Who are these options for?

Fans of a visible chocolate coating

You’re looking for a biscuit with a layer of dark chocolate, rather than just chocolate chunks inside. Compare the proportion of chocolate in the product, and check separately whether a cocoa percentage is stated.

Sharing a bowl with fellow film-watchers

You’re choosing snacks for a group and want to know how many biscuits you can put out. Compare the pack weight and the number of biscuits or portions, and seal any leftovers well afterwards.

Viewers who like to portion snacks in advance

You want to get portions ready for a small film night. A pack containing two biscuits per inner wrapper, as Albert Heijn describes LU Scholiertje Puur, could be a good fit.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want a chocolate coating, chunks in a cookie or individually wrapped biscuits. Then compare the quantity per pack, and always read the current label if you need to avoid certain ingredients.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important for?
Chocolate flavour Compare the form and proportion of chocolate; look separately for a stated cocoa percentage. If I’m looking for a strong dark chocolate flavour, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘dark’ alone. For around 36% of consumers, flavour would be the first consideration.
Pack size Check the weight and the number of biscuits or portions; think about what will be left after the film. For a sharing bowl, I want to put out enough biscuits without being left with an awkward amount. An ample pack size would be a priority for around 29% of consumers.
Portion packaging Check how many biscuits are in each inner wrapper. For a small film night, I’d rather prepare a portion for each viewer than fill one bowl. Around 21% of consumers would choose mainly for this convenience.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list and any warnings such as ‘may contain’ on the pack you’re buying. If I need to consider an allergy, the biscuit must be suitable for everyone in my group. For around 14% of consumers, checking the ingredients would be the main factor in their choice.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘dark chocolate’ means a high cocoa percentage

    The proportion of chocolate in a biscuit is different from the cocoa percentage within that chocolate. A thick coating or lots of chunks therefore doesn’t tell you the cocoa content.

    Look for a clearly stated cocoa percentage if it matters to your choice. If there isn’t one, compare the product type and the ingredients that are listed, without assuming it has a high cocoa content.

  • Opening a large pack without a plan for storing it

    Biscuits can go soft or stale once opened, so a large pack isn’t necessarily right for a small film night.

    Choose a pack size that suits your group. The Voedingscentrum advises storing biscuits in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container; follow the instructions on the packaging too.

  • Relying on the product name when checking for allergens

    The chocolate biscuits described here include ingredients such as wheat, milk and soya; some products also carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.

    Before serving, check the ingredients list and allergen warnings on the packaging of the product you’re actually using.

  • Mistaking Lotus Biscoff for a dark chocolate biscuit

    Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crisp, caramelised biscuit. It’s therefore a different flavour choice from a biscuit with dark chocolate.

    Put Biscoff on the table if you also fancy a caramelised biscuit; don’t use it as a substitute when dark chocolate is what you’re after.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn describes a 400 g pack of sugared biscuits with a coating of 27% dark chocolate.

  • The pack size makes it an option for a sharing bowl.
  • The proportion of chocolate coating isn’t a cocoa percentage; check the allergens on the label too.

Jumbo

Jumbo describes both biscuits with a chocolate coating and cookies with dark chocolate chunks.

  • For the varieties described, Jumbo states that the biscuit contains 63% chocolate and the cookie contains 40% dark chocolate chunks, respectively.
  • Neither figure tells you the cocoa percentage of the chocolate itself; check the allergen information for each variety too.

LU

Albert Heijn describes LU Scholiertje Puur as a butter biscuit topped with a bar of dark chocolate, with two biscuits in each inner wrapper.

  • The inner packaging makes it easy to portion out in advance.
  • Check the allergens and packaging of the variety you’re buying.

Galler

Albert Heijn describes Galler Puur koekjes as chocolate with a biscuit filling and states a minimum cocoa content of 60%.

  • The minimum cocoa content is stated explicitly for this specific product.
  • It isn’t a pack of classic biscuits with a chocolate coating; check the ingredients and allergens if you’re considering this type of product.

Biscotto

ALDI describes Biscotto Chocoladekoekjes as butter biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate, individually wrapped in pairs.

  • The inner packaging is handy for portioning in advance.
  • As it combines different types of chocolate, it isn’t the right choice if every biscuit needs to contain only dark chocolate.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crisp biscuit with a caramelised flavour.

  • A different flavour to serve alongside chocolate biscuits.
  • The brand description doesn’t make it a dark chocolate biscuit.

Products for your film night

These options cover two types of film-night snack: a Scholiertje variety and cookies labelled Dark Chocolate Flavour. If a high cocoa content is essential, check the cocoa percentage on the packaging.

LU Scholiertje Chocolate 150 g

LU Scholiertje Chocolate 150 g

An option to compare if you want to portion out snacks in advance for your film night; check the inner packaging for this variety.

Pack size: 150 g. Check the label for the cocoa percentage and allergens if these will affect your choice.

View at Joybuy
quduoduo Chunky Cookies Dark Chocolate Flavour 72 g

quduoduo Chunky Cookies Dark Chocolate Flavour 72 g

A cookie option if you’re after a dark chocolate flavour rather than a biscuit with a chocolate coating.

Pack size: 72 g. The flavour description doesn’t prove a high cocoa content; check the chocolate ingredients and allergens on the packaging.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘dark’ on a biscuit mean the chocolate has a high cocoa content?

No, the name alone doesn’t tell you the cocoa percentage. For example, Jumbo states that two different biscuits contain 63% chocolate in one biscuit and 40% dark chocolate chunks in one cookie; both figures refer to the proportion in the biscuit or cookie, not the cocoa content of the chocolate itself. For that, look for a separate figure on the label.

Which allergens should I check before sharing chocolate biscuits?

Read the ingredients list and warnings on the packaging of each product you choose. The biscuits described here include ingredients such as wheat, milk and soya, while some varieties also mention the possible presence of nuts or other allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the allergen information required on labels for prepacked foods.

How should I store any biscuits left after the film?

Seal any opened biscuits well and store them in a cool, dry, dark place, as advised by the Voedingscentrum. Also check the storage instructions on the packaging of your chosen product.

Is online ingredients information enough to choose a biscuit?

Use online information to compare products, but also read the packaging you have in front of you before buying and serving. This is particularly important when ingredients or allergens affect your choice.