If you have coeliac disease, don’t rely on a product being called a currant bun. First check that it is labelled gluten-free or carries the Crossed Grain trademark; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that even a small amount of gluten can be relevant. A packaged gluten-free raisin bun is closest in shape to an individual currant bun, while gluten-free raisin bread can be sliced to share. Baking your own lets you choose the ingredients, but takes preparation and careful handling to avoid contact with gluten.
You want something that looks like a currant bun, without relying on the name or the fruit in the dough. Check for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain trademark, and take care to avoid contact with ordinary bread crumbs when serving, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
You’re looking for individual raisin buns to serve as portions, or raisin bread that you can slice to enjoy with tea. Check availability just before you buy, and read the label on the pack you’re actually purchasing.
You want to choose the ingredients yourself and have time to prepare, prove and bake the dough. Use ingredients suitable for gluten-free baking, and keep your worktop and baking equipment free of ordinary bread crumbs.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label and taking steps to prevent contact with gluten. Then choose the format you’d like to serve: an individual bun, sliceable raisin bread or homemade currant buns.
Choose this when: you want to serve an individual bun with tea without having to prepare anything. Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen in packs of two.
Keep in mind: a product listing doesn’t replace checking the label on the pack.
Choose this when: you’d rather slice the bread and decide how to share it yourself.
Keep in mind: raisin bread isn’t the same as an individual currant bun. Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and availability of the bread you choose.
Choose this when: you want to select the ingredients yourself and have time to prepare the buns.
Keep in mind: Albert Heijn Allerhande’s recipe lists 20 minutes of preparation, 15 minutes in the oven and 2 hours of resting time. Take care to prevent contact with gluten while baking.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and cross-contamination | For packaged products, check for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain trademark. For loose products, ask about allergen information and how gluten is handled. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to know that what I eat with tea is gluten-free and hasn’t come into contact with ordinary bread crumbs. For around 42% of consumers, that reassurance comes first. |
| Shape and ease of serving | Choose individual buns to serve straight away, or bread to slice; check current availability. | For tea, I want to be able to serve something without baking first, either as an individual bun or sliced to share. Around 33% of consumers give this convenience top priority. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Read the allergen information and, if it matters to your choice, compare fibre and salt per 100 g. Check the label to see whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed. | If I regularly eat gluten-free bread products, I also want to compare their ingredients and nutritional value, or choose these myself when baking. For around 25% of consumers, the ingredients matter most. |
The dough may contain wheat, even if the filling is made with currants and raisins. For example, Jumbo lists wheat flour and wheat gluten in its standard Rozijnen Krentenbollen.
Check the pack for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain trademark instead of relying on the product name.
A product listing doesn’t necessarily mean you can still buy that item. Jumbo’s product page says that Yam Rozijnenbrood is no longer part of its online range.
Check the current store or product listing, then read the label on the item you’re buying.
A gluten-free label doesn’t automatically tell you about other allergens, fibre or salt. This information can matter if you regularly choose a bread alternative.
Read the ingredients and allergen information, and compare nutritional values on the same basis, such as per 100 g.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt when baking bread isn’t compulsory. So if you’re keeping an eye on the type of salt used, don’t rely on the type of bread alone.
Check the label to see whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed as an ingredient.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen in packs of two as part of its gluten-free bakery range.
Yam Rozijnenbrood is a raisin bread option for anyone who’d rather serve slices than individual buns.
Schär makes gluten-free bread products, including products listed in the gluten-free bakery and bread ranges at Albert Heijn and Jumbo.
Raisins from a standard currant bun aren’t automatically a suitable choice if they’ve been in contact with dough containing gluten. Jumbo lists wheat flour and wheat gluten in its standard Rozijnen Krentenbollen. If you have coeliac disease, choose a product with a clear gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain trademark.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the term ‘gluten-free’ may be used when the food, as sold, contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram. The product name ‘currant bun’ or the absence of visible wheat flour doesn’t tell you this.
Ask for allergen information about the specific product before you buy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that information about non-prepacked foods must be provided to consumers in a way other than on packaging. If you have coeliac disease, also ask how contact with gluten is prevented during preparation and serving.
No, you can’t tell from the name ‘gluten-free raisin bread’. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory; check the label of the product you choose to see which type of salt is listed as an ingredient.
