If the snack is for a child with coeliac disease, choose speculaas biscuits whose current packaging clearly says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain symbol; ordinary speculaas made with wheat flour is not a suitable alternative. If the snack will be shared, check for other allergens too. Ready-made biscuits save preparation time, while baking your own gives you more choice over the ingredients but means checking the ingredients and kitchen utensils carefully.
You’re looking for a school holiday snack that is clearly labelled gluten-free. Voedingscentrum recommends looking for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol; according to Lotus Biscoff, the Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos biscuits reviewed here contain wheat flour and gluten.
You want to check for allergens other than gluten too. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows that these vary between gluten-free speculaas varieties.
You’re comparing biscuits that are ready to serve with the flexibility of baking your own. If you bake them yourself, you need to check every ingredient and avoid contact with ordinary flour or crumbs, as Voedingscentrum advises for coeliac disease.
First decide whether the snack needs to be suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Then choose between ready-made biscuits and baking your own, and check which other allergens matter if you’re sharing the snack with a group.
When to choose it: when you want to serve biscuits without any preparation and the packaging clearly labels the product gluten-free.
Consider: gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens, so check the packaging for the children who’ll be eating them.
When to choose it: when you want to tailor the ingredients to the group’s needs and can use verified gluten-free ingredients.
Consider: you’ll also need to check any added ingredients and your preparation method to avoid contact with gluten from other products.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging; don’t rely on the flavour or product name. | If a child with coeliac disease is joining in, I want to rule out ordinary wheat-based speculaas. Around 45% of consumers put this check first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings for the specific product you’re buying; ask in advance which allergens matter to the group. | When sharing a snack, I want to avoid a gluten-free biscuit causing a problem because it contains, for example, egg, nuts or sesame. Around 36% of consumers put this allergen check first. |
| Ready-made or homemade | For ready-made biscuits, check the packaging when you buy them; when baking your own, check every ingredient and avoid contact with ordinary flour and crumbs. | When I’m short on preparation time, I weigh up serving biscuits straight away against choosing the ingredients myself. Around 19% of consumers put this practical consideration first. |
According to Lotus Biscoff, the Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos biscuits reviewed here contain wheat flour and gluten. So a familiar flavour or product name doesn’t tell you whether they’re suitable for a child with coeliac disease.
Check the packaging of the specific biscuits for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol.
According to the product information, AH Glutenvrij Speculaas contains egg and may contain sesame and various nuts. Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas also contains egg and may contain, among other things, milk, nuts, lupin and sesame.
Ask which allergens matter to the group, then read the ingredients and warnings on the exact packaging you’re buying.
Product information and seasonal ranges can change. Choosing a particular biscuit or baking mix before doesn’t mean you can skip checking the packaging of a replacement product.
Check the packaging when you buy it, and don’t automatically replace unavailable gluten-free speculaas with an ordinary variety.
Even when you use gluten-free ingredients, ordinary flour, crumbs or shared kitchen utensils can come into contact with the dough. Voedingscentrum stresses the importance of preventing cross-contamination for people with coeliac disease.
Clean the worktop, baking tins and utensils, and keep the gluten-free biscuits separate from ordinary snacks.
Albert Heijn describes its 125 g AH Glutenvrij Speculaas as gluten-free and says it is made in a fully gluten-free environment.
Jumbo lists its 125 g Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas as carrying the Crossed Grain symbol.
Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos is a standard speculoos variety, which should be distinguished from gluten-free speculaas.
If you’re looking for gluten-free speculaas for a school holiday snack, check the specific product at Lidl.
ALDI describes a standard almond-filled speculaas made with almond paste; this is a different choice from speculaas that is specifically labelled gluten-free.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ may contain no more than 20 ppm of gluten. If you’re buying a snack for someone with coeliac disease, look for this label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the current packaging.
No. Other allergens vary from product to product. According to the product information, both AH Glutenvrij Speculaas and Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas contain egg and may contain other allergens. If you’re sharing a snack, check the allergen information on the packaging you buy.
Check every ingredient and make sure the dough and biscuits don’t come into contact with ordinary flour or crumbs. Use clean utensils and a clean worktop; Voedingscentrum highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination for people with coeliac disease.
Follow the storage instructions and use-by date on the packaging you buy. Albert Heijn recommends keeping AH Glutenvrij Speculaas in a cool, dark and dry place; Jumbo recommends storing Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas in a cool, dry place.
