Fans of rich dark chocolate
You’re looking for a pronounced cocoa flavour. Check whether the label gives a cocoa percentage or only states how much dark chocolate the product contains overall.
Who are these biscuits for?
Sharing during a movie night
You want to fill a bowl with individual cookies or biscuits, or hand out smaller portions. The biscuit style and packaging can help you choose something easy to serve.
Shoppers who compare labels
You check the ingredients and allergens before buying for a group, and compare sugars, saturates, fibre and salt per 100 g.
What should you look for?
Start with what matters most for your movie night: cocoa flavour, a biscuit style that’s easy to share or clear label information. Then use the packaging to compare products on the same points.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa flavour | Look for a clearly stated cocoa percentage. Distinguish this from the proportion of chocolate or chocolate chips in the biscuit. | If I’m mainly after a pronounced dark chocolate flavour, the word ‘dark’ alone isn’t enough. Around 42% of consumers put this check on cocoa flavour first. |
| Biscuit style and sharing | Check whether you’re buying cookies, biscuits or multipacks, and look at the number of pieces or the net weight. | When I put a bowl on the table, I want to know whether everyone can easily help themselves. Around 33% of consumers prioritise the biscuit style and ease of sharing. |
| Label and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings; compare nutritional values per 100 g. | When I’m buying for others, I want to check what’s in the biscuits first. Around 25% of consumers put checking the label first. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking the proportion of chocolate for the cocoa percentage
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Zaans huisje contains 63% dark chocolate, while Jumbo states that its Chocolate Cookies contain 40% dark chocolate chips. These figures describe the proportion in the biscuit, not necessarily the cocoa percentage of the chocolate.
If the cocoa flavour is what will determine your choice, look for a separately stated cocoa percentage. Don’t rank these biscuits using percentages that aren’t directly comparable.
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Assuming ‘dark’ means allergen-free
A biscuit made with dark chocolate may also contain milk, wheat or soya. Other allergens can vary by product and warning.
Before sharing, check the current ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ statement on the packaging.
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Comparing nutritional values per serving only
Manufacturers choose their own serving sizes, so values per serving don’t automatically give you a like-for-like basis for comparing different biscuits.
Compare sugars, saturates, fibre and salt per 100 g, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Then consider how many biscuits you actually want to serve.
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Relying on outdated product information
An online description doesn’t guarantee that a product is still available or that the packaging will show the same information when you shop.
Check availability shortly before buying, and read the current ingredients, allergens, nutritional values and best-before information on the packaging.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
AH Zaans huisje is an example of a butter biscuit topped with dark chocolate.
- Albert Heijn states that this product contains 63% dark chocolate overall.
- That figure isn’t a cocoa percentage. If you’re sharing, check the allergens on the packaging too.
Jumbo
The biscuit range includes cookies with dark chocolate chips.
- Jumbo states that its Chocolate Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips contain 40% dark chocolate chips.
- The proportion of chips doesn’t tell you the cocoa percentage of the chocolate; allergens vary by product.
Lotus Biscoff
Another option for movie night is speculoos biscuits with dark chocolate.
- Lotus Bakeries lists a pack containing 7 × 3 biscuits.
- The stated 22% chocolate doesn’t give a separate cocoa percentage; check the allergens too.
McVitie's
Digestives offer a wheat biscuit as an alternative to cookies with chocolate chips.
- For McVitie's Dark Chocolate Digestives, Jumbo states 30% dark chocolate and 9% wholemeal wheat flour.
- The name ‘digestive’ doesn’t tell you anything about the nutritional value. According to the product information, this product contains wheat, milk and soya.
Sondey
Sondey is a biscuit brand from Lidl.
- If you’re looking in this range, you can compare the different biscuit styles and pack sizes.
- For a specific dark chocolate biscuit, check the ingredients on the packaging and what any stated percentage refers to.
Biscuits at Joybuy
These products give you a choice between dark chocolate digestives and cookies with a dark chocolate flavour. If a high cocoa percentage matters to you, don’t choose on flavour name alone: check the label on the pack you select.
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McVitie's Digestives with dark chocolate, 266 g
A good option if you’d like digestives rather than cookies with chocolate chips for movie night. Check the cocoa percentage and allergens on the packaging before sharing.
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quduoduo Chunky Cookies with dark chocolate flavour, 72 g
For anyone who’d rather serve a chunky cookie than a biscuit coated in chocolate. If a dark chocolate flavour is your priority, check the type of chocolate and cocoa percentage on the packaging.
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Franzzi Premium Dark Chocolate Flavour Cookies, 70 g
A pack of cookies with a dark chocolate flavour for a snack. If you prefer a high cocoa content, check what proportion of cocoa or chocolate is stated on the label and read the allergen information.
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Franzzi Mellow Dark Chocolate Flavoured Cookies, 115 g
For anyone looking for cookies with a dark chocolate flavour. The stated 0.0 g of sugars doesn’t match the ingredients list, which also names sugar and fructose-glucose syrup. Check the current nutrition table and ingredients list on the packaging before comparing.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘dark chocolate’ on a biscuit automatically mean it contains lots of cocoa?
No. A percentage on the packaging may refer to the proportion of chocolate in the whole biscuit, rather than the cocoa percentage of that chocolate. For example, Albert Heijn states that AH Zaans huisje contains 63% dark chocolate. If cocoa flavour is your main criterion, look for a separate cocoa percentage.
How do I compare sugars, saturates and salt in different biscuits?
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g for the biscuits you’re considering. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, serving sizes can vary because manufacturers set them themselves. Then check the portion you plan to serve.
Are dark chocolate biscuits suitable for someone with a food allergy?
It depends on the specific product: ‘dark’ doesn’t mean a biscuit is free from milk, wheat, soya or other allergens. Before buying and serving, read the current ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging.
How can I keep opened chocolate biscuits crisp during movie night?
Seal the pack securely again after taking out some biscuits. Jumbo recommends this for its Chocolate Cookies; for AH Zaans huisje, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a sealed tin. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you buy.