For several batches of pepernoten or kruidnoten, a larger pack of chocolate sprinkles is a practical choice if you’ll use the whole pack. If you’re mainly after an eye-catching topping, an XXL variety or a flavour mix may suit your plans better. Compare the ingredients and allergens for each variety. A note saying the sprinkles are suitable for baking doesn’t tell you how well they’ll hold their shape in the oven.
If you’re making pepernoten or kruidnoten for a larger group, a 600 g pack could come in handy. Think about how much chocolate sprinkles you’ll need for baking, and whether you’ll use the rest as a topping or decoration.
A flavour mix or larger sprinkles could be a good choice if the look of your topping matters. The Venz XXL variety and De Ruijter mix we looked at offer these differences, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll hold their shape during baking.
If milk, soya, wheat or sugar content matters to you, check the specific variety rather than relying on the brand name or the word ‘dark’. The ingredients and allergens vary between the products we looked at.
First, decide whether the chocolate sprinkles are mainly for decoration or whether your recipe calls for them to go in the oven. Then choose the type and pack size that suit how you’ll use them, and check the ingredients for your chosen variety.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and how you’ll use it | Compare the net weight with the amount you’ll need for your planned batches and any later use. | If I’m decorating several batches, I want to have enough chocolate sprinkles without choosing a pack I won’t finish. For around 36% of consumers, pack size is the main consideration. |
| Appearance and flavour | Decide whether you want standard sprinkles, XXL sprinkles or a flavour mix, and whether you’ll add them before or after baking. | For a standout topping, I care more about the shape of the sprinkles or a particular flavour than a standard variety. Around 21% of consumers prioritise decoration. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the specific pack. | When I’m sharing my baking with someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in that variety. For around 29% of consumers, this check matters most. |
| Sugars and cocoa | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check what any comparative claim on the pack refers to. | If I’m choosing varieties based on their ingredients, I want to compare the sugar content and stated cocoa content side by side. For around 14% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
A 600 g pack is most practical when you’re making several batches or will use the remaining chocolate sprinkles later. Pack size alone won’t tell you which type suits your recipe.
Work out how much topping you need, then compare dark, milk and flavour-mix varieties based on what matters for your baking.
On the product page we looked at, AH lists milk and lactose in its dark chocolate sprinkles; Jumbo says its dark variety ‘may contain milk’. So the word ‘dark’ isn’t a substitute for checking the allergen information.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’ll actually use, especially if you’re sharing your baking with someone who has a food allergy.
The AH dark, less sugar variety lists 43 g of sugars per 100 g. Comparing it with another variety doesn’t, on its own, tell you everything about its nutritional value or how much you’ll use.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and the amount you’ll use in your recipe. Check the ingredients and allergens separately too.
The storage advice we found for chocolate sprinkles says to keep them in a cool, dry place, and sometimes away from light too. Planning to bake pepernoten doesn’t change the storage instructions for the sprinkles.
Follow the storage and use-by information on the label of your chosen pack.
Pack size, flavour and ingredients vary between products from these brands. Compare the specific variety you plan to use for your pepernoten or kruidnoten.
The AH range in this comparison includes a 600 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles and a separate 250 g dark, less sugar variety.
Each of the Jumbo packs we looked at contains 600 g, with a dark and a milk variety available.
The 390 g pack we looked at combines dark chocolate sprinkles with vanilla-flavoured sprinkles.
The variety we looked at here is Venz XXL milk chocolate sprinkles, in a 380 g pack.
The Kiekeboe variety we looked at is a 600 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles.
Lidl Netherlands lists Mister Choc dark chocolate sprinkles as a 600 g own-brand product.
These two packs of milk chocolate sprinkles with smiley faces are worth considering as decorations for pepernoten or kruidnoten. The product descriptions also mention using them in cake batter; follow your own recipe if you’re baking with them, and don’t assume they’ll turn out a particular way in the oven.
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The 600 g pack could be a good choice if you want to decorate several batches with smiley faces.
The product description mentions using them as a decoration and in cake batter. For pepernoten or kruidnoten, check your recipe and the pack: there’s no guarantee they’ll hold their shape during baking.
If you have allergies, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
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This 550 g pack is an option if you want to use smiley faces as a topping on several batches.
The product description mentions decorating and using them in cake batter. Check your recipe before putting the sprinkles in the oven; there’s no guarantee how they’ll turn out on pepernoten or kruidnoten.
If you have allergies, check the current pack for ingredients and possible allergens.
Don’t assume every type of chocolate sprinkles will behave the same way in the oven. Jumbo mentions decorating, while De Ruijter and Venz mention use in baking, but these descriptions don’t specify baking times or oven temperatures, or promise that the sprinkles will hold their shape. Check your recipe and the pack. If the final result matters, try a small amount first.
Follow the storage instructions on your chosen pack. The product information we looked at from AH, Jumbo, De Ruijter and Venz says to store the sprinkles in a cool, dry place, and sometimes away from light too. Also check the use-by information on the label.
Check the ingredients list on the pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens in prepacked foods must be clearly indicated in the ingredients list. Check the specific variety, even if the front says ‘dark’.
Before use, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the product you receive. Albert Heijn notes that product details can change, so the pack may differ from information you viewed online earlier.
