Anyone who wants to keep the traditional new-baby treat recognisable
You want to serve Dutch rusks with aniseed sprinkles and are considering adding a small biscuit on the side, perhaps to go with coffee. The rusks remain the base for the sprinkles.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Anyone who wants to hand out small portions
You’re looking for an individual biscuit rather than a large portion of speculoos. Don’t just look at the pack size: for example, Albert Heijn lists a 9 g serving for AH Mini Speculaasjes, but that doesn’t tell you how many biscuits to give each guest.
Anyone keeping an eye on allergens for their guests
You want to be able to check the ingredients and allergens in your chosen product before serving it. For the products discussed here, wheat, milk and soya are among the relevant allergens; it’s also worth checking for warnings about possible traces.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to serve Dutch rusks with aniseed sprinkles or find a separate biscuit to go with them. Then choose a size that suits the way you’ll be handing them out, and check the label on the product you actually buy.
| What to consider | What to look for | Especially relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| The traditional treat | Choose rusks and butter if you want the sprinkles to stay on top; you can serve a biscuit separately if you like. | I want guests to recognise the treat straight away as Dutch rusks with aniseed sprinkles, with the sprinkles on the rusks. For around 36% of consumers, this traditional presentation matters most. |
| A small portion | Check how many biscuits there are in each portion you plan to hand out; a stated serving size doesn’t automatically mean one biscuit. | If I want to give everyone a small biscuit, I want to know in advance how many I’ll be handing out. Around 29% of consumers prioritise a predictable biscuit portion. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings on the packaging of your chosen product. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to choose their treat based on the current label. For around 21% of consumers, checking this is their top priority. |
| Availability | Check the shop’s stock or the product’s ordering status just before you buy, making sure it’s the exact product you want. | If I’m visiting a new baby at short notice, I want to be able to buy what I plan to serve. For around 14% of consumers, immediate availability is the deciding factor. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming mini speculoos biscuits are an obvious substitute for rusks
With Dutch rusks and aniseed sprinkles, the sprinkles sit on top of the buttered rusk. A speculoos biscuit changes both the flavour and the way you serve the treat.
If you want to serve the classic version, use a rusk as the base and offer mini speculoos biscuits separately if you like.
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Relying on the product name alone when checking allergens
Recipes vary between products. Albert Heijn lists wheat and milk, and possible traces of soya and almond, for AH Mini Speculaasjes; Lotus Biscoff lists wheat and soya.
Check the current packaging of the product you’ve bought. If someone has an allergy, check which ingredients and warnings are relevant to them.
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Assuming a product page means the item is currently in stock
Jumbo lists its Mini Speculaasjes as no longer part of its online range; ALDI’s product page says its mini butter speculoos biscuits are unavailable. So, a product description being visible doesn’t mean you can order the product.
Check the order status shortly before the occasion, and make sure you have rusks if you want to serve them with aniseed sprinkles.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Albert Heijn
AH Mini Speculaasjes are butter speculoos biscuits in a 125 g pack, intended to be served as an individual biscuit alongside the rusk.
- Albert Heijn lists a 9 g serving and provides product information about ingredients and allergens.
- The product contains wheat and milk, among other ingredients. Albert Heijn says product information can change, so check the packaging.
Jumbo
Jumbo Mini Speculaasjes 125 g gives you an example of the type of mini butter speculoos biscuit you can compare, but it isn’t currently available to order online from the relevant Jumbo product page.
- The product description includes information about ingredients, allergens and storage.
- Jumbo says this product is no longer part of its online range.
Lotus Biscoff
The Original Speculoos Pocket Pack contains 8 packs of 2 biscuits each. It’s a pre-portioned treat to serve on the side, not a single mini speculoos biscuit.
- The number of biscuits in each pack is clear.
- Two biscuits per pack may not suit you if you want to give everyone exactly one biscuit. Lotus Bakeries lists wheat and soya for classic Lotus Biscoff.
ALDI
ALDI has listed mini butter speculoos biscuits with flaked almonds as a product type.
- The product description makes it clear that these are butter biscuits with almonds.
- The relevant ALDI page says the product is unavailable. For any alternative, check the ingredients and allergens on its own packaging.
Speculoos biscuits as an extra treat
This speculoos biscuit is intended as a separate extra to serve with Dutch rusks and aniseed sprinkles. Use rusks if you want to serve the sprinkles in the traditional way.
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Hellema Smoeltjes speculoos biscuits, 8 pcs, 200 g
A speculoos biscuit to serve separately alongside the rusk. The product name lists 8 pcs and 200 g; check the packaging if you want to give each guest exactly one biscuit.
Before serving, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Can mini speculoos biscuits replace Dutch rusks with aniseed sprinkles?
Not if you want to serve the classic treat: for that, use Dutch rusks with butter and aniseed sprinkles. You can offer a mini speculoos biscuit separately, but putting the sprinkles on a speculoos biscuit would make it a different variation.
What size is handy if I want to hand out small portions?
Look at how many biscuits you want to give each guest, not just the total pack weight. Albert Heijn lists a 9 g serving for AH Mini Speculaasjes; Lotus Biscoff Pocket Pack contains two biscuits in each individual pack.
Should I still read the label if I’ve checked the allergens online?
Yes, check the packaging of the product you’re serving. Ingredients and warnings can vary between products, and product information can change. Look for both allergens that are present and warnings about possible traces.
How should I store mini speculoos biscuits until my visit to the new baby?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of your chosen biscuits. Albert Heijn recommends storing AH Mini Speculaasjes in a cool, dry place; Jumbo’s advice for its Mini Speculaasjes was to store them in a cool, dry, dark place.