When making pepernoten for someone with coeliac disease, choose oats whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’, preferably with the Crossed Grain symbol; ordinary oats are not automatically suitable. Match the type of product and any added ingredients to a gluten-free recipe, check the other ingredients too, and prevent cross-contamination while baking.
You’re baking pepernoten for yourself, a child or a guest with coeliac disease. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, this means paying attention not only to the oats on the label, but also to preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen.
You’re looking for porridge oats or rolled oats for a gluten-free pepernoten recipe and choosing between plain oats and a variety with added ingredients. Check which type of product the recipe calls for, rather than using a mix or oat flour without adjusting the recipe.
You’re looking at oats from supermarket and breakfast brands, but don’t want to mistake ‘100% oats’, wholegrain or organic for a gluten-free claim. The packaging of the variety you choose is what matters.
First, check whether the oats are labelled gluten-free for someone with coeliac disease. Then make sure the type of product and its ingredients are suitable for the pepernoten recipe.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Read the current packaging: does it say ‘gluten-free’, and does it carry the Crossed Grain symbol? Check the other ingredients before baking too. | When I bake pepernoten for someone with coeliac disease, I want to make sure the oats or other ingredients don’t introduce gluten into the mixture. For around 50% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Suitability for the recipe | Check whether the recipe calls for porridge oats, rolled oats or oat flour, and whether the product contains extra seeds. | My recipe calls for plain oats, so I don’t want to accidentally use a seed mix. Around 30% of consumers prioritise finding a product that suits the recipe. |
| Availability and ingredients | Compare the ingredients, net weight and current availability of the variety you want to buy. | For a planned baking session, I want a product that’s available and has ingredients to suit my recipe. For around 20% of consumers, this is their top priority. |
Wholegrain or organic oats aren’t automatically suitable for making pepernoten for someone with coeliac disease. The Dutch Coeliac Association highlights the risk of cross-contamination with ordinary oats.
Choose a product whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’ and, where available, opt for one with the Crossed Grain symbol.
Ingredient and allergen information can change. A brand name also doesn’t tell you whether the particular pack you’re buying carries a gluten-free claim.
Read the label on the pack before use, and check which variety is being offered when ordering online.
Oats with linseed, chia or quinoa contain different ingredients from plain oats. This can change the proportions and texture of your pepernoten mixture.
Use plain gluten-free oats if that’s what the recipe calls for. If you’d like to use a variety with seeds, try the change with a small amount of mixture first.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, crumbs containing gluten can get into gluten-free food via a worktop or utensils. So choosing a suitable pack of oats doesn’t, by itself, make your pepernoten gluten-free.
Clean the worktop and utensils, keep ingredients containing gluten away from the mixture, and check every part of the recipe.
Albert Heijn has a product page for AH Gluten-Free Wholegrain Oats, 450 g.
Jumbo lists an oat variety in its gluten-free range.
The 450 g variety described combines a gluten-free claim with organic wholegrain oats.
The gluten-free mixed-seed oats described are a blend, not plain oats.
With Quaker’s ordinary oats, the brand name alone doesn’t mean they’re gluten-free.
Not unless the current packaging explicitly says they’re gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Association points out that oats can come into contact with grains containing gluten during cultivation or processing, and recommends choosing a product with the Crossed Grain symbol where possible.
The grain type has to be clearly named as an ingredient, so the presence of oats on the list doesn’t, by itself, mean the product is unsuitable. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority gives rolled oats as an example of this kind of grain declaration; also check the gluten-free claim and the full packaging.
Don’t assume you can. Check whether the gluten-free recipe calls for porridge oats, rolled oats or oat flour, and use the stated quantity. The Dutch Coeliac Association points out that gluten-free flours behave differently from flour containing gluten when baked.
No, the other ingredients and how you prepare the kitchen matter too. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, crumbs containing gluten can be transferred via a worktop or utensils. Clean the equipment you use and keep ingredients containing gluten away from the pepernoten mixture.
