Who are these biscuits for?

Guest with coeliac disease

A chocolate biscuit is only an option for you if the specific product is labelled gluten-free. Check the current packaging before considering the flavour or type of biscuit.

Host catering for different allergies

You’re looking for a sweet treat for several guests and need to consider ingredients such as milk, soya, egg or hazelnuts, as well as gluten. Allergen information varies from biscuit to biscuit.

Host planning portions

You want to know how many biscuits you can serve. Compare the pack weight and stated number of portions only after you’ve checked that the gluten-free label and allergens are suitable for your guests.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, check that the specific biscuit is labelled gluten-free and that its allergens are suitable for your guests. Then compare the chocolate style and how many biscuits you’d like to serve.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important for?
Gluten-free for coeliac disease Check the gluten-free label on the specific pack. Under European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the finished product must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten to be labelled gluten-free. Oats must also meet requirements designed to avoid contamination with wheat, rye or barley. If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I don’t want to rely on the brand name or appearance of a biscuit. Around 39% of consumers put gluten-free suitability first.
Chocolate style and type of biscuit Choose between an oat biscuit coated in chocolate, a cookie with chocolate chips or a milk chocolate digestive. Check the exact variant. I’m looking for a biscuit to serve with drinks that has a chocolate style and texture my guests will enjoy. This preference is the deciding factor for around 23% of consumers.
Other allergens Check each pack to see which allergens the product contains and which traces it may contain. Look out for milk, soya, egg and nuts, among others. When I have several guests with different allergies, I want to know who can eat the same biscuit. This is a priority for around 23% of consumers.
Pack size and portions Compare the pack weight and, if stated, the number of portions for products that meet your allergen requirements. If I’m putting together a plate for several guests, I want to know how many biscuits are in the pack. Sharing is the main consideration for around 15% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a chocolate biscuit is automatically gluten-free

    According to Jumbo’s product information, Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolade contains wheat flour. The chocolate doesn’t make this particular biscuit a suitable gluten-free alternative.

    Check the gluten-free label on the pack you plan to serve. Don’t replace a gluten-free biscuit based on a similar flavour or pack design.

  • Overlooking other allergens

    The gluten-free biscuits described here have different ingredients. The variants reviewed contain milk, soya, egg and hazelnut, among other things. A biscuit that suits one guest may not be suitable for another.

    Read the allergen information on each individual pack, and keep the packaging available for guests.

  • Confusing pack weight with the number of portions

    The oat biscuits, chocolate chip cookies and digestives reviewed come in packs of different weights and have different stated numbers of portions. Packs that look similar won’t necessarily provide the same number of biscuits for your plate.

    Check the pack weight and stated number of portions when deciding how many packs you’ll need for drinks.

  • Using a general range page as a product label

    A shop category for biscuits or gluten-free products doesn’t tell you definitively what’s in a particular chocolate biscuit.

    Base your choice on the current packaging or information for the specific product, and check the pack again when you buy it.

Brands to consider

Verkade

Glutenvrije Oaties Melkchocolade is an oat biscuit coated in milk chocolate.

  • Albert Heijn describes this specific product as gluten-free and states that it contains 25% milk chocolate.
  • The product information lists milk and soya, and says that it may contain traces of nuts. Check the allergens on the pack.

Albert Heijn

AH Glutenvrij includes Chocolate chip cookies and Double cookies, among other products. These are different variants with different ingredients.

  • Albert Heijn describes its Chocolate chip cookies as being made in a completely gluten-free environment.
  • The Chocolate chip cookies contain egg, milk and hazelnut, among other ingredients. Check the ingredients and allergens for Double cookies separately.

Jumbo

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade is a digestive biscuit with milk chocolate.

  • Jumbo describes this specific product as gluten-free biscuits with milk chocolate.
  • The product information lists milk, oats and soya, and says that it may contain traces of nuts.

Lotus

Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolade is a chocolate speculoos biscuit, but it isn’t a substitute for the gluten-free variants described here.

  • Its chocolate speculoos style offers a different type of biscuit for guests who don’t need a gluten-free option.
  • According to Jumbo, the Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolade product reviewed contains wheat flour. Don’t choose it as a gluten-free biscuit for someone with coeliac disease.

Lidl

If the gluten-free range changes regularly, your choice will depend on the specific biscuit you find.

  • The current packaging lets you check the gluten-free label and allergens for that particular variant.
  • A general label for gluten-free products doesn’t confirm that a particular chocolate biscuit is suitable for someone with coeliac disease.

ALDI

A general range of biscuits and chocolate is just a starting point for finding a specific product.

  • You can check a biscuit you’ve found against its own packaging.
  • Don’t assume a biscuit is suitable for someone with coeliac disease based on the shop category. Check the label and allergens on the biscuit itself.

Chocolate oat biscuits at Joybuy

This is an oat biscuit with milk chocolate for serving with drinks when you’re looking for a gluten-free option. Check the current gluten-free label and allergen information on the packaging to make sure it’s suitable for your guests.

Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties Melkchocolade, 150 g pack

Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties Melkchocolade 150 g

For anyone who’d like to serve oat biscuits coated in milk chocolate, provided the current packaging is suitable for their guests.

150 g pack. Albert Heijn’s product information states that it contains 25% milk chocolate. The biscuit contains milk and soya, and may contain nuts. Check the gluten-free label and allergen information on the pack.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are oat biscuits automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease?

No. Check that the specific product is labelled gluten-free. Under European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a finished product labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Oats must also meet requirements designed to avoid contamination with wheat, rye or barley.

Does gluten-free also mean that a biscuit contains no milk, soya or nuts?

No, gluten-free labelling doesn’t tell you anything about other allergens. The Verkade Oaties described here contain milk and soya, and may contain nuts. AH Chocolate chip cookies contain egg, milk and hazelnut, among other ingredients. Check the information on the specific pack for each guest.

What should I do with unpackaged snacks for drinks?

Ask about the ingredients and allergens in the specific snacks before buying them. Don’t rely on information from the packaging of a similar product.

How should I store opened gluten-free biscuits?

Follow the storage instructions for the specific product. For the AH Double cookies reviewed, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a sealed tin once opened. The instructions may differ for another biscuit.

Can Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolade be used as a gluten-free alternative?

Not the Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolade product reviewed here. According to Jumbo, it contains wheat flour, and the allergen information lists wheat and cereals containing gluten. For a guest with coeliac disease, choose a specific biscuit labelled gluten-free and check its current packaging.