If you want to control how much sugar goes into your Dutch spiced biscuits, making the dough yourself gives you control over the ingredients. If you’d rather choose a packaged biscuit or ready-made Dutch spiced biscuits for convenience, compare the sugars per 100 g with a suitable standard product. If you’re using a sugar substitute in the dough, try a small batch first, as the result in these biscuits isn’t guaranteed.
You make Dutch spiced biscuits yourself and want to choose which ingredients, and how much of each, go into the dough. A standard recipe, such as the one from Albert Heijn Allerhande, gives you a starting point, but won’t automatically result in biscuits with less sugar.
You’d rather buy a packaged biscuit or ready-made Dutch spiced biscuits. In that case, the precise claim on the packaging and the nutritional information per 100 g matter more than the general impression created by the front of the pack.
As well as sugars, you check the ingredients list, allergen information and any sweeteners. A statement about sugar alone doesn’t tell you anything definite about these other factors.
First decide whether you want to control the source of sugar in homemade dough or are mainly looking for a packaged product with a comparable lower sugar value. Then check the ingredients that matter to you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verifiably less sugar | Compare sugars per 100 g with a suitable standard product. If you see a claim such as ‘light’, check which aspect the packaging says has been reduced. | I don’t want to judge by the look of the packaging; I want to compare sugar values. For around 42% of consumers, a verifiable reduction in sugar is the top priority. |
| Control over the dough | Choose a basic recipe and check the ingredients in any sugar substitute. Bake a small amount first before making more dough. | When I bake Dutch spiced biscuits myself, I want to be able to change the source of the sugar without making a whole batch of dough straight away. Choosing my own recipe matters most to around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information. Also check which sweetener is named, if that’s relevant to your choice. | A lower sugar value alone isn’t enough for me if I also need to avoid certain ingredients. For around 25% of consumers, checking the ingredients is the top priority. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘light’ can refer to a reduction in energy, fat or sugar. So the label doesn’t necessarily mean that the sugar content has been reduced.
Check which aspect has been reduced and compare both sugars and energy per 100 g with a suitable standard product.
Albert Heijn lists 31 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Kruidnoten; Jumbo’s product information lists 31.1 g per 100 g for Jumbo Kruidnoten Naturel. A small biscuit or a familiar product name says nothing about whether its sugar content has been reduced.
If you’re looking for a lower-sugar option, choose a specific product whose current nutritional information you can compare.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that sweeteners can replace all or some of the sugar. This doesn’t mean there’s a fixed substitution ratio or a guaranteed crisp texture for Dutch spiced biscuits.
Bake a small amount of dough first and check the taste and texture before making more.
Product ranges and ingredients can change for seasonal products. Albert Heijn also notes that product information may change.
Use online information to compare products, and check the current packaging shortly before buying.
An option for a basic recipe from Allerhande, or ready-made AH Kruidnoten.
An option with a Dutch spiced biscuit recipe and ready-made biscuit dough.
A seasonal option with a range of packaged pepernoten and Dutch spiced biscuit varieties.
A seasonal option for packaged Dutch spiced biscuits.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a caramelised biscuit that can also be used as an ingredient in cooking.
If you make Dutch spiced biscuits yourself and want to choose the source of sugar in the dough, you’ll find a xylitol sugar substitute here. It isn’t a ready-made biscuit or Dutch spiced biscuit product.
No image available
For home bakers considering xylitol as a sugar substitute in their dough. The product name indicates a 125 g pack; check the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging, and bake a small test batch of Dutch spiced biscuits first.
No, not necessarily. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘light’ can mean at least 30% less energy, fat or sugar. Check which aspect has been reduced, then compare the nutritional information per 100 g with that of a suitable standard product.
No, they’re different claims. Read the exact wording on the packaging and check the sugars per 100 g, rather than treating the two terms as interchangeable.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, sweeteners can replace all or some of the sugar, but that doesn’t tell you how much to use or guarantee the result when baking Dutch spiced biscuits. Try any change with a small amount of dough first.
The standard products mentioned don’t in themselves demonstrate a reduction in sugar. Albert Heijn lists 31 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Kruidnoten, while Jumbo lists 31.1 g per 100 g for Jumbo Kruidnoten Naturel. Compare a specific alternative and check the current packaging.
Also read the ingredients list, allergen information and details of any sweeteners on the current packaging. A lower sugar value doesn’t tell you what other ingredients the product contains.
