Who is this relevant to?

Sunday breakfast fans with coeliac disease

You want to serve speculaas at Sunday breakfast and need to know whether that particular variety is labelled gluten-free. Check the label, even if the product name or flavour is familiar.

Breakfast fans looking for something ready-made

You don’t want to bake and are looking for a speculaas biscuit to serve straight away at breakfast. Albert Heijn and Jumbo each list a 125 g gluten-free variety.

Home bakers with other allergen requirements

You want to choose your own ingredients, perhaps because you need to avoid eggs, milk or nuts as well as gluten. When baking, check each ingredient’s current packaging and prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen.

What should you look for when choosing?

If you have coeliac disease, first check that the packaging says ‘gluten-free’. Then decide whether you want a ready-made biscuit or to bake your own, and consider which other ingredients matter for your breakfast.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free labelling Check that the packaging for the variety you’ve chosen says ‘gluten-free’, and read the ingredients and allergen information. If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to assume a biscuit is suitable just because it tastes like speculaas. Around 45% of consumers would put checking that a product is demonstrably gluten-free first.
Ready-made or homemade Choose between a packaged biscuit and baking your own; if you bake, check that every ingredient you use is labelled gluten-free. On a busy Sunday morning, I want to be able to serve a suitable biscuit without having to bake first. Convenience would come first for around 36% of consumers.
Other allergens and portion size Read the allergen information and compare the nutritional information per 100 g with the portion you plan to serve. I may need to consider ingredients other than gluten, and I want to decide what role speculaas will play in my breakfast. These considerations would be the main priority for around 19% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming regular speculaas is gluten-free

    Lotus Bakeries’ Dutch product specification lists wheat flour in Lotus Biscoff and identifies gluten as an allergen. The familiar taste doesn’t make these regular biscuits a suitable gluten-free alternative.

    If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, look for the words ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging of the exact variety you’re purchasing.

  • Reading only the online product page

    Albert Heijn warns that ingredient and allergen information can change. So even if you’re buying a product again, its packaging may contain information that affects your choice.

    Before serving, check the gluten-free labelling, ingredients and allergens on the packet again.

  • Assuming gluten-free means free from other allergens

    According to Albert Heijn, AH Glutenvrij Speculaas contains egg and may contain sesame and nuts. Jumbo lists egg in Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas and notes that it may also contain milk, nuts, lupin, sesame and gluten-free oats.

    Check all the allergens relevant to your breakfast guests; a gluten-free label doesn’t automatically tell you about these.

  • Mistaking the nutritional information per 100 g for a serving

    Albert Heijn lists 430 kcal and 27 g of sugars per 100 g for its variety; Jumbo lists 433 kcal and 26.9 g of sugars per 100 g. These figures are per 100 g, not necessarily per biscuit.

    Consider how much you’ll actually serve when deciding what place speculaas will have in your breakfast.

Brands to consider

AH Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Speculaas as a ready-to-eat biscuit in a 125 g pack.

  • The product information describes this variety as gluten-free and lactose-free, and says it is made in a completely gluten-free environment.
  • The biscuit contains egg and may contain sesame and nuts. Check the current packaging, as product information can change.

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten

Jumbo lists a ready-to-eat 125 g gluten-free speculaas variety in its Lekker Vrij van Gluten range.

  • Jumbo displays the crossed-grain symbol for this variety.
  • The product contains egg; Jumbo also notes that it may contain milk, nuts, lupin, sesame and gluten-free oats.

Consenza

Consenza has a gluten-free speculaas biscuit variety listed on a Jumbo product page.

  • The product variety listed is labelled gluten-free.
  • Jumbo no longer offers this variety on that product page. If you buy it from another retailer, check the current product and packaging.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff is regular speculoos, so it isn’t a gluten-free breakfast option for people with coeliac disease.

  • Lotus Bakeries’ Dutch product specification lists wheat flour and identifies gluten as an allergen.

Lidl en Aldi huismerken

Lidl lists Bakkers speculaas; Aldi lists Sam Speculoos Pasta. Speculoos spread is a different product from speculaas biscuits.

  • If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, don’t rely on the product category or retailer name. Check whether the packaging for each specific variety says it is gluten-free.

Joybuy products related to this topic

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is regular Lotus Biscoff suitable for people with coeliac disease?

No. The regular Lotus Biscoff listed in the Dutch product specification isn’t a gluten-free option: Lotus Bakeries lists wheat flour as an ingredient and identifies gluten as an allergen. Always check the labelling for the specific variety of any other speculaas.

What does ‘gluten-free’ mean on packaged food?

Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, food labelled ‘gluten-free’ may contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the finished product. When buying speculaas, check that this wording appears on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen.

Do I need the crossed-grain symbol as well as a ‘gluten-free’ label?

The symbol isn’t required to use the ‘gluten-free’ label under EU rules, but it can help you identify a suitable variety. Jumbo displays it on Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas. Also read the ingredients and other allergen information on the packaging.

Can I bake gluten-free speculaas myself?

Yes, provided all the ingredients you choose are suitable and you prevent cross-contamination from gluten-containing ingredients and kitchen utensils. Jumbo publishes a recipe using teff flour and gluten-free baking powder; even when following a recipe, check the current packaging for every ingredient.

How should I store gluten-free speculaas?

The Albert Heijn and Jumbo product pages recommend storing their speculaas in a cool, dry place. For the variety you buy, follow the use-by date and storage instructions on the packaging.