Who is this choice for?

Shoppers who put organic first

You want to be able to check that your speculaas is organic, even if it means passing up a seasonal option. Check the packaging of the exact product for the organic designation and EU organic logo.

Fans of seasonal flavours

You’re looking for a seasonal flavour or a product for the Sinterklaas period. Check the product category too: speculoos flavour, for example, can be found in spreads, while you may be looking for biscuits.

Shoppers who check ingredients

You need to know exactly what a particular product contains, perhaps because of wheat, milk, soya or nuts. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked food. The flavour name doesn’t replace that check.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether organic is a must-have and what type of product you want. Then consider seasonal flavours or packaging.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Organic status Check the organic designation and EU organic logo on the packaging of the exact product. According to the Dutch government, ‘organic’ is a protected term. If I want to shop organically, I’ll pass on a seasonal flavour if I can’t verify its organic status. For around 40% of consumers, this check would be the top priority.
Seasonal option Read the product category and full name. For seasonal or promotional items, check availability on the day you shop. If you’re mainly looking for something seasonal for the Sinterklaas period, you’ll want to know whether your chosen item is a biscuit or, for example, a spread. Around 30% of consumers would put this seasonal choice first.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the exact product, not for a different flavour or pack. If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the contents of this particular product matter more than its flavour name. For around 20% of consumers, this check would be the most important.
Product type and how you’ll use it Choose between ready-to-eat biscuits, a filled variety, a spread or a baking mix. If you’re buying a mix, check what you’ll need to prepare it. If you want something to enjoy with your coffee straight away, a baking mix or spread won’t be much use. Around 10% of consumers would see choosing the right product type as the main priority.

Common mistakes when buying speculaas and speculoos

  • Assuming a seasonal speculoos flavour is organic

    A limited-edition label tells you how a product is marketed, not whether it’s organic. According to the Dutch government, ‘organic’ is a protected term.

    If organic is a must-have for you, check the organic designation and EU organic logo on the exact product, regardless of its flavour or packaging.

  • Counting on a seasonal product you saw earlier

    Promotional items can sell out; ALDI warns customers of this with its Sinterklaas range. So, seeing a product page earlier doesn’t guarantee that the item is still available to buy.

    Check availability on the day you shop, and decide in advance whether you’d rather choose another organic product or a different seasonal option if it’s sold out.

    If the item has sold out at your chosen shop, you may need to make an extra trip.

  • Assuming another product’s ingredients are the same

    Plain biscuits, filled biscuits and speculoos-flavoured spreads can contain different ingredients and allergens. For example, Lotus lists wheat and soya in Original Speculoos. Jumbo’s listing for Duo Penotti Amandel & Speculoos Limited Edition includes almonds, hazelnuts, milk and wheat, among other ingredients.

    Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of the product you’re actually choosing.

  • Treating a baking mix, biscuits and spread as the same product

    An organic speculaas baking mix needs to be prepared, while biscuits are ready to eat. A speculoos-flavoured spread isn’t a substitute for a speculaas biscuit with your coffee.

    First decide what you want to use the product for. If you’re buying a baking mix, check which ingredients you’ll need to add yourself.

Brands and ranges to consider

BioToday

BioToday Spelt-Speculaasjes are worth considering if you’re looking for organic speculaas.

  • Jumbo listed these biscuits as containing organic ingredients and carrying the NL-BIO-01 certification.
  • On the product page we checked, Jumbo said these biscuits were no longer part of its online range. Check current availability before relying on them.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff offers regular speculoos biscuits and filled sandwich biscuits for shoppers who are choosing mainly by flavour and product type.

  • Lotus Bakeries lists Original Speculoos in several pack sizes, as well as Sandwich Cookies with vanilla, speculoos or chocolate cream.
  • If organic status is essential for you, check it separately; a speculoos flavour doesn’t indicate that a product is organic.

ALDI

ALDI’s Sinterklaas range is worth a look if you’re specifically after filled speculaas for the season.

  • ALDI listed a 2-pack of filled speculaas, weighing 2 × 250 g.
  • ALDI warns that promotional items can sell out quickly. If organic is a must-have, check the organic designation separately too.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell whether speculaas is organic?

Check the organic designation and EU organic logo on the packaging of the exact product. According to the Dutch government, ‘organic’ is a protected term; green packaging or a speculaas flavour alone isn’t proof.

Is a limited edition with a speculoos flavour also organic speculaas?

Not necessarily: a seasonal flavour tells you nothing about organic certification or the type of product. For example, Duo Penotti Amandel & Speculoos Limited Edition, as listed by Jumbo, is a spread, not a speculaas biscuit. Check both details on the product you’re planning to buy.

Which allergens should I check in speculaas or speculoos?

Always read the allergen information and ingredients list for the exact product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority lists cereals containing gluten, nuts, soya and milk among the allergens consumers must be informed about. Which of these a product contains varies from one product to another.

What if organic speculaas is no longer available to order?

Check current availability and, if necessary, look for another product that meets your organic requirements and suits the way you want to use it. Jumbo said that BioToday Spelt-Speculaasjes were no longer part of its online range. An organic baking mix could be another option, but you’ll need to bake it yourself, and it isn’t a ready-to-eat biscuit.