Who is this choice important for?

Home baker making treats for someone with coeliac disease

You want to check that a product is explicitly labelled gluten-free and avoid it coming into contact with ingredients containing gluten during preparation.

Biscuit baker looking for dough they can shape

You want to make round biscuits or use cutters, so you’re looking for a mix with a description or recipe for biscuit dough, rather than instructions for pancake batter alone.

Pancake maker with dietary requirements

Your main aim is to make gluten-free pancakes, and you want to check which ingredients you need to add and which other allergens the mix contains. That’s a different choice from looking for a mix for biscuits.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start with what you want to bake: for biscuits, a clear indication that the product is suitable for them and a matching recipe give you more to go on than instructions for pancake batter.

Gluten-free plain flour or biscuit and cake mix

Choose this for: biscuits when the product description or recipe says it is suitable. Koopmans has a biscuit recipe for its Glutenvrij Basismeel; Albert Heijn describes Schär Mix Kuchen und Kekse as a mix for cakes and biscuits.

Bear in mind: the other ingredients required by the recipe you choose, such as fat, sugar and egg, or a suitable alternative.

Gluten-free pancake mix

Choose this for: pancakes. The instructions for AH Glutenvrij Pannenkoekenmix and Koopmans Pannenkoeken Glutenvrij describe batter for cooking in a frying pan.

Bear in mind: those pancake instructions don’t confirm that the mix is also suitable for dough that can be shaped into biscuits.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free claim Check the current packaging for a gluten-free claim. When baking, also take care to avoid contact with ingredients containing gluten. If I’m baking for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the gluten-free claim before choosing a mix. Around 46% of consumers make this their top priority.
Suitable for biscuits Look for a product description or recipe for biscuit dough, and check which ingredients the recipe requires. For round biscuits or ones made with cutters, I want a recipe that lets me shape the dough, not just batter for a frying pan. For around 36% of consumers, suitability for biscuits is the main consideration.
Ingredients and preparation Read the ingredients list and preparation instructions to check for other allergens, additional ingredients and the intended use. If I avoid certain ingredients, I need to know what’s already in the mix and what I need to add myself. This practical consideration comes first for around 18% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming pancake mix is biscuit mix

    Instructions for batter cooked in a frying pan don’t tell you whether the same mix will make dough you can shape into biscuits.

    For biscuits, look for a mix that mentions biscuits or cakes, or choose gluten-free plain flour with a biscuit recipe from the manufacturer.

  • Confusing gluten-free with free from other allergens

    Gluten-free doesn’t tell you whether a product contains milk, egg or lupin. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Glutenvrij Pannenkoekenmix requires milk or a plant-based drink and egg or an egg replacer; the ingredients list for Consenza Pannenkoekenmix includes milk powder, egg powder and lupin, among other ingredients.

    Check both what’s in the mix and what the preparation instructions ask you to add, based on the ingredients you want or need to avoid.

  • Assuming a previously stocked product is still available

    Jumbo marked its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Pannenkoeken Mix as no longer available. So a mix that was listed previously isn’t a reliable basis for your baking plans.

    Check current availability just before you buy. If you choose an alternative, check its intended use and ingredients again.

Brands to consider

Koopmans

Koopmans makes both Glutenvrij Basismeel and a gluten-free pancake mix. They’re different products for different types of baking.

  • Koopmans publishes a recipe for Glutenvrij Basismeel that uses the flour to make biscuit dough.
  • Information about Koopmans Pannenkoeken Glutenvrij describes pancakes, not using the mix for biscuits.

Schär

According to Albert Heijn’s product description, Schär Mix Kuchen und Kekse is a gluten-free mix for cakes and biscuits.

  • The stated use makes it a suitable option to consider when choosing a biscuit mix.
  • Before baking, check the recipe and the ingredients you need to add to the mix.

AH Glutenvrij

AH Glutenvrij Pannenkoekenmix is intended for pancake batter.

  • Albert Heijn’s instructions say to add milk or a plant-based drink, and egg or an egg replacer.
  • The preparation instructions don’t indicate that it’s suitable for biscuit dough. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens too.

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten

The listed Pannenkoeken Mix is a pancake product, not a mix described as suitable for biscuits.

  • Jumbo’s product information shows the crossed grain symbol.
  • Jumbo marked the product as no longer available. Check the current status if you’re looking for this specific mix.

Consenza

Consenza Pannenkoekenmix is a pancake mix that, according to the product information, needs water added to it.

  • Albert Heijn’s ingredients list shows that the mix contains milk powder and egg powder.
  • The list also includes lupin. Check these ingredients if you have an allergy; its suitability for biscuits hasn’t been confirmed.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use gluten-free pancake mix to make biscuits?

The pancake use described for the mixes reviewed doesn’t tell you whether they’ll make dough you can shape into biscuits. If you want to bake biscuits, choose a mix explicitly described as suitable for them, or use gluten-free plain flour with a biscuit recipe.

When can a product be labelled gluten-free in the Netherlands?

According to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food sold to the final consumer can be labelled gluten-free if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Check the claim on the current packaging when you buy.

Should I also check for milk, egg and lupin in a gluten-free mix?

Yes. A gluten-free claim says nothing about these other ingredients. The ingredients list for Consenza Pannenkoekenmix at Albert Heijn includes milk powder, egg powder and lupin; the preparation instructions for AH Glutenvrij Pannenkoekenmix say to add milk or a plant-based drink, and egg or an egg replacer.

How can I avoid contact with gluten while baking?

Keep gluten-free ingredients and dough away from products containing gluten, and check that your work surface, spatulas and any other equipment you use are clean. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes cross-contamination as allergens unintentionally getting into a food product. Keep checking the current allergen information on the packaging too.