Home bakers making their own kruidnoten
You want to know whether biscuits belong in the dough. Albert Heijn Allerhande’s kruidnoten recipe uses separate dough ingredients; choose a pack of speculaas only as an extra to serve on the side.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Families sharing biscuits
You’re looking for enough biscuits to enjoy during or after baking. Jumbo and ALDI Nederland both list a 600 g pack of speculaas; decide whether you need a pack that size based on how many people you’re serving.
Shoppers with allergy requirements
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack you’re buying. For example, Jumbo’s 125 g gluten-free speculaas lists egg and possible traces of almonds and hazelnuts.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re making kruidnoten dough or looking for biscuits to serve on the side. Then choose a pack size to suit your serving or decorating plans, and check the label before buying if you have allergy requirements.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Dough or biscuits to serve | Compare the ingredients in your chosen recipe with your shopping list. Albert Heijn Allerhande’s kruidnoten recipe uses ingredients including butter, sugar, speculaas spices and self-raising flour. | If I want to bake kruidnoten myself, I don’t want to get home with only ready-made biscuits. Around 40% of consumers prioritise the dough ingredients. |
| How much to share | Compare the weight and, where listed, the number of biscuits or servings. ALDI Nederland lists 48 biscuits for Biscotto Bakkersspeculaas 600 g; Jumbo lists approximately 48 servings for its 600 g pack. | When I have guests, I want to put enough biscuits on the table without having to guess how many there are. For around 30% of consumers, being able to share is the main reason for choosing a larger pack. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warning about possible traces. A gluten-free label says nothing about other allergens. | If someone needs to avoid an allergen, I need to know whether these particular biscuits are suitable; pack size comes second. This is the main priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Smaller portions | Consider whether you want to open a whole pack or prefer a divided format, such as the Lotus Biscoff pack shown by Jumbo: 2P x 10. | If I only want a few biscuits alongside the baked treats, I don’t want to fill a large biscuit tin straight away. Around 10% of consumers prefer a smaller portion that’s easy to share. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a family pack is kruidnoten dough
Ready-made speculaas gives you biscuits to serve on the side, but it doesn’t contain the ingredients you need to shape and bake kruidnoten.
Choose a kruidnoten recipe first and buy the ingredients for the dough. Only add speculaas to your basket as biscuits to serve or as an extra topping.
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Treating pepernoten and kruidnoten as the same bake
The names are often used interchangeably, but pepernoten and kruidnoten differ in texture and flavour. Using the wrong recipe can therefore give you a different result from the one you had in mind.
Decide which of the two you want to make before you shop, then choose the right recipe.
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Relying only on the gluten-free label
Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from all allergens. For example, Jumbo’s 125 g gluten-free speculaas lists egg and possible traces of almonds and hazelnuts.
Read the full ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re buying, even if the front carries a label that seems suitable.
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Choosing a large pack without working out how much you need
A 600 g pack gives you a different quantity of biscuits to serve than a 250 g pack. If you only need a small amount for decoration, you could end up with more biscuits than you intended to use.
Work out how many people will be eating and whether you’ll serve the biscuits whole or crumble them, then compare pack sizes.
Brands to consider
Jumbo
The range includes Jumbo Bakkers Speculaas 600 g and a separate 125 g gluten-free speculaas.
- Jumbo lists approximately 48 servings for its 600 g pack of Bakkers Speculaas.
- The gluten-free version is a different product and lists egg and possible traces of almonds and hazelnuts. Check the label on the version you choose.
Biscotto (ALDI)
ALDI Nederland lists Biscotto Bakkersspeculaas in a 600 g pack.
- The product information lists 48 biscuits per pack, which can help when planning for a group.
- Check whether this pack is available where you do your shopping before you buy.
AH
Albert Heijn includes AH Bakkers speculaas 600 g in its speculaas range.
- The pack size is a useful guide if you’re looking for a larger pack of biscuits to serve.
- Check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific product’s packaging.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Biscoff speculoos comes in different pack sizes, including a 375 g mega pack at Albert Heijn and a divided 2P x 10 pack at Jumbo.
- You can choose a pack size to suit a biscuit tin or individually portioned biscuits.
- Speculoos is a biscuit to serve on the side; it doesn’t replace the ingredients for kruidnoten dough.
Sondey (Lidl)
Lidl describes Sondey as a brand of biscuits and cookies.
- The range includes different types of biscuits and cookies.
- Choose a specific pack only once you’ve checked that the type of biscuit, pack size and label information suit your baking session.
Biscuits for your baking session on Joybuy
These speculaas and speculoos products are intended to be served alongside homemade kruidnoten or used as an extra topping. You’ll need to buy the ingredients for your kruidnoten dough separately.
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g'woon Bakers Speculaas 600 g
A 600 g pack of speculaas to share at your baking session; don’t use these biscuits as a substitute for kruidnoten dough.
If you have allergy requirements, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
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De Ruiter Bakers Speculaas 450 g
For anyone who wants to serve speculaas alongside their bake and thinks a 450 g pack is the right size for their group.
These biscuits aren’t a substitute for kruidnoten dough; if you have allergy requirements, check the current label.
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Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Cookie 250 g
A 250 g pack of speculoos to serve alongside kruidnoten, if you’d prefer to buy less than the larger packs in this selection.
Check that the quantity is enough for the number of people you’re serving and read the label if you have allergy requirements.
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Bolletje Ball of Shaking Bellies Speculaas 300 g
A 300 g pack of speculaas to enjoy as an extra at your baking session; decide whether this size suits what you want to serve.
It isn’t a substitute for kruidnoten dough. If you have allergy requirements, check the current label.
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g'woon Sprinkled Speculaas 300 g
A 300 g pack of speculaas to consider as an extra for your baking session, rather than as the base for kruidnoten.
Check the packaging to see whether the shape of the biscuits suits the decoration you have in mind, and check for allergens if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bake kruidnoten using a family pack of speculaas?
No, speculaas isn’t a substitute for the dough. Albert Heijn Allerhande’s kruidnoten recipe uses ingredients including butter, dark brown sugar, speculaas spices and self-raising flour. Buy speculaas only as biscuits to serve on the side or as an extra topping.
Are pepernoten and kruidnoten the same?
No. Albert Heijn Allerhande describes pepernoten as softer and more irregular in shape, while kruidnoten are smaller, round and crunchy. So choose a recipe for the bake you want to make, even if you hear the names used interchangeably in everyday conversation.
Is gluten-free speculaas free from other allergens too?
Not necessarily. Jumbo’s 125 g gluten-free speculaas lists egg and possible traces of almonds and hazelnuts. Read the full allergen information on the pack you’re buying.
What should I check on the biscuit packaging?
Check the ingredients, allergens, best-before date and storage instructions for the product you choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of allergen information on the labels of prepacked foods. If this information matters to your choice, check the packaging itself.