If you have coeliac disease, choose speculaas for your weekend breakfast that is explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, the Crossed Grain trademark also offers reassurance about the production process. Check the ingredients and allergen warnings too, for everyone sharing breakfast with you.
A familiar speculaas flavour tells you nothing about whether a product contains gluten. Check the gluten-free label on the packaging; for example, the Dutch product information for Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos lists wheat flour.
Gluten-free speculaas may contain other allergens too. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists egg in their gluten-free varieties, as well as warnings about the possible presence of other allergens. So read the label on the pack you’re serving.
Baking at home lets you choose the ingredients, but you’ll need to check each one carefully. For example, Albert Heijn’s recipe for gluten-free gevulde speculaas warns that not all almonds are necessarily gluten-free.
First, check that the speculaas is labelled gluten-free for the person with coeliac disease. Then look for other allergens and decide whether a ready-made pack or baking from scratch best suits your breakfast plans.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging and check whether the specific product carries the Crossed Grain trademark. | If I’m serving speculaas to someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to judge its suitability by the name or flavour. Around 50% of consumers put this gluten-free check first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and any statements on the pack about allergens that are present or may be present. | When other food allergies are involved, the same biscuit needs to be suitable for everyone. Around 30% of consumers put this additional allergen check first. |
| Breakfast plans | Choose between a ready-made pack and baking from scratch. If you’re baking, check each individual ingredient too and allow time for preparation. | Do I want to serve something straight away on the morning, or do I have time to bake in advance? This practical choice matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
The name and flavour don’t tell you which ingredients are used. Lotus Bakeries Netherlands lists wheat flour for Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos.
Use the gluten-free label on the current packaging as your first selection criterion, even when you recognise the brand.
A gluten-free variety may contain egg or carry warnings about allergens such as nuts, milk, sesame or lupin. The label is important if more than one food allergy is involved.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack for everyone having breakfast.
Albert Heijn says that ingredient and allergen information can change. A product page you viewed previously is no substitute for checking the label on the pack you buy.
Check the current packaging before serving the speculaas, especially if you’re buying it for guests.
Decorations and other individual ingredients need checking too. In its recipe for gluten-free gevulde speculaas, Albert Heijn specifically warns you to take care when choosing almonds.
Check every ingredient individually and avoid contact with gluten-containing crumbs and used kitchen utensils while preparing the speculaas.
Compare specific varieties of speculaas, not just the brands: gluten-free labels and allergens vary from product to product.
Albert Heijn lists a gluten-free speculaas in a 125 g pack.
Jumbo lists a 125 g gluten-free speculaas carrying the Crossed Grain trademark.
Jumbo’s product page describes Consenza Gluten-free Speculaas Biscuits in a 100 g pack.
Jumbo describes Schär Gluten Free Speculoos as a separate 100 g speculoos variety.
Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos is a standard speculoos variety, not an alternative for a strictly gluten-free weekend breakfast.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the label on the current packaging of the speculaas you want to buy.
Yes. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, products carrying this trademark have been assessed for both their ingredients and production process. The trademark doesn’t replace checks for other allergens, such as egg or nuts.
Take that warning into account when choosing a product for someone with coeliac disease. The Dutch Coeliac Society says that ‘may contain cereals containing gluten’ carries the same warning as ‘not suitable for people with coeliac disease’.
No. Lotus Bakeries’ Dutch product information lists wheat flour and states that gluten is present in Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos. For someone with coeliac disease, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free on its current packaging.
Check the gluten-free label not only on the flour, but also on decorations and all other ingredients. Albert Heijn’s recipe for gluten-free gevulde speculaas specifically warns that your choice of almonds matters. Also avoid contact with gluten-containing crumbs while baking.
