People buying biscuits for coffee or guests
If you’re putting out a plate, the type of biscuit and the number of pieces or portions both matter. A chocolate biscuit and a small biscuit with a topping won’t necessarily serve the same purpose.
Who are you choosing for?
People looking for a Christmas flavour
Chocolate-coated speculaas has a different flavour from a biscuit filled with milk cream. Choose according to what you want to serve alongside your other Christmas treats.
People buying for guests with allergies
The products described contain milk, wheat and soya; warnings about other allergens vary by biscuit. So check each pack before serving anything to your guests.
What should you look for?
First decide whether you want to serve a biscuit, a spiced variety or a filled option. Then check the quantity and form of the chocolate and, where necessary, the ingredients and allergen information on the label.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving and chocolate | Compare a coating with a topping, and check the stated chocolate percentage and number of pieces or portions. | For coffee or guests, I want to serve biscuits with a chocolate profile that suits the occasion. This would be the first consideration for around 40% of consumers. |
| Flavour and filling | Check whether the base is speculaas or biscuit, and whether the biscuit has a filling. | Alongside other Christmas treats, I want to choose deliberately between a spiced flavour and a filled biscuit. This flavour choice would come first for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and check the pack you buy for any warning that the product may contain other allergens. | If guests need to avoid certain allergens, I want to know what this particular biscuit contains or may contain. This would be the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Mistaking a topping for a chocolate coating
The composition varies: according to Verkade, Tops Milk Chocolate has a 16% milk chocolate topping, while Jumbo Chocolate Biscuits Dark contain 63% chocolate, according to Jumbo. These percentages describe different products, not two versions of the same biscuit.
Before choosing based on the picture, check whether the pack describes a topping, a coating or a biscuit with chocolate.
-
Assuming one chocolate variety suits all guests
The biscuits described vary in the allergens they contain and the warnings about allergens they may contain. The flavour or type of chocolate alone won’t tell you enough.
Ask which allergens are relevant to your guests and check the ingredients and warnings on each pack individually.
-
Assuming an online listing means it will be in stock at Christmas
A product listing doesn’t guarantee the same biscuit will be available when you do your Christmas shopping. ALDI, for example, warns that promotional items can sell out quickly.
Check availability at the shop where you plan to buy, and choose an alternative with the biscuit base and type of chocolate you want if necessary.
Brands and product ranges compared
Verkade
Chocorondjes and Tops show the difference between a coated, filled biscuit and one with a chocolate topping.
- According to Albert Heijn’s product listing, Verkade Chocorondjes have a 25% milk cream filling and a 17% milk chocolate coating; Verkade states that Tops has a 16% milk chocolate topping and a 13% cream filling.
- Ingredients and potential allergens vary by product. Check the pack you’ve chosen rather than treating both biscuits as the same variety.
Lotus Biscoff
Chocolate speculoos is an option if you’re looking for a spiced biscuit for the Christmas table.
- Lotus Bakeries Netherlands states that Lotus Speculoos with Chocolate contains 22% chocolate.
- The listed ingredients include wheat, milk and soya. Check the label if these allergens are relevant.
Jumbo
Chocolate Biscuits Dark is a biscuit option for anyone wanting to serve chocolate biscuits with coffee or to guests.
- Jumbo describes Chocolate Biscuits Dark as a biscuit containing 63% chocolate and states that each pack contains 9 pieces.
- The product information lists gluten, milk, soya and wheat, and states that the product may contain nuts.
Albert Heijn
AH Biscuits with Chocolate are speculaas biscuits with a chocolate base, for anyone wanting to serve that combination.
- Albert Heijn states that AH Biscuits with Chocolate contain 32% milk chocolate.
- Ingredients and allergen information can change, so check the pack you buy.
Biscotto / ALDI
The mixed pack described is a good fit for a plate offering a choice of different types of chocolate.
- ALDI Netherlands describes a pack of 20 butter biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate, individually wrapped in pairs.
- Check availability when you shop; ALDI warns that promotional items can sell out quickly.
Chocolate biscuits on Joybuy
These products offer a range of options to serve with coffee, share or enjoy as individual snacks, from a milk chocolate biscuit to biscuit sticks and a pistachio variety. Choose based on the product style and pack; always check the label if you have allergies.
Image unavailable
Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g
A milk chocolate biscuit to serve with coffee or to guests.
150 g pack. If you’re buying for guests with allergies, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
Image unavailable
Lu Mikado Milk Chocolate Biscuit Sticks, 75 g
The stick shape offers a different way to serve biscuits from a plate of regular chocolate biscuits.
Milk chocolate biscuit sticks in a 75 g pack. Check the label if allergens are relevant.
Image unavailable
Kahve Dunyasi Gofrik Pistachio Paste Milk Chocolate, 10 × 12,5 g
A pistachio option to consider if you want to serve something with a distinctive flavour alongside regular chocolate biscuits.
Ten 12,5 g portions. Check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the pack before offering this to guests.
Image unavailable
Verkade Gv Oaties Milk Chocolate, 150 g
An oat-based biscuit with milk chocolate for anyone looking for a different kind of biscuit.
150 g pack. Don’t assume it’s suitable for a particular diet based on the model name; check the label on the pack you’ve chosen.
Image unavailable
Glico Pocky Cookie Bar Chocolate Flavor, 47 g IN
A chocolate-flavoured stick, better suited to an individual snack than a traditional biscuit for a coffee plate.
47 g pack. Check the contents and label if portion size or allergens are important to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for when buying chocolate biscuits for guests?
First choose the style you want to serve: a chocolate-coated biscuit, chocolate speculaas, a filled biscuit or one with a topping. Then compare the number of pieces or portions, and check the ingredients if any of your guests have allergies.
Should I check the allergens on the pack again?
Yes. If allergies are relevant, check the pack of the specific product you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority provides information on the labelling of allergens that must be declared. Also read any warnings that the product may contain other allergens, as product information can change.
How should I store chocolate biscuits after opening?
Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve chosen and seal the pack tightly once opened. Jumbo recommends this for its Chocolate Biscuits Dark; for AH Biscuits with Chocolate, Albert Heijn recommends keeping them in a sealed tin.
Will a biscuit shown online also be available at Christmas?
An online product listing doesn’t guarantee it’ll be in stock when you do your Christmas shopping. Check availability at your chosen shop; ALDI, for example, warns that promotional items can sell out quickly.