If you’re after a filled biscuit with almond paste, choose a traditional butter kano: the Albert Heijn and Jumbo varieties described here are not confirmed dark chocolate versions. If cocoa is the main reason for choosing something to have with your coffee, look for a biscuit with dark chocolate or a bar that states its cocoa percentage. These are different products from a kano, so also compare the portion size, nutrition information and allergens on the packaging.
You’re looking for a pronounced cocoa flavour and want to be able to assess a stated cocoa percentage. A biscuit coated in dark chocolate could also suit you, as long as you don’t confuse the amount of chocolate in the coating with the cocoa content of the whole biscuit.
For you, a butter biscuit and almond paste matter more than chocolate. The kano varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo suit that preference, but are not confirmed dark chocolate versions.
You want to check the portion size, nutritional values, ingredients and allergens before buying. If you have a food allergy, the information on the packaging you receive is important too.
Choose this if: a filled biscuit with almond paste is what makes your coffee break.
Bear in mind: the kano varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo do not list cocoa or dark chocolate in their ingredients.
Choose this if: you’d rather have a crunchy biscuit with a chocolate coating alongside your coffee.
Bear in mind: McVitie’s states that its Digestives Dark contain 30% dark chocolate; this is not the cocoa percentage of the whole biscuit.
Choose this if: a stated cocoa percentage matters more to you than a biscuit or almond paste. Verkade states that its Extra Dark bar contains at least 71% cocoa.
Bear in mind: a bar doesn’t have the texture of a kano or biscuit; check the portion size and label too.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa flavour | Check whether the percentage refers to the cocoa in the chocolate or the amount of chocolate in the product. | If you want something with a distinct cocoa flavour to have with your morning coffee, you need to know exactly what the stated percentage refers to. Around 44% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Almond paste | Check whether the biscuit contains almond paste and almonds; a chocolate biscuit isn’t a filled kano. | If you mainly want the filling and character of a traditional kano, you may prefer to stick with one even if it doesn’t have a dark chocolate flavour. This preference is central for around 33% of consumers. |
| Portion size and label | Compare sugars and saturated fat per 100 g and per planned portion; check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging. | If nutritional values or allergens determine your choice, you’ll want to assess a product before eating it. For around 23% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority. |
Albert Heijn and Jumbo describe the kano varieties mentioned here as butter biscuits with almond paste. Their ingredients lists do not mention cocoa or dark chocolate.
Decide whether you’re mainly after a filled biscuit or chocolate. If you’re considering another kano variety, check the ingredients on that specific pack.
The 30% dark chocolate stated by McVitie’s for its Digestives Dark refers to the chocolate component of the biscuit. For its Extra Dark chocolate bar, Verkade states at least 71% cocoa. These percentages measure different things.
Check what a percentage refers to before comparing products by cocoa content.
A portion of kano and a portion of biscuits may weigh different amounts. This means the nutritional values per portion aren’t necessarily directly comparable.
Use the nutrition information per 100 g as a consistent basis for comparison, and also consider the portion you plan to have.
Ingredients and warnings about the possible presence of allergens are important when choosing the specific product you receive.
Before eating, read the label on the packaging, including the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning.
According to Albert Heijn, AH Butter Kanos are butter biscuits with 41% almond paste and 1% almonds.
Jumbo describes its Butter Kanos as butter biscuits with 38% almond paste.
Verkade states that its Extra Dark bar contains at least 71% cocoa.
McVitie’s describes its Digestives Dark as wheat biscuits with 30% dark chocolate.
These biscuits and cookies are for anyone looking for a dark chocolate flavour to enjoy with their morning coffee. They don’t replace the almond paste filling in a kano. If a demonstrably high cocoa content is essential to you, check the packaging to see what any stated percentage refers to.
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A biscuit for anyone who’d like a layer of dark chocolate with their coffee instead of almond paste. The stated 30% dark chocolate is not a cocoa percentage for the whole biscuit; check the packaging if that distinction matters to your choice.
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A cookie for anyone looking for a dark chocolate flavour, but not a kano filling. The flavour description alone doesn’t tell you how much cocoa the whole product contains; check the packaging for that information.
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A cookie alternative for a coffee break, rather than a kano filled with almond paste. Don’t judge the cocoa flavour you can expect from ‘Dark Chocolate Flavour’ alone; check the nutrition information and allergens on the packaging.
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A cookie with a dark chocolate flavour as an alternative to a filled kano. The sugar value stated in the product information conflicts with the sugar listed in the ingredients; check the nutrition information on the packaging you receive before comparing that value.
No. The varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo are butter biscuits with almond paste; their ingredients lists do not mention cocoa or dark chocolate. That doesn’t apply to every other kano variety, so check the label of the product you choose.
No. For McVitie’s Digestives Dark, 30% refers to the amount of dark chocolate in the biscuit, not the cocoa content of the whole product. If you want to choose based on cocoa content, check exactly what the percentage on the packaging refers to.
Check the allergens on the specific packaging before eating the product. The kano varieties described contain, among other things, wheat, milk, egg, soya and almonds; wheat, milk and soya are listed for the McVitie’s Digestives Dark mentioned here. Also check for any information about possible traces.
First compare the nutrition information on the same basis, for example per 100 g, then consider the portion you actually plan to have. Pay attention to sugars and saturated fat; a dark chocolate coating or flavour doesn’t tell you this on its own.
