Who is this choice relevant to?

Dark chocolate lover

You’re looking for a pronounced dark chocolate flavour to finish rusks or a dessert. So, compare the stated minimum percentage of cocoa solids before choosing a pack size.

Host with a Christmas table to prepare

You want to use chocolate sprinkles on rusks, at brunch or as a decoration, while also gauging how much you’ll use after Christmas dinner. In a Lidl Christmas recipe, the sprinkles are added only after the bake has cooled completely.

Label-conscious shopper

You compare sugar per 100 g and check ingredients and allergens for your guests. The word ‘dark’ doesn’t tell you whether a product contains milk or soya.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether chocolate flavour, the label or the quantity you need for your Christmas table will be the deciding factor. Then compare options using the information that matters for your choice.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Dark chocolate flavour Compare the stated minimum percentage of cocoa solids. For example, Albert Heijn lists at least 52% for De Ruijter Intens Puur and at least 43% for De Ruijter Royaal Extra Puur. If I’m only using a small amount of sprinkles on rusks or a dessert, I want to choose a variety with a pronounced dark chocolate flavour. For around 50% of consumers, this chocolate flavour comes first.
Sugars and allergens Check the sugar per 100 g and the allergens on the label of the pack you choose; assess any claim about reduced sugar against the stated comparison product. When ingredients matter to my guests, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘dark’. Around 30% of consumers give checking the label top priority.
Quantity and how you’ll use it Compare the net weight with how much you plan to use on rusks and as a topping. Let bakes cool before decorating them with sprinkles. For a table where the sprinkles will be used in several ways, I want to have enough without being left with too much. The quantity needed comes first for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming all dark chocolate sprinkles are the same

    The stated minimum cocoa solids content varies between the products reviewed. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo includes minimums of 32%, 43%, 50% and 52%, so the word ‘dark’ doesn’t indicate a set percentage.

    If this is an important factor in the chocolate flavour you’re after, compare the percentage on the pack you choose.

  • Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’

    Albert Heijn says that AH Hagelslag Puur Minder Suiker has 30% less sugar than its regular dark chocolate sprinkles. The reduced-sugar variety still contains 43 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and decide how much you want to use as a topping or decoration.

  • Assuming ‘dark’ means it contains no milk or soya

    The product information reviewed for De Ruijter and Venz lists milk and soya in dark varieties. The product name alone isn’t enough to help you choose for guests with an allergy.

    Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging of the exact variety you’re serving.

  • Applying information about baker’s salt to chocolate sprinkles

    Voedingscentrum discusses baker’s salt in relation to bread and says that baking with baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. This tells you nothing about the sprinkles you’re putting on your rusk.

    Check the labels for the bread or rusk and the chocolate sprinkles separately.

Brands to compare

De Ruijter

Worth considering if you want to compare varieties with different stated cocoa percentages from the same brand.

  • Albert Heijn lists its reviewed Intens Puur variety as a 200 g pack with at least 52% cocoa solids; its Royaal Extra Puur variety comes in a 390 g pack and lists at least 43%.
  • Check the sugars, ingredients and allergens on the packaging of your chosen variety separately.

Venz

A regular dark variety to consider if you’re looking for a larger pack for rusks or several occasions.

  • Jumbo lists Venz Puur in a 400 g pack with at least 32% cocoa solids.
  • The variety reviewed lists milk and soya; check the label on the pack you buy.

AH

Worth considering if you’re weighing up a large regular pack against a smaller, reduced-sugar variety.

  • Albert Heijn lists AH Puur 600 g as containing at least 32% cocoa solids and 64 g of sugars per 100 g. AH Puur Minder Suiker lists at least 50% and 43 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • ‘Less sugar’ doesn’t mean sugar-free; check the allergens for each variety too.

Jumbo

A supermarket own brand to compare if the quantity you need for your Christmas table is a key consideration.

  • Jumbo’s chocolate sprinkles range includes dark own-brand packs of 600 g and 380 g.
  • Check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the specific pack, not just the category description.

Kiekeboe

An ALDI own brand to look at if you’re after a large pack of dark chocolate sprinkles.

  • ALDI lists Kiekeboe Puur in a 600 g pack.
  • Check whether your chosen variety is dark chocolate sprinkles or a different type of chocolate strand, and read the relevant label.

Dark chocolate sprinkles for rusks and desserts

These Joybuy products offer two pack sizes of dark chocolate sprinkles: a smaller De Ruijter variety for a finishing touch and a larger g'woon pack for sharing at the table. Check the latest product information and label before choosing.

De Ruijter Intense Dark Chocolate Sprinkles, 200 g pack

De Ruijter Intense Dark Chocolate Sprinkles 200 g

A 200 g pack for anyone who wants to use a small amount of sprinkles on rusks or a dessert.

Joybuy’s product information for De Ruijter Intens Puur 200 g lists at least 52% cocoa solids. Before serving, check the current packaging for sugars and allergens.

View at Joybuy
g'woon Dark Chocolate Sprinkles, 400 g pack

g'woon Dark Chocolate Sprinkles 400 g

The 400 g pack is a good fit for a Christmas table where you want to use sprinkles on several rusks or with different desserts.

Before choosing this variety, check the current packaging for the cocoa percentage, sugar per 100 g and allergens.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How do I choose dark chocolate sprinkles for rusks at Christmas dinner?

If you’re looking for a pronounced dark chocolate flavour, start with the stated minimum percentage of cocoa solids. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows that the minimums for the regular and intensely dark varieties reviewed range from 32% to 52%. Then compare the pack size, sugars and allergens of the option you’re considering.

Are dark chocolate sprinkles with less sugar sugar-free?

No: according to Albert Heijn, the AH Hagelslag Puur Minder Suiker reviewed contains 43 g of sugars per 100 g. The ‘30% less sugar’ claim compares this variety with AH Chocoladehagel Puur; it doesn’t replace the nutritional information for the product you choose.

Can I serve dark chocolate sprinkles to guests with a milk or soya allergy?

Only choose after checking the allergens on the packaging of the specific variety. The De Ruijter and Venz product information reviewed lists milk and soya; the word ‘dark’ says nothing about allergens.

Does baker’s salt affect my choice of chocolate sprinkles?

No, information about baker’s salt in bread won’t tell you what’s in chocolate sprinkles. Voedingscentrum says that using baker’s salt when baking bread isn’t compulsory; check the label on the bread or rusks and the chocolate sprinkles separately for their ingredients.

When should I add sprinkles to homemade Christmas bakes?

Add the sprinkles as decoration once the bake has cooled completely. In Lidl’s Christmas wreath biscuit recipe, the biscuits are left to cool before being decorated with chocolate spread and sprinkles.