Choose crushed muisjes if you want the aniseed flavour and look of these sprinkles on your oliebollen. If you’d rather use Fairtrade chocolate, chocolate sprinkles explicitly labelled Fairtrade or finely chopped Fairtrade chocolate are a better fit: the ingredients listed by Albert Heijn for De Ruijter blue and white muisjes contain no cocoa. Always check the current packaging for the exact certification label and allergen information.
If you’re after the flavour and look of muisjes, crushed muisjes make a different topping from chocolate sprinkles. PLUS uses them with orange zest in an oliebol recipe; according to the ingredients list at Albert Heijn, De Ruijter blue and white muisjes contain aniseed.
If you want your chocolate topping to carry an explicit Fairtrade label, check the specific product. Albert Heijn lists Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles as Fairtrade; PLUS lists its milk chocolate sprinkles as containing Fairtrade Cacao.
Wheat and milk can be important when choosing a topping. The ingredients list at Albert Heijn names wheat starch in the De Ruijter muisjes mentioned here; PLUS milk chocolate sprinkles contain milk and lactose, while Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk. Read the statement on the packaging of the product you buy.
First decide whether aniseed flavour or Fairtrade chocolate matters most to you. Then compare the ingredients and choose the form of topping you’d like to use.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade chocolate | Check that the chocolate product you choose carries an explicit Fairtrade label; a different cocoa certification does not mean the same thing. | If I want to sprinkle chocolate on my oliebollen, I want to be able to see on the product whether it is labelled Fairtrade. This would be the top purchasing priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Aniseed flavour | Compare the ingredients in different muisjes and consider whether you want to use them crushed, as in PLUS’s oliebol recipe. | I want to keep the aniseed flavour of muisjes in my oliebollen, even if that rules out chocolate. This would be the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on each pack; for these options, pay particular attention to wheat and milk. | If I need to avoid wheat or milk, I want to know what’s in my chosen topping before using it. Checking the ingredients would be the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Type of topping | Chocolate sprinkles are ready to use; if you want larger chocolate pieces, you’ll need to chop a bar first. | I want to be able to sprinkle the topping on quickly, or I don’t mind chopping it if I want larger pieces. Ease of use and texture would matter most to around 10% of consumers. |
According to the ingredients list at Albert Heijn, De Ruijter blue and white muisjes contain sugar, aniseed and wheat starch, among other ingredients, but no cocoa. So they won’t give you the Fairtrade chocolate you may be looking for.
Choose muisjes for an aniseed flavour; if you want Fairtrade chocolate, look for a chocolate product labelled as such.
A cocoa certification does not automatically mean a product is labelled Fairtrade. Jumbo lists Rainforest Alliance Certified for its dark chocolate sprinkles, while Fairtrade Original and PLUS present the chocolate sprinkle products mentioned here with a Fairtrade label.
If Fairtrade is a condition of your purchase, check the exact label on the product.
Ingredients still matter, even in a small topping: the muisjes mentioned here contain wheat starch, PLUS milk chocolate sprinkles contain milk and lactose, and Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk.
Check the current packaging for your chosen variety before buying and using it.
Chocolate can soften or melt on a warm oliebol. You’ll also need to chop a chocolate bar first if you want to sprinkle pieces over the top.
If you want the pieces to stay clearly visible, add the chocolate after frying, once the oliebol has cooled a little.
Muisjes for anyone looking for an aniseed flavour and the distinctive look of these sprinkles on oliebollen.
Dark chocolate sprinkles for anyone looking for a ready-to-use chocolate topping with a Fairtrade label.
Milk chocolate sprinkles for anyone looking for a ready-to-use chocolate topping labelled Fairtrade Cacao.
Chocolate bars for anyone who wants to chop their own pieces to sprinkle over oliebollen.
Chocolate bars that could make a topping if you’d rather chop your own pieces.
Not according to the ingredients list at Albert Heijn for De Ruijter blue and white muisjes: it lists aniseed, sugar and wheat starch, but no cocoa. If you’re specifically looking for Fairtrade chocolate, check the label on a chocolate product; don’t assume it from the word muisjes.
In a recipe from PLUS, two tablespoons of crushed muisjes replace the sugar in the basic recipe. Follow the quantities in the recipe you’re using; this is for an aniseed flavour, not as a Fairtrade chocolate topping.
Choose chocolate sprinkles if you want a topping that’s ready to use; choose a bar labelled Fairtrade if you’d rather chop it into larger pieces yourself. Add the chocolate after frying and let the oliebol cool a little if you want the pieces to stay visible.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for every variety you choose. The ingredients list at Albert Heijn names wheat starch in De Ruijter blue and white muisjes; the PLUS milk chocolate sprinkles mentioned contain milk and lactose, and Fairtrade Original dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk.
No. If Fairtrade is a condition of your purchase, look for an explicit Fairtrade label. For example, Jumbo lists Rainforest Alliance Certified for its dark chocolate sprinkles; this is not the same label as Fairtrade.
