Who might find these alternatives useful?

If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease

You want to be able to check the gluten-free label or Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging before choosing a sweet snack.

If you’re looking for a soft alternative to a kano pastry

You’re mainly after a soft cake treat and are happy with a different shape or filling, provided the product you choose meets the packaging requirement.

If you’re flexible about the type of snack

A biscuit or coconut macaroon could also suit you. You don’t expect it to have the soft texture and almond paste filling of a kano pastry.

What should you look for when choosing?

If you have coeliac disease, first check the packaging of the product you’re buying. Then decide which difference from a traditional kano pastry you’re happy with: a different filling, texture or place to buy it.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Gluten-free labelling Check for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging, and read the ingredients and any warnings. According to the European Union, ‘gluten-free’ may be used for products containing no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease and don’t want to rely on the name of a biscuit. For around 50% of consumers, checking the gluten-free label comes first.
A soft cake treat Decide whether you’re mainly looking for soft cake or a filled biscuit, and check the filling of each product. AH lists gluten-free cake, while Jumbo lists gluten-free mini cakes and a filled biscuit in its Lekker Vrij range. For something to have with coffee, I’m mainly after a soft treat, even if its shape and filling differ from a kano pastry. Around 30% of consumers give this kind of cake experience top priority.
Where to shop Check the current range at the shop where you do your food shopping, then check the packaging of the option you choose. If I need a treat today, I want to find a suitable alternative at my usual supermarket and am happy with a different type of biscuit. For around 20% of consumers, convenience is the top priority.

Common mistakes when choosing sweet snacks

  • Assuming a kano pastry is gluten-free because it has almond paste

    The filling doesn’t tell you whether the whole biscuit is gluten-free or provide definitive information about cross-contamination. Jumbo describes its regular Kano’s met Roomboter as butter biscuits with almond paste, not as a gluten-free alternative.

    For the option you’re buying, check the gluten-free label or Crossed Grain symbol, the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging.

  • Thinking every gluten-free biscuit can replace a kano pastry

    A coconut macaroon or oat biscuit is a different kind of snack from a soft biscuit with almond paste. A gluten-free cake won’t necessarily have the same filling or shape either.

    First decide which quality you want to keep: a soft cake treat or a filled biscuit. Then assess the specific product and its packaging.

  • Assuming a product range page guarantees stock

    A list of gluten-free products doesn’t confirm that a particular snack will be available when you do your food shopping. Lidl stated on its range page that additional gluten-free products were not available at the time.

    Check the current range shortly before you set off, and keep another suitable type of product in mind. When you buy it, let the packaging of the product you’ve chosen guide you.

Brands and product ranges to consider

AH Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn lists gluten-free cake and a category of sweet snacks and cakes in this range.

  • The cake is an option if you’re mainly looking for a soft cake treat.
  • Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change, so check the packaging of the option you choose.

Jumbo Lekker Vrij

Jumbo lists mini cakes, brownies and a gluten-free filled biscuit in this range.

  • According to Jumbo’s product page, Lekker Vrij van Gluten Mini Cakes display the Crossed Grain symbol.
  • A filled biscuit from the range isn’t automatically the same as a kano pastry in shape or filling, so check the individual packaging.

Heerlijck Banket

ALDI Nederland describes this brand’s coconut macaroons and coconut rings as gluten-free coconut biscuits.

  • These products offer a different kind of sweet snack if you’re not looking for a kano-style texture.
  • Coconut macaroons and coconut rings aren’t soft kano pastries with almond paste.

Verkade

Verkade describes its Oaties as gluten-free oat biscuits.

  • Oaties are a good fit if you’d rather have a biscuit than a soft cake.
  • The Oaties label doesn’t automatically apply to other Verkade biscuits, so always check the packaging of the specific product.

Joybuy products on this topic

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are regular kano pastries suitable for people with coeliac disease?

Not necessarily: the name kano or the presence of almond paste doesn’t confirm that the whole biscuit is gluten-free. Check the packaging of the option you choose for the ‘gluten-free’ label or Crossed Grain symbol, the ingredients and any warnings.

Is it enough for wheat not to appear in the ingredients list?

No. If you have coeliac disease, look beyond a single ingredient. Check the gluten-free label and any cross-contamination warnings too; the Dutch Coeliac Association says warnings about gluten-containing cereals are relevant when reading labels.

What does ‘gluten-free’ mean on packaging?

Under European Union Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the label ‘gluten-free’ may be used for products containing no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check that the label appears on the packaging of the option you’re actually buying.

Can I rely on online product information alone before buying?

Use online product information to plan your shopping, but check the product packaging too. Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and dietary or allergy information can change.