If you want to make oliebollen at home, choose an oliebollen mix or the ingredients for an oliebollen recipe – not a biscuit to use instead of the batter. A small pack of biscuits is better suited to a separate snack. Whichever you choose, check the portion size and the allergens listed on the packaging.
To make oliebollen at home, you need a suitable batter. Albert Heijn Allerhande uses ingredients including flour and yeast in an oliebollen recipe, while Albert Heijn’s Homemade Oliebollenmix is specifically designed for making oliebollen.
A biscuit to enjoy alongside your oliebollen is different from an ingredient for the batter. Lotus Bakeries presents Biscoff as a biscuit for snacking or enjoying with coffee, and offers a Pocket Pack with 8 portions of 2 biscuits.
Whether you’re choosing biscuits or an oliebollen mix, always check the exact packaging. Albert Heijn lists wheat and soya among the allergens in Lotus Biscoff; the oliebollen mix described also contains wheat. Check the allergen information for all the ingredients you use.
First decide whether you want to make oliebollen or enjoy a biscuit on its own. Then compare the quantity and ingredients of products suited to your plans.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| A suitable batter base | Choose a product labelled as oliebollen mix or follow a complete oliebollen recipe. Check which ingredients and steps are needed. | If I want to make oliebollen, I need a batter that suits my recipe, not a ready-to-eat biscuit. For around 50% of consumers, finding a suitable batter base is the top priority. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredient and allergen information on the packaging you choose, as well as that of any additional ingredients. | If I’m baking for someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in the biscuit or batter. For around 25% of consumers, checking this is the top priority. |
| Portion size | Compare the number of biscuits per portion with the quantity of oliebollen made by a mix or recipe. | If I only want a small snack alongside my oliebollen, a portion of biscuits suits my plans better than making a whole batch. For around 25% of consumers, a small snack portion is the most important consideration. |
The oliebollen recipes from Albert Heijn Allerhande and the oliebollen mix described use flour and yeast. Lotus Bakeries presents Biscoff as a biscuit and also mentions it as a possible kitchen ingredient, but not as a replacement for oliebollen batter.
For baking, choose an oliebollen mix or follow a complete recipe. If you want to include biscuits in your own variation, treat it as a recipe idea, not a tried-and-tested replacement for the batter.
Oliebollen mix and different biscuits can contain different allergens. Albert Heijn lists wheat and soya in Lotus Biscoff; Jumbo lists allergens including barley, milk, soya and wheat in Disco Biscuit.
Before baking or serving, check the allergen information on the packaging of the exact product you’re using, especially if you’re sharing your food with others.
Instructions vary: Albert Heijn Allerhande gives a temperature of 180 °C in an oliebollen recipe, the Homemade Oliebollenmix described gives 190 °C, and Voedingscentrum recommends a maximum of 175 °C for deep-frying.
So don’t treat a recipe temperature as a general safety guideline. Check the safety instructions for your deep-fat fryer too, and, as Voedingscentrum advises, fill the pan no more than halfway with oil.
Lotus Bakeries presents Biscoff as a biscuit to enjoy between meals, with coffee or as a possible ingredient in the kitchen.
Albert Heijn Allerhande offers oliebollen recipes, and Albert Heijn also has its Homemade Oliebollenmix.
Jumbo has oliebollen recipes and also sells biscuits, including Disco Biscuit, with a caramel filling and chocolate.
Not as a direct replacement for oliebollen batter. The oliebollen recipes from Albert Heijn Allerhande and the mix described are based on flour and yeast; Lotus Bakeries presents Biscoff as a biscuit or possible kitchen ingredient. To make oliebollen at home, you need a suitable recipe or oliebollen mix.
Check the allergens on the current packaging of every product you use. Albert Heijn lists wheat and soya in the Lotus Biscoff variety described; the oliebollen mix described contains wheat. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed foods.
There’s no recipe temperature you can automatically treat as a general safety rule. Albert Heijn Allerhande gives 180 °C for an oliebollen recipe, and the Homemade Oliebollenmix described gives 190 °C, while Voedingscentrum recommends a maximum of 175 °C for deep-frying. So check your deep-fat fryer’s safety instructions as well as the recipe you’re following.
Yes, if you follow a recipe developed for an air fryer. Albert Heijn Allerhande describes a version made with a flour and yeast batter, cooked in portions; a biscuit still won’t replace the batter.
