For Christmas coffee, choose a classic kano if the pastry filled with almond paste is what matters most. The product descriptions from Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, ALDI and PLUS do not mention a chocolate coating on their kano cakes. If you specifically want chocolate on the outside, look for a biscuit explicitly described as chocolate-coated or a chocolate-covered wafer, but bear in mind that it won’t be a kano.
If you want a biscuit filled with almond paste to serve with your Christmas coffee, a classic kano is the right product category. Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl and PLUS describe versions of this kind in their product information; a chocolate coating is not a standard feature.
If a visible chocolate coating matters more to you than the kano shape and almond-paste filling, you can look for a different type of biscuit or wafer. Albert Heijn describes Verkade Tops as having a milk chocolate topping, while Verkade describes a wafer covered in milk chocolate.
Various allergens may be relevant in filled biscuits and chocolate products. Check the label on the pack you’re serving, including any warnings about cross-contamination. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of clear allergen information on prepacked foods.
Choose this if: you’re looking for the distinctive kano shape and almond-paste filling to serve with your Christmas coffee.
The trade-off: the supermarket versions described do not mention a chocolate coating.
Choose this if: chocolate on the outside matters more to you than the traditional kano filling.
The trade-off: a chocolate biscuit or covered wafer is a different product from a kano filled with almond paste.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate on the outside | Look for an explicit mention of a chocolate coating or topping in the product description or on the packaging. | If I want chocolate visibly coating the biscuit, I won’t rely on the name kano. Around 33% of consumers say an explicit chocolate coating is their top priority. |
| Kano with almond paste | Check that almond paste is mentioned. If you’re buying for a group, compare the pack weight and number of servings too. | For Christmas coffee, I want the familiar kano with its almond-paste filling, even if it doesn’t have chocolate on it. This traditional choice is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens for guests | Read the current label and any cross-contamination warnings. Look out for wheat, milk, egg, soya and nuts, among others. | When I’m buying biscuits for guests with allergies, I need to be able to check whether a specific pack is suitable. For around 25% of consumers, checking allergens is their main concern. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare the pack weight with the number of guests you’re expecting, and follow the storage and shelf-life information on the packaging. | If there are biscuits left over after Christmas, I want to buy the right amount and store the rest properly. Pack size and ease of storage are the deciding factors for around 17% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn and Jumbo describe their kano cakes as biscuits filled with almond paste. Verkade’s chocolate products are different types of biscuit or wafer, so their shape and filling aren’t the same as those of a classic kano.
Make a chocolate coating a separate criterion when choosing, and check that the description or packaging actually mentions a coating or topping.
The kano cakes and chocolate products we looked at list various allergens, and some also warn that other allergens may be present. If a guest has an allergy, the information on the pack you actually buy is what matters.
Read the label before serving, including any cross-contamination warnings. If you’re unsure about a relevant allergen, don’t serve that product to the guest.
Pack weight alone doesn’t tell you how many biscuits you’ll need for your group. Once opened, a pack also needs to be stored according to the instructions on the packaging.
Choose an amount that suits the number of guests, seal any leftovers properly, and follow the storage and shelf-life instructions for the product you buy.
Albert Heijn describes its butter kano cakes as filled biscuits, sold in a 270 g pack.
Jumbo describes kano cakes made with butter and almond paste, sold in a 275 g pack.
Lidl describes its 325 g Sondey Kano cakes as butter biscuits filled with almond paste.
ALDI describes these 330 g kano cakes as Dutch pastries in a canoe shape.
PLUS lists its own-brand 275 g butter kano cakes and a separate 230 g Aviateur version.
Verkade is relevant here for chocolate biscuits and covered wafers, not as a confirmed source of chocolate-coated kano cakes.
These biscuits and wafers offer chocolate as an alternative if a classic kano filled with almond paste isn’t the only option for your Christmas table. If a chocolate coating is essential, check that it’s mentioned on the packaging of the product you choose.
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A milk chocolate biscuit for anyone who wants to serve something different alongside classic kano cakes.
150 g pack. If you need a full chocolate coating, check the product description, and read the allergen information on the label before serving.
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A pistachio and milk chocolate option if you’d like to serve bite-sized pieces instead of kano cakes filled with almond paste.
The product name lists ten pieces of 12,5 g each. Check the chocolate finish and allergen information on the packaging.
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A wafer with chocolate and salted caramel flavour for anyone looking for something different from a classic kano.
The product name lists nine pieces. Check the packaging for details of the chocolate finish and allergen information.
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A hazelnut wafer to choose when an explicitly mentioned milk chocolate coating matters more to you than the almond-paste filling of a kano.
The product name lists a 33 g wafer. Check the label for allergens before serving it to guests.
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A strawberry shortcake-flavoured alternative if you’d like to serve something different from a kano at your Christmas get-together.
The product name lists nine pieces and 104,4 g. Check the description for details of the chocolate finish, and read the current allergen information on the label.
The product descriptions from Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl and PLUS do not mention a chocolate coating on their classic kano cakes. If you want chocolate on the outside, choose a product whose description explicitly mentions a coating or topping. A chocolate biscuit or wafer won’t be a kano.
Check the full allergen information on the specific pack, including any cross-contamination warnings. The products described here may contain wheat, milk, egg, soya, almond or hazelnut, among other allergens, but this isn’t a complete ingredients list for every individual product.
Follow the storage and shelf-life instructions on the packaging of the kano cakes you buy. Voedingscentrum recommends storing similar soft biscuits with a filling in a cool, dry, dark place in a well-sealed container.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be clearly and correctly listed on the labels of prepacked foods. So when you buy a product, read the label on the actual pack, even if you’ve already checked the ingredients online.
