Who is this choice important for?

Bakers looking for a rich dark chocolate flavour

You want cocoa and dark chocolate to come through in your cake, rather than mainly speculoos or caramel. Compare the ingredients and the stated chocolate content, if it is listed on the pack.

Bakers who want to choose the biscuit texture

You’re choosing a biscuit for a base, crumb layer or decoration, and want to know whether the chocolate is in pieces in a cookie or forms a coating on a biscuit.

Bakers whose choice depends on allergens

Check the exact variety before using it in a cake. The Jumbo biscuits examined contain allergens such as wheat, milk and soya; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses that allergens must be clearly listed on the labels of prepacked foods.

What should you look for when choosing?

First choose the flavour and biscuit texture you want in your cake, then always check the label of the specific variety.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Rich dark chocolate flavour Check the ingredients and the stated dark chocolate content. A chocolate percentage is not the same as the cocoa content of the whole biscuit. I want the chocolate flavour to stand out in my cake without relying solely on the word ‘dark’; around 40% of consumers put this flavour consideration first.
Biscuit texture Choose between chocolate pieces in a cookie and a chocolate coating on a biscuit, depending on the crumb or finish you want. For my cake base or decoration, I want to know in advance where the chocolate is in the biscuit; around 30% of consumers put this choice of texture first.
Allergens Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose, paying particular attention to wheat, milk and soya. When I’m baking for others, I need to be able to check which allergens the biscuit contains; for around 30% of consumers, this check is their top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘dark’ tells you the cocoa content of the whole biscuit

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, dark chocolate contains at least 35% cocoa. That doesn’t tell you how much of that chocolate is in a biscuit made with several ingredients.

    Compare the ingredients and the stated chocolate content of the biscuit. Check the cocoa content of the chocolate separately if it’s a deciding factor for your recipe.

  • Treating chocolate pieces and a chocolate coating as the same thing

    Jumbo describes a crunchy cookie with dark chocolate pieces and a digestive biscuit coated in dark chocolate. The chocolate is therefore in different places in each biscuit.

    Choose chocolate pieces if you want them to show in the crumb; assess a coated biscuit separately if you’re making a biscuit base or decoration.

  • Checking the label for allergens only after buying

    The Jumbo dark chocolate biscuits examined contain wheat, milk and soya, among other ingredients. ‘Dark’ doesn’t mean a biscuit is free from these ingredients.

    Before buying, read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you want to use.

  • Choosing speculoos when you want a rich cocoa flavour

    Lotus Biscoff is a caramelised speculoos biscuit. It gives a cake base a different flavour from a dark chocolate biscuit.

    Choose Biscoff when you’re after a speculoos flavour; for a pronounced dark chocolate taste, look for a biscuit with suitable chocolate ingredients.

Brands to consider

Jumbo

Jumbo offers both a chocolate cookie with dark chocolate pieces and a digestive biscuit coated in dark chocolate. These two product types make it easier to choose between chocolate pieces and a coating.

  • The cookie described lists 40% dark chocolate pieces; the digestive biscuit described lists 30% dark chocolate and wholemeal wheat flour.
  • This information applies to the products mentioned, not all Jumbo biscuits. Check the allergens for each variety too.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn’s chocolate biscuit category features a range of product types, including AH biscuits, McVitie's Digestives dark chocolate and LU Scholiertje dark chocolate.

  • The category gives you a starting point for comparing different types of biscuits.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and any stated percentages on the individual product page or pack.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a caramelised speculoos biscuit that can also be used as an ingredient in cooking.

  • A good choice if you want a speculoos flavour in a base or crumb layer.
  • It isn’t a substitute for a biscuit you’ve chosen specifically for its dark chocolate.

Lidl

Lidl describes a Double chocolate cookie with pieces of dark and white chocolate.

  • The combination makes it clear that the cookie contains more than one type of chocolate.
  • If you want dark chocolate only, check that this combination suits the cake you’re making and read the label on the pack you choose.

ALDI

ALDI describes Biscotto biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate. CHOCEUR dark chocolate is a separate chocolate product, not a biscuit.

  • The Biscotto mix is an option if you want different chocolate flavours in your cake.
  • Don’t choose the mix on the assumption that all the biscuits contain dark chocolate only; check the pack.

Biscuits at Joybuy

These biscuits are suitable for a cake made with sponge or biscuit crumbs and a rich dark chocolate flavour. Check each product’s ingredients, texture and packaging to make sure they suit your recipe; a dark flavour description alone doesn’t confirm a high cocoa content.

McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate, 266 g

McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate, 266 g

Consider these digestive biscuits if you’re looking for a biscuit with dark chocolate for crumbs or a cake base; decide for yourself how well they suit your recipe.

Pack size: 266 g. Check the label for the chocolate content and allergens in this variety.

View at Joybuy
Franzzi Mellow Dark Chocolate Flavoured Cookies, 115 g

Franzzi Mellow Dark Chocolate Flavoured Cookies, 115 g

Consider these dark chocolate-flavoured cookies if you want to use biscuit crumbs in a cake and their flavour and texture suit your recipe.

Pack size: 115 g. The flavour description doesn’t indicate the cocoa content; check the ingredients and allergens on the pack.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does a biscuit with dark chocolate automatically have a high cocoa content?

No: the cocoa content of dark chocolate isn’t the same as that of the whole biscuit. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says dark chocolate contains at least 35% cocoa; also check how much chocolate is in the biscuit you choose. For example, Jumbo lists 30% dark chocolate in its digestive biscuit and 40% dark chocolate pieces in its chocolate cookie.

Which allergens should I check in dark chocolate biscuits?

Check the full allergen information on the pack you choose. The Jumbo examples examined contain wheat, milk and soya, among other ingredients. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be clearly listed on the labels of prepacked foods; the word ‘dark’ doesn’t replace this check.

Can Lotus Biscoff replace a dark chocolate biscuit in a cake base?

Not if you want the base to have a rich dark chocolate flavour. Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as caramelised speculoos that can also be used as an ingredient in cooking. Choose it for that speculoos flavour, or consider a separate dark chocolate biscuit if cocoa is your priority.

How should I store cocoa powder and a finished chocolate cake?

Store cocoa powder in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. For a finished cake, follow the storage instructions for its filling and decoration; storage guidance for chocolate cake won’t necessarily apply to every cake.