If you’re hosting someone with coeliac disease, choose a biscuit whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain symbol; ordinary spritz biscuits aren’t automatically suitable. If you’re mainly looking for a dry biscuit that’s easy to share, gluten-free speculaas is one option, although its spiced flavour is different from spritz biscuits. Check for other allergens too, and serve gluten-free biscuits separately from regular ones.
You’re looking for a packaged biscuit with a clear gluten-free label and want to avoid it coming into contact with regular biscuits during your board game night. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol.
You’d rather serve a dry biscuit that’s easy to share than just any other treat. Verkade lists wheat flour in its NoboSprits Melk; for a gluten-free option, you’ll need to choose a different product.
You’re looking for a biscuit to share while also taking other allergens or dietary requirements into account. Check the packaging for each variety: a gluten-free label alone doesn’t tell you whether it contains, for example, milk, egg or soya.
First, make sure the biscuit is suitable for your guest with coeliac disease. Then compare the type of biscuit and the group’s other dietary requirements.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label and serving separately | Check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol. Use a separate plate if you’re also serving regular biscuits. | When I’m hosting someone with coeliac disease, I want to serve a clearly labelled biscuit without it being mixed up with regular ones. This gluten-free option is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Type of biscuit | See whether a dry speculaas or biscuit suits the kind of snack you’re after; a filled cocoa or chocolate chip biscuit has a different flavour profile. | I’m mainly looking for a crunchy biscuit that’s easy to share around the game board, even if it doesn’t taste exactly like a spritz biscuit. For around 33% of consumers, the biscuit itself is the main consideration. |
| Other dietary requirements and quantity | Read the allergen information for your chosen variety and compare the pack weight with the size of your group. | When people at the table have different dietary requirements, I want to know which variety is suitable for each guest and how many biscuits to serve. This is the most important consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Verkade says that its NoboSprits Melk contains wheat flour and may contain other gluten-containing grains. A biscuit’s appearance doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for a gluten-free plate.
Choose a separately packaged alternative that’s explicitly labelled gluten-free, and keep the packaging nearby when serving it.
A gluten-free biscuit may still contain ingredients that matter to another guest. For example, the PLUS varieties reviewed have different allergen information.
Ask which other ingredients need to be avoided, and check the allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying.
Information in an online listing may differ from the packaging you end up with. This is especially important when you’re checking for a gluten-free label or other allergens.
Check the physical packaging before serving. If you can’t confirm that the biscuit is suitable, don’t serve it as a gluten-free option.
These brands offer a starting point for comparing types of biscuits; a brand name is never a substitute for checking the packaging of the product you choose.
The gluten-free speculaas in this own-brand range is an option if you’re looking for a dry, easy-to-share biscuit instead of a spritz biscuit.
PLUS offers gluten-free double cookies and chocolate chip cookies for groups who’d rather share a chocolatey biscuit.
Verkade is both the reference point for spritz biscuits and the brand behind Glutenvrije Oaties naturel, listed in Albert Heijn’s biscuit range.
Jumbo lists Céréal chocolate biscuits that are both gluten-free and lactose-free.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free biscuit range includes speculaas and other types of biscuits.
Not if you’re judging by appearance alone. Verkade lists wheat flour in NoboSprits Melk; if you’re hosting someone with coeliac disease, choose a biscuit whose current packaging explicitly says gluten-free or carries the Crossed Grain symbol.
Don’t rely solely on an ingredients list or online product title. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, so check the packaging of the biscuit you’re actually serving.
Serve the gluten-free biscuits on their own plate and use separate tongs if there are regular biscuits on the table too. Make sure crumbs or shared serving utensils don’t cause the biscuits to come into contact with each other.
No, you can’t assume that from a gluten-free label. Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging for each variety you choose, especially if your guests need to avoid something other than gluten too.
A dry, easy-to-share gluten-free biscuit such as speculaas can play the same role on the snack table, but its spices give it a different flavour from spritz biscuits. If you’d prefer a cocoa or chocolate chip biscuit, the flavour profile will be different again; either way, checking the gluten-free label on the packaging comes first.
