If you’re choosing speculaas for a child with coeliac disease, pick a product whose current packaging explicitly says it is gluten-free or carries the Crossed Grain symbol. Check for other allergens and any product-specific warnings, too. When filling and handing out the party bags, keep the gluten-free treat separate from ordinary biscuits to avoid contact with crumbs.
You want to check that the particular biscuit you’ve chosen is gluten-free and make sure it doesn’t come into contact with ordinary biscuits while you’re filling or handing out the bags. The Dutch Coeliac Society also highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination from crumbs.
Alongside gluten, ingredients such as egg, milk, nuts or sesame may be a concern for a child. Ask which allergens need to be avoided, then check the declaration on the packaging of the product you’re actually handing out.
You want the gluten-free treat to be easy to identify and kept separate when other children are having ordinary speculaas. Clear packaging or a separate bag can help prevent mix-ups when handing them out.
First, check the gluten-free wording on the exact pack. Then compare the other allergens and think about how to hand out the biscuit without it coming into contact with ordinary speculaas.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free wording | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging of the variant you’ve chosen. Don’t rely on the product name alone. | If I’m handing out a treat to a child with coeliac disease, I want to be certain which pack is intended for them. For around 50% of consumers, proven suitability for a gluten-free diet comes first. |
| Other allergens | Compare the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements with the allergies that are relevant to the children. Check any product-specific safety warnings, too. | If a child also has another allergy, my choice needs to meet more than just the gluten-free requirement. Around 30% of consumers give this additional allergen check top priority. |
| Keeping treats separate | Plan to use a separate bag or pack and clean utensils; keep the gluten-free biscuit away from crumbs from ordinary biscuits. | When filling several bags, I want to make sure the right biscuit doesn’t get mixed up or touched by crumbs. This concern about handing out the treats matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
A biscuit’s name doesn’t tell you whether it’s gluten-free. For example, Lotus Bakeries lists wheat flour as an ingredient in Lotus Biscoff The Original Speculoos.
For a child with coeliac disease, only choose a suitable variant with current gluten-free wording on the packaging; don’t replace it with ordinary speculaas.
Gluten-free speculaas may also contain allergens or carry a warning that they may be present. So, a gluten-free claim doesn’t answer every question about allergens.
Ask in advance which allergies are relevant, then compare them with the full allergen declaration for the exact variant.
The Dutch Coeliac Society advises that cross-contamination with gluten, for example from crumbs, must be prevented. This remains important even after you’ve chosen a gluten-free biscuit.
Keep the biscuit wrapped for as long as possible, use clean hands and utensils, and put the gluten-free treat in a separate bag.
The safety warning issued by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority on 9 September 2026 concerns AH Glutenvrij Speculaasbrok with a best-before date of 26-3-2027. Almond may not be listed on that product’s label; the warning does not automatically apply to AH Glutenvrij Speculaas or other biscuits.
If someone has an almond allergy, check the full product name and best-before date. Don’t give the named product to anyone with that allergy, and follow the product-specific warning.
These product examples show why you should check both the gluten-free wording and the other allergens on each pack. A brand name alone isn’t enough.
Jumbo describes its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas as a 125 g packaged variant.
Albert Heijn describes AH Glutenvrij Speculaas as a 125 g variant made in a completely gluten-free environment.
Consenza Glutenvrije Speculaasjes, in a 100 g pack, is another brand to consider when checking ingredients and allergens.
Schär Gluten Free Speculoos, in a 100 g pack, is a speculoos variant, not a product with the same name as speculaas.
Lotus Biscoff The Original Speculoos is an ordinary speculoos variant, not a gluten-free alternative for a child with coeliac disease.
It’s the first thing to check when choosing packaged speculaas, but it’s not the only step when preparing a treat. Check the other allergens on the exact pack, too, and prevent contact with ordinary biscuit crumbs while filling and handing out the bags. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of this final precaution.
No, not if the biscuit is for a child who needs to follow a gluten-free diet. Lotus Bakeries lists wheat flour as an ingredient in this variant. Choose a biscuit that is confirmed to be gluten-free and keep ordinary speculoos separate.
Ideally, keep the biscuit wrapped for as long as possible and put it in a separate, clearly identifiable bag. Use clean hands and utensils when filling the bags, and don’t place the gluten-free treat among loose, ordinary biscuits.
Check the best-before date and don’t give AH Glutenvrij Speculaasbrok with a best-before date of 26-3-2027 to anyone with an almond allergy. On 9 September 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority warned that this specific product may contain almonds, even though they may not be listed on the label. Follow the product-specific warning.
Use it to shortlist products, but check the packaging you’ve bought before handing them out. Albert Heijn says that ingredient, nutritional and allergen information can change.
