Who is this choice relevant to?

Parents who want to identify Fairtrade cocoa

When baking with children, you want to be able to link the Fairtrade label to the chocolate that actually goes in or on your bake, not just to a brand or range.

Families who want to keep the muisjes look

You want to use coloured muisjes as a topping. If Fairtrade matters too, choose a separately labelled chocolate product without suggesting that the label applies to the muisjes.

Bakers who pay attention to allergens and how they bake

If children or guests will be eating your bake, check the packaging of every ingredient you use. When baking, also make sure children don’t taste raw batter or dough, as advised by the Voedingscentrum.

What should you look for when choosing?

Muisjes with separate Fairtrade chocolate

Choose this if: coloured muisjes are part of the recipe and you also want to include a clearly identifiable Fairtrade chocolate element.

Trade-off: the Fairtrade label on the chocolate says nothing about the muisjes themselves.

Chocolate instead of muisjes

Choose this if: the Fairtrade label on the chocolate matters more to you than the distinctive shape and aniseed flavour of muisjes.

Trade-off: chopped chocolate or chocolate sprinkles will change the flavour and appearance of the decoration.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this most important to?
Fairtrade label Check which part of the chosen chocolate product the Fairtrade claim applies to, and read any explanation about mass balance. I want to be able to point out which chocolate ingredient in our bake is labelled as Fairtrade. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers.
Traditional decoration Decide whether the recipe calls for muisjes or whether another type of sprinkles would work too. For a celebratory bake, I want to keep the colour and shape of the muisjes; around 27% of consumers prioritise this look.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current packaging for every topping and type of chocolate. Albert Heijn lists wheat and gluten in De Ruijter blue and white muisjes. If someone eating the bake needs to avoid certain ingredients, I check this before choosing a topping; this is the first consideration for around 19% of consumers.
Baking together Choose a decorating step that doesn’t involve children tasting raw batter or dough, and follow the recipe’s baking instructions. I want children to help without eating raw batter while it’s being mixed. Around 18% of consumers prioritise this way of baking.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing a Fairtrade range with a Fairtrade muisjes product

    A label for a brand, shop or another chocolate product does not automatically apply to the muisjes you use.

    Check the label on the specific product and limit your description to the ingredient it applies to.

  • Treating muisjes and chocolate as the same decoration

    Chocolate can give a recipe a different flavour and appearance from coloured, aniseed-flavoured muisjes.

    If you want both, keep the muisjes as a topping and choose the Fairtrade-labelled chocolate separately.

  • Checking allergens only when serving

    According to Albert Heijn, De Ruijter blue and white muisjes contain wheat and gluten. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses the importance of clear allergen information on labels.

    Read the current ingredient and allergen information for every product you use before buying, and check it again before use.

  • Letting children taste raw batter while baking

    The Voedingscentrum advises against eating raw dough and batter, especially for young children.

    Let children help without eating raw batter, and follow the recipe for baking and decorating.

Relevant brands to consider

De Ruijter

A brand to consider if coloured muisjes are the topping you’re looking for.

  • Albert Heijn lists wheat and gluten in De Ruijter blue and white muisjes.
  • If you want to describe these muisjes as Fairtrade, first check that the specific product carries an explicit label to that effect.

Albert Heijn

A supermarket own-brand option for a chocolate bar that, if it suits the recipe, can be used separately from the muisjes.

  • Albert Heijn states that AH Biologisch Reep extra puur contains 72% cocoa, and that the quantity needed for this product has been traded and checked as Fairtrade.
  • The explanation about mass balance does not mean that the Fairtrade ingredients in every individual bar have been kept physically separate from non-certified ingredients.

Fairtrade Original

A brand offering chocolate sprinkles that can be used as a topping when muisjes aren’t needed.

  • Albert Heijn lists Fairtrade cocoa and sugar in its milk chocolate sprinkles and describes them as a decoration.
  • Albert Heijn marks this product as discontinued; check availability before planning your recipe around it.

Verkade

A brand to consider if a dark chocolate bar would work better than muisjes for your decoration.

  • Albert Heijn lists Verkade Puur chocoladereep as containing 52% cocoa and Fairtrade chocolate.
  • This product information applies to this bar, not automatically to other Verkade products or to muisjes.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products will appear soon.

Frequently asked questions

Can I describe De Ruijter blue and white muisjes as Fairtrade?

Only do so if you can check for an explicit Fairtrade label for this specific product on the current packaging or in the product information. The Albert Heijn information on which this choice is based lists wheat and gluten in these muisjes, but does not confirm their Fairtrade status.

What does mass balance mean for the AH Biologisch extra pure chocolate bar?

For this bar, mass balance refers to a quantity of ingredients purchased as Fairtrade, without requiring the ingredients in every individual bar to remain physically separate. Albert Heijn states that non-certified cane sugar, cocoa and vanilla may be mixed in during production.

Should I check the allergens in both the muisjes and the chocolate?

Yes. Check the current packaging for every product you use, especially if someone with an allergy will be eating it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of allergen information on labels; Albert Heijn lists wheat and gluten in De Ruijter blue and white muisjes.

Can children taste raw batter while baking?

Don’t let children taste raw batter or dough. The Voedingscentrum advises against this, especially for young children, and distinguishes it from cake or biscuits that have been thoroughly baked according to the recipe.