, while dark chocolate sprinkles are a chocolate product. Choose based on the flavour and product type you want to serve as a sweet treat, rather than relying on the search term ‘dark’ alone.
It’s best to serve aniseed sprinkles or chocolate sprinkles separately with coffee, cake or dessert. That way, guests can choose for themselves without mixing the sweet sprinkles into the savoury dishes.
Check the current label on every pack you choose. The blue and white aniseed sprinkles described here list wheat and gluten, while the De Ruijter Dark Chocolate Sprinkles described here list milk and soya; these details don’t automatically apply to other varieties.
