Choose Dutch breakfast cake with no added sugars if you’re looking for something separate to have for breakfast or as a snack while making oliebollen. Check the sugars per 100 g too: ‘zero’ doesn’t mean sugar-free. Don’t use ready-made cake as an untested substitute for sugar in oliebollen batter, and check the label for sweeteners, allergens and warnings.
You’re making oliebollen, but want to choose Dutch breakfast cake with no added sugars for breakfast or as a snack. Compare the exact claim with ‘of which sugars’ in the nutrition information per 100 g.
You want to know which sweetener the cake contains and what warning appears on the packaging. The zero varieties described contain xylitol and state that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
First, check whether the ingredients and allergen information suit your diet. The varieties described contain rye; some also state that they may contain wheat, barley or oats.
First decide whether you’re looking for a cake to have alongside your oliebollen, or whether you want to adapt the batter itself. If you’re buying a separate cake, the sugar claim, sweetener and allergens are the key things to check on the label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar claim | Compare ‘no added sugars’ or ‘zero’ with ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. | I want to choose a cake with no added sugars, but don’t want to assume by mistake that it contains no sugars. An estimated 36% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Sweeteners and polyols | Check which sweetener has been used and look for the warning about excessive consumption. | If I’m sensitive to polyols, I want to know what I’m eating and how much. For around 29% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
| Rye and other grains | Check the ingredients and allergen statement on the packaging you choose. | If I need to avoid rye or other gluten-containing grains, I want to know what the cake contains before I buy it. For around 21% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Cake or batter | If you want to adapt your oliebollen batter, use a recipe that explicitly describes the substitution you want to make. | I want to make oliebollen differently, so a suitable recipe is more useful to me than a ready-made cake. That’s the starting point for an estimated 14% of consumers. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, a product can be labelled ‘sugar-free’ if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. The Dutch breakfast cakes with no added sugars described here state that they contain 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
Always check ‘of which sugars’ in the nutrition information as well as the claim.
Product information from brands including Albert Heijn and Peijnenburg lists xylitol or polyols and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the ingredients and warning on the packaging, and consider how much you’re eating.
The Dutch breakfast cakes described here contain rye. Albert Heijn and PLUS also state that their varieties may contain wheat, barley and oats.
Check the current allergen information on the exact pack you choose.
Ready-made Dutch breakfast cake is not the same as an ingredient with a defined role in a recipe. Allerhande’s classic and wholemeal oliebollen recipes combine yeast with sugar, but don’t describe replacing the sugar with breakfast cake.
Serve the cake separately. If you want to change the batter, choose a recipe that explicitly describes the adjustment.
Peijnenburg makes sliced plain Dutch breakfast cake with no added sugars. Compare pack sizes by retailer: Peijnenburg lists 265 g and 9 slices, while Jumbo lists 455 g and 16 slices.
Albert Heijn lists a 485 g pack of its sliced AH Ontbijtkoek zero.
PLUS lists a 485 g pack of sliced Ontbijtkoek Zero.
ALDI describes Koek & Bakker Ontbijtkoek Zero as a pre-sliced 485 g pack with no added sugars.
Lidl lists Ontbijtkoek zero, 485 g, as an in-store product.
No. The word ‘zero’ on the front doesn’t tell you how much sugar the cake contains. According to the Voedingscentrum, the ‘sugar-free’ claim means a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. The zero Dutch breakfast cakes described here state that they contain 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g, so check the nutrition information and the exact claim on the packaging.
Don’t use ready-made Dutch breakfast cake as a substitute for sugar in oliebollen batter unless you have a suitable recipe. Allerhande’s classic and wholemeal oliebollen recipes don’t describe this substitution. If you want to adapt the batter, choose a recipe that explicitly specifies the ingredients you want to use.
The varieties described contain polyols, including xylitol, and the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Check the warning and serving size on the packaging you buy.
No, don’t assume that the varieties described are suitable: they contain rye flour. Albert Heijn and PLUS also state that they may contain wheat, barley and oats. Each time you buy, check the current ingredients and allergen statement on the specific pack.
