If you’re making oliebollen from scratch
You’re looking for ingredients for the batter and suitable oil for frying. Chocolate sprinkles or rusk aren’t a substitute for these essentials.
Who is this choice relevant to?
If you want a small amount of sprinkles
You want to try a topping without opening a large pack. Albert Heijn lists De Ruijter Kleintjes as containing eight small portions; check the pack for the flavours and quantities included.
If you need to check allergens
You’ll need the information for the exact variant before using it. Albert Heijn lists milk, lactose and soya in Venz milk chocolate sprinkles; the information may differ for other sprinkles.
What should you look for when choosing?
Separate the ingredients you need for making oliebollen from any chocolate sprinkles you might want to use as an extra. Then work out how much you need and read the label for the variant you choose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Role in baking | Use a complete oliebollen recipe for the batter and frying; consider sprinkles separately as a possible extra. | If I really want to make oliebollen, I want to avoid buying bread toppings instead of batter ingredients. Around 46% of consumers prioritise this practical choice. |
| Quantity | Compare the net weight and any individual portions with how much you actually want to use. | If I only need a small portion, I don’t want to open more sprinkles than I’ll use. Around 27% of consumers prioritise getting the right amount. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging for the exact variant. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what the sprinkles I’ve chosen contain before using them. For around 27% of consumers, checking the label comes first. |
Common mistakes
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Treating chocolate sprinkles or a single bar as a batter ingredient
Albert Heijn’s oliebollen recipe uses ingredients including flour, yeast and oil. Product descriptions for chocolate sprinkles refer to them as a bread topping, decoration or addition to baked goods; that doesn’t make them a substitute for oliebollen batter.
Choose a complete recipe and the ingredients it calls for first. Only then consider chocolate sprinkles as a possible extra.
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Buying a larger pack when you’ll only use a little
A large pack may be inconvenient if you only want to use a small amount of sprinkles.
Compare the pack size and portioning with how much you expect to use.
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Assuming you know the allergens from the words ‘milk’ or ‘dark’
A flavour name doesn’t give you a full ingredients or allergen list. The information can also vary between variants.
If you have an allergy or intolerance, always check the current label on the product you’re using.
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Assuming every baking product contains iodine
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes a rule on iodine compounds in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products, added via baker’s salt. This rule does not confirm that every individual product contains iodine.
If you want to know what your salt or baking product contains, check the information on that specific pack.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
Chocolate sprinkles and flakes for anyone considering individual portions, among other things.
- Albert Heijn lists De Ruijter Kleintjes as containing four 15 g portions and four 20 g portions.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for each flavour; portion packs are not oliebollen batter.
Venz
Milk chocolate sprinkles for anyone considering sprinkles as an extra.
- Albert Heijn describes the milk chocolate variant as a bread topping and an addition to baked goods, among other uses.
- The listed milk chocolate variant contains milk, lactose and soya; check the label on the exact pack.
Jumbo
A supermarket own-label range that includes a 600 g pack of milk chocolate sprinkles.
- Jumbo says its 600 g milk chocolate variant should be stored in a cool, dry place.
- Milk is listed as an allergen for this variant. A large pack may not suit you if you only need a small amount.
Kiekeboe
ALDI describes a 600 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles as a bread topping.
- The 600 g pack gives you a concrete point of comparison when working out how much you need.
- Check the current pack for ingredients and allergens; don’t assume what they are from the word ‘dark’.
Mister Choc
Lidl lists a 600 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles.
- The listed pack size helps you compare different pack sizes.
- Check the current pack for ingredients and allergens before using this variant.
Joybuy products: chocolate sprinkles as an extra
These packs are chocolate sprinkles to consider if you want a topping alongside a complete oliebollen recipe. They aren’t individual bars and won’t replace the batter ingredients; check whether the variant you choose suits the way you want to serve your oliebollen.
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Venz milk chocolate sprinkles, 380 g
Consider these chocolate sprinkles as a separate topping, not as an ingredient to replace oliebollen batter.
380 g pack; not an individual bar. Check the ingredients and allergens on the label.
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Venz milk chocolate sprinkles, 400 g
These chocolate sprinkles are an option to consider as an extra topping once you’ve chosen an oliebollen recipe.
400 g pack; not an individual bar. Read the ingredients and allergens on the pack before use.
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g'woon milk chocolate sprinkles with smiley faces, 600 g
The smiley shapes make these a distinctive option if you’re considering chocolate sprinkles for decoration; don’t use them instead of an oliebollen recipe.
600 g pack, not a small individual portion. Check the label for ingredients and allergens.
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De Ruijter dark chocolate sprinkles, 390 g
Consider this dark chocolate variant only as a possible extra topping alongside the ingredients for oliebollen.
390 g pack; not an individual bar. Check the ingredients and allergens, even for a product described as dark.
Frequently asked questions
Can rusk with chocolate sprinkles or a single bar be the base for oliebollen?
Based on the products described, don’t use them as a substitute for oliebollen batter. Albert Heijn’s basic recipe uses ingredients including flour and yeast; the product descriptions cited refer to chocolate sprinkles as a bread topping or an extra for baked goods. Choose a complete oliebollen recipe for baking.
Which oil and temperature should I use for homemade oliebollen?
Use a suitable oil and follow the temperature in one complete recipe. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends oil rather than hard frying fat and gives 175 °C; Albert Heijn’s recipe uses sunflower oil and gives 180 °C.
What should I check if I want to use chocolate sprinkles with oliebollen?
Check the ingredients, allergens and pack size of the exact chocolate sprinkles you choose. Use any topping as a separate addition, not as a substitute for batter or frying oil.
Does baker’s salt in the Netherlands always contain iodine?
That isn’t established by the rule cited. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products through the addition of baker’s salt containing no more than 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Check the label if you want to know what a particular salt or baking product contains.