Home bakers making filled oliebollen
You’re looking for loose currants or raisins for the batter and want to know how to prepare them according to your recipe.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Households with different preferences
You want to make oliebollen, but also have the option of choosing a ready-made currant or raisin bun for anyone who would rather have a bread roll.
Shoppers comparing labels
When choosing bread rolls, you look at whether they’re labelled wholemeal, as well as the ingredients and allergens, rather than judging by colour or product name alone.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you need ingredients for oliebollen batter or a bread roll to eat as it is. Then assess the ingredients in any bread rolls separately.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit for the batter | Choose loose dried currants or raisins. Follow your recipe’s instructions for soaking, draining and drying them. | When I make oliebollen, I want fruit that I can mix into the batter according to the recipe. Getting the right fruit for the batter is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Bread roll or ingredient | Check whether you’re buying loose fruit or a ready-made currant or raisin bun. | Not everyone in my household wants to eat the same thing, so a separate bread roll can be a good option alongside homemade oliebollen. Choosing between these product types matters most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | For bread rolls, check the product description and ingredients list; for packaged products, check the allergen information on the packaging. | When choosing a bread roll, I want to know whether it’s wholemeal and which allergens are listed. Ingredients are the main purchasing priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Using a currant bun as the filling for oliebollen
A ready-made currant bun is already-baked bread. The oliebollen recipes from Albert Heijn Allerhande and Jumbo use loose currants and/or raisins in the batter instead.
Buy loose fruit if you want to make filled oliebollen; choose a currant bun when you want a bread roll to eat.
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Adding soaked fruit without draining it
The instructions from Albert Heijn Allerhande and Jumbo say to drain the soaked fruit before adding it to the batter.
Follow your recipe when soaking the fruit, then drain it well. Albert Heijn Allerhande also recommends squeezing it out and patting it dry.
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Assuming a brown bread roll is wholemeal
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread contains a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. So the colour of a bread roll doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal.
Check the exact product description and ingredients. Your choice of bread roll doesn’t determine which filling you need for oliebollen batter.
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Relying only on outdated allergen information online
For packaged products, the information on the label is important when making your choice, especially if you need to avoid a specific allergen.
Check the allergen information on the packaging when you buy the product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergens must be clearly identified in the ingredients list.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells loose currants; Albert Heijn Allerhande also has a recipe for oliebollen with currants and raisins.
- AH Krenten is a 250 g pack of loose currants.
- Check the ingredients on the current packaging before you buy.
Jumbo
The instructions for Jumbo Mix voor Oliebollen Traditioneel describe loose currants and/or raisins as possible fillings.
- The instructions call for 250 g of soaked, well-drained fruit, added to the batter before it rises.
- Check the packaging of the mix you buy for its specific preparation instructions.
PLUS
PLUS describes its reuze krenten-rozijnenbollen as white wheat bread rolls.
- The product description makes it clear that these are ready-made bread rolls.
- They aren’t loose currants or raisins for oliebollen batter. Check the packaging if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.
ALDI
ALDI describes its rozijnen-krentenbollen as soft wheat bread rolls with raisins and currants.
- They’re ready-made bread rolls to eat as they are.
- A ready-made bread roll is no substitute for loose fruit in an oliebollen batter recipe.
Products on Joybuy
For homemade oliebollen, look for loose dried currants and/or raisins to add to the batter. Choose a ready-made currant or raisin bun if you’re after a bread roll to eat as it is, and check the packaging for ingredients and allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mix pieces of currant bun into oliebollen batter instead of using loose currants?
Not as a like-for-like substitute for loose currants or raisins. Albert Heijn Allerhande and Jumbo’s instructions add prepared loose fruit to the batter; a currant bun is already a baked bread product.
Should I soak currants and raisins before making oliebollen?
Follow the recipe or mix instructions you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn Allerhande soaks currants and raisins for 10 minutes, then drains, squeezes and pats them dry; Jumbo calls for soaked, well-drained fruit to be added to the batter before it rises.
How can I check allergens in currant buns or oliebollen mix?
Read the allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens in packaged foods must be clearly identified in the ingredients list. If you have an allergy, don’t rely solely on a product page you looked at earlier.
Will a wholemeal currant bun make my homemade oliebol wholemeal?
No. The description of a ready-made bread roll doesn’t determine the ingredients in your oliebol batter. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread contains a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. Check the ingredients in the batter to find out what type of flour it contains.