If you’re buying Kaiser rolls for someone who eats a strictly gluten-free diet, choose a pre-packaged product labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens. Long-life, part-baked rolls are a convenient choice for coffee and cake, with no defrosting needed; frozen rolls require more planning and have different storage and allergen instructions.
If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, or for another reason to avoid gluten, check the label and prevent contact with gluten-containing crumbs when serving. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms for people with coeliac disease.
If you’re serving coffee and cake to several guests, you may need to consider allergens other than gluten too. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows that the warnings for the long-life Kaiserbrötchen and frozen Kaisersemmel differ.
Choosing between part-baked rolls kept in the cupboard and rolls from the freezer depends on when you’re serving them, whether you’ll be using an oven and how much time you have to defrost them.
First, choose a roll that meets the gluten and allergen requirements of the person who’ll be eating it. Then compare the preparation and storage instructions for the long-life and frozen options.
Best for: coffee and cake when you want to bake part-baked rolls without defrosting them first.
Keep in mind: you’ll need to use the oven and follow the storage instructions once opened; the packaging lists soya and possible traces of mustard.
Best for: a planned coffee-and-cake occasion when you want to use rolls from the freezer.
Keep in mind: the defrosting and storage instructions; as well as soya, Jumbo lists possible traces of hazelnuts, eggs, milk and mustard.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and cross-contact | Check that the packaging says ‘gluten-free’ and use clean, separate serving utensils. | If I’m serving someone with coeliac disease, I also want to make sure the roll doesn’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread. For around 42% of consumers, this assurance that the product is gluten-free comes first. |
| Other allergens | For the option you’ve chosen, check both the ingredients and any ‘contains’ or ‘may contain’ statements. | If a guest has another allergy too, I need to know which allergens are present or may be present in this particular roll. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Preparation and storage | Compare the oven or defrosting instructions and check what to do once the pack is opened or the rolls are defrosted. | I want to be able to serve the rolls with coffee and cake without overlooking the preparation they need or how long they can be stored. This planning is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
If you regularly eat this type of bread, check the ingredients list too if iodised salt is a consideration for you. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt is not required in bread.
According to Albert Heijn, the long-life Schär Kaiserbrötchen contains soya and may contain mustard. For the frozen Kaisersemmel, Jumbo also lists possible traces of hazelnuts, eggs and milk.
If you’re buying for a guest with an allergy, check the allergen information on the specific pack again.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms for people with coeliac disease. Crumbs from ordinary bread can get onto a knife, plate or serving dish.
Use clean, separate utensils and keep gluten-containing bread and toppings away from the gluten-free roll.
The rolls have different preparation methods, allergen warnings and storage instructions. Jumbo says that the frozen Kaisersemmel must not be refrozen after defrosting.
Before serving, read the instructions for the option you’ve actually bought.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell which type of salt has been used just from the product category.
Check the ingredients list if iodised salt is important to your choice.
In this product category, Schär offers a long-life Kaiserbrötchen option and a frozen Kaisersemmel option.
Albert Heijn’s product page describes the 240 g long-life Schär Kaiserbrötchen.
Jumbo lists both the 240 g long-life Schär Kaiserbrötchen and the 350 g frozen Schär Kaisersemmel.
PLUS lists the 240 g long-life Schär Kaiserbrötchen in its product information.
According to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food sold to consumers may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. The label doesn’t say anything about possible contact with gluten-containing crumbs while serving.
How you serve it matters too: check the label and prevent contact with crumbs and utensils used for gluten-containing bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms for people with coeliac disease.
For the 240 g part-baked option, PLUS recommends baking in a fan oven for 6–8 minutes at 200 °C. Follow the instructions on the pack you’ve bought.
Jumbo says that Schär Kaisersemmel must not be refrozen after defrosting and should be eaten within one day if kept chilled. The product information gives two preparation options: defrost for 1–2 hours or bake for 8–10 minutes at 180 °C. Check the packaging before use.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients list; Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in the long-life Schär Kaiserbrötchen.
