Which considerations matter to you?

For tea drinkers keeping an eye on sugar

You’re looking for a speculaas-style biscuit to enjoy with your tea, and mainly compare the stated sugars per 100 g. If you choose a sweetener-based variety, check the ingredients and warnings too.

For fans of traditional bakers’ speculaas

You want a larger pack of traditional speculaas for visitors or your biscuit tin. It’s important not to assume that traditional speculaas is automatically a lower-sugar choice.

For shoppers who need to check ingredients

Before buying, you check whether any allergens or polyols present are a concern for you. A low ‘of which sugars’ value doesn’t remove the need to check.

What should you look for when choosing?

When choosing speculaas or speculoos to enjoy with your tea, start with what matters most to you: fewer stated sugars, a traditional biscuit for your tin, or ingredients that suit your needs.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Stated sugars Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and read the precise sugar claim, so different serving sizes don’t skew the comparison. I want a biscuit with my tea and my first priority is to choose one with as few stated sugars as possible, even if I then need to check the ingredients. This is the top buying priority for around 50% of consumers.
Traditional speculaas Check the type of biscuit and pack size, then compare the sugar content per 100 g with a lower-sugar alternative. When I’m putting biscuits out for visitors, I prefer familiar bakers’ speculaas to a reduced-sugar option. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this preference.
Ingredients Check the current pack for allergens and sweeteners, including any warnings. I first need to know whether any allergens or maltitols present are a concern for me; the sugar content alone doesn’t determine my choice. Suitable ingredients come first for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Taking a shelf label as an exact sugar claim

    ‘Sugar-conscious’, ‘low sugar’ and ‘no added sugars’ don’t mean the same thing. A shelf label won’t tell you how much sugar a biscuit contains per 100 g.

    Read the exact wording on the pack and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutrition information per 100 g.

  • Looking only at the sugar content

    According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces, sugar-free, contains almonds, wheat, soya, egg, barley and milk, among other ingredients. The biscuit contains maltitols; the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check the current ingredients, allergens and warnings before choosing a biscuit based on its sugar content.

  • Assuming a large pack is a lower-sugar alternative

    A pack of traditional bakers’ speculaas meets a different need from a biscuit with a low stated sugar content. Jumbo lists 29 g of sugars per 100 g for its Bakers’ Speculaas, while Albert Heijn lists 33 g per 100 g for AH Bakers’ speculaas.

    First decide whether less sugar is your main priority, then compare products of the type you want per 100 g.

Brands and own-label options at a glance

Céréal

Céréal makes a speculoos biscuit with almond pieces, marketed as ‘sugar-free’ and intended to be enjoyed with coffee or tea.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0.4 g of sugars per 100 g for this biscuit.
  • The biscuit contains maltitols and ingredients including almonds, wheat, soya, egg, barley and milk. Read the warning about excessive consumption too.

Albert Heijn

Alongside the Céréal biscuit, Albert Heijn lists its own bakers’ speculaas as a traditional option.

  • AH Bakers’ speculaas is available in a 600 g pack.
  • Albert Heijn lists 33 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Bakers’ speculaas; don’t treat it as a lower-sugar alternative.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists both traditional Bakers’ Speculaas and the Céréal biscuit with speculoos flavour and almond pieces.

  • Jumbo Bakers’ Speculaas is listed in a 600 g pack.
  • Jumbo lists 29 g of sugars per 100 g for this traditional speculaas. Check the ingredients and warnings separately for the Céréal variety.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Bakeries describes its Biscoff biscuit as crunchy and caramelised; Albert Heijn also lists a vanilla sandwich variety.

  • These are familiar options for shoppers choosing by biscuit type and flavour.
  • If you’re looking for a lower-sugar option, don’t rely on the brand name: check the claim and nutrition information on the specific pack.

Biscotto (ALDI)

ALDI lists Biscotto Bakers’ speculaas as a traditional speculaas.

  • ALDI lists a 600 g pack containing 48 biscuits.
  • If you’re choosing based on sugar content, check the nutrition information per 100 g on the pack rather than assuming a sugar level from the type of biscuit.

Lidl

Lidl describes its bakers’ speculaas as crisp speculaas biscuits.

  • The listed pack contains 600 g of speculaas.
  • To choose based on sugar content, you’ll need the nutrition information from the current pack.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products will appear here soon.

Frequently asked questions

Do ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugars’ mean the same thing?

No. ‘Sugar-free’ refers to the amount of sugars present; ‘no added sugars’ refers to what has been added to the product and doesn’t rule out sugars that occur naturally. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between these claims. For your comparison, also check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g.

Is a sugar-free speculoos biscuit also low in calories?

The claim ‘sugar-free’ doesn’t tell you that. Albert Heijn lists 0.4 g of sugars and 404 kcal per 100 g for Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces, sugar-free. Compare the energy and nutritional values separately if they matter to your choice.

Is the Céréal speculoos biscuit suitable if you have an almond or wheat allergy?

Not if you need to avoid the relevant allergen: according to Albert Heijn’s product information, this biscuit contains almonds and wheat. Other allergens are also listed, including soya, egg and milk. Always read the allergen information on the current pack before buying.

How should you store speculaas after opening?

Follow the storage instructions on the pack you’ve bought. For AH Bakers’ speculaas, a sealed biscuit tin is recommended after opening; the Céréal biscuit should be stored in a dry place at room temperature.