Who is this choice relevant to?

Sugar-conscious home bakers

You want to decorate Christmas biscuits, cupcakes or wreath biscuits with chocolate sprinkles, so you compare the sugars per 100 g. A product with less sugar than a standard version is not necessarily sugar-free.

Bakers weighing up sweeteners

You’re looking for a low stated sugar figure, but also want to know whether the chocolate sprinkles contain polyols and what usage warnings and allergens appear on the packaging.

Christmas bakers focused on flavour and packaging

You choose chocolate sprinkles mainly as a decorative topping and compare milk and dark varieties, cocoa flavour and pack size. Those preferences don’t automatically lead to a lower-sugar option.

What should you look for when choosing?

When choosing chocolate sprinkles for Christmas baking, first decide what matters most to you: a relative reduction in sugar, the lowest stated sugar figure, the finish or a suitable pack size. Then compare the nutritional information for the exact variety.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important to?
Relatively less sugar Read what the claim compares the product with and check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. If you want to decorate biscuits with less sugar than in a standard comparable product, you can prioritise a relative reduction without expecting a sugar-free option. For around 36% of consumers, this is the most important consideration.
Low sugar figure Compare sugars and polyols per 100 g, and read the usage warning. If the stated sugar figure is your priority for Christmas baking, you’ll also want to know which sweeteners the chocolate sprinkles contain. An estimated 29% of consumers say this is their top priority.
Flavour and decoration Choose between milk and dark; for dark varieties, compare the cocoa content and sugar figure separately. For a decorative topping on Christmas wreath biscuits, the chocolate flavour may matter more than reducing sugar. For around 21% of consumers, this finish comes first.
Packaging and availability Check the amount in each pack and whether the variety you’ve chosen is actually available to order. If you’re decorating lots of bakes, you’ll want to buy a suitable quantity without relying on a variety that can’t be ordered. This is the main concern for an estimated 14% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing ‘less sugar’ with ‘sugar-free’

    According to Albert Heijn, its lower-sugar AH milk and dark chocolate sprinkles still each contain 43 g of sugars per 100 g. The claim compares them with standard AH chocolate sprinkles.

    Read both what the claim is comparing the product with and the ‘of which sugars’ figure on the label.

  • Looking only at the sugar figure

    According to Jumbo’s product information, Céréal Hagelslag Puur contains 40 g of polyols per 100 g as well as 7.7 g of sugars. The packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check the ingredients and usage warning, especially if you’re planning to serve several products containing polyols.

  • Assuming dark chocolate automatically means less sugar

    Jumbo’s product information lists 65 g of sugars per 100 g for Venz Puur and 43 g per 100 g for De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur. So ‘dark’ alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar your chosen chocolate sprinkles contain.

    Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the exact variety; don’t use the cocoa content as a substitute for the sugar figure.

  • Assuming a product listing means it’s available to order

    Jumbo says that its Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker is no longer part of its online range, although the product information is still visible.

    Check that it’s currently available to order before choosing this variety for your baking plans.

Brands compared

Albert Heijn

The lower-sugar AH milk and dark chocolate sprinkles are intended to be compared with their corresponding standard AH varieties.

  • According to Albert Heijn, both varieties contain 30% less sugar than their own reference variety and 43 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • Both still contain sugar; also check the milk and lactose information for these varieties.

Céréal

Céréal Hagelslag Puur is an option to compare if a low stated sugar figure is your main criterion.

  • Jumbo’s product information lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • The same variety contains 40 g of polyols per 100 g and carries a warning about excessive consumption. Also check for soya and possible traces of milk.

De Ruijter

Specials Intens Puur and Kleintjes cater to different preferences for chocolate flavour and individually portioned packs.

  • According to Jumbo’s product information, Specials Intens Puur contains at least 52% cocoa and 43 g of sugars per 100 g. Albert Heijn says Kleintjes contains eight small portions and can be used on cupcakes, among other things.
  • Specials Intens Puur does not automatically carry a ‘less sugar’ claim. Kleintjes contains different varieties, so check the ingredients and allergens for each one.

Venz

Venz Puur is a standard dark chocolate sprinkle option to compare with lower-sugar varieties.

  • Jumbo’s product information lists at least 32% cocoa.
  • The same variety lists 65 g of sugars per 100 g; also check for milk, soya and possible lactose.

Jumbo

Jumbo Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker shows which product information you can compare when looking for a relative reduction in sugar.

  • Jumbo’s product page lists 30% less sugar and 42.6 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • Jumbo also says that this variety is no longer part of its online range. Don’t assume it’s currently available to order.

Lidl en ALDI-huismerken

Lidl and ALDI offer standard dark chocolate sprinkles; Lidl also uses them as decoration in a recipe for Christmas wreath biscuits.

  • ALDI lists Kiekeboe pure hagelslag in a 600 g pack.
  • Before treating these standard varieties as lower-sugar options, check the nutritional information on the exact pack.

Chocolate sprinkles on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are chocolate sprinkles labelled ‘less sugar’ the same as sugar-free chocolate sprinkles?

No. ‘Less sugar’ compares a product with a reference product; it doesn’t mean the product contains no sugar. Albert Heijn lists 43 g of sugars per 100 g for each of its lower-sugar milk and dark chocolate sprinkle varieties, so check the nutritional information as well as the claim.

What should I consider when choosing Céréal Hagelslag Puur?

Weigh up its low stated sugar figure against its ingredients and usage warning. Jumbo’s product information lists 7.7 g of sugars and 40 g of polyols per 100 g, and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

When should you add chocolate sprinkles to Christmas wreath biscuits?

In Lidl’s recipe, the Christmas wreath biscuits are left to cool completely before being decorated with chocolate spread and chocolate sprinkles. You can follow the same order when using chocolate sprinkles as a decorative topping.

Which allergens should you check in these chocolate sprinkles?

Always check the packaging for the exact variety. The lower-sugar AH varieties list milk and lactose; Céréal Hagelslag Puur lists soya and may contain milk. Venz Puur lists milk and soya, and may contain lactose.