For classic kruidnoten, regular pancake mix is not a direct substitute for the dough base: the mixes we looked at are designed for a runny batter cooked in a frying pan, whereas a kruidnoten recipe uses dough that you can shape and bake in the oven. If that’s what you’re after, choose a kruidnoten recipe made with self-raising flour. If you’d rather make pepernoten with sourdough discard, follow a recipe specifically designed for it and expect a different dough texture.
If you want to shape the dough into small balls and bake them in the oven, a kruidnoten recipe made with self-raising flour is a good fit. The Albert Heijn Allerhande kruidnoten recipe uses this type of dough base; pancake batter calls for a different method.
If you have sourdough discard and want to try a different kind of pepernoten, choose a recipe that turns the discard into kneadable dough. The recipe from Zuurdesemrecepten.nl describes a dough that is firmer and less elastic than kruidnoten dough.
If you’re making pancakes rather than pepernoten, the main thing to check is what else you need to add to the mix. According to the product instructions, Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet requires only water; other mixes we looked at call for ingredients such as milk and eggs.
First decide whether you want to make classic kruidnoten or pepernoten with sourdough discard. Then check the recipe and the ingredients you’ll need. The convenience of pancake mix doesn’t automatically make it suitable for dough that you can shape and bake in the oven.
Choose this: if you want to follow a recipe where you shape the dough into balls and bake them in the oven, such as the Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe made with self-raising flour.
The trade-off: this recipe base doesn’t contain sourdough starter.
Choose this: if you want to use up sourdough discard and follow a recipe specifically for pepernoten.
The trade-off: this isn’t a ready-made pancake mix option; Zuurdesemrecepten.nl describes its recipe dough as firmer and less elastic than kruidnoten dough.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Dough you can shape and bake | Check whether the recipe involves kneading and shaping the dough, and specifies baking it in the oven. Albert Heijn Allerhande uses self-raising flour for its kruidnoten recipe. | If you want to shape classic kruidnoten, your baking base needs to work with that dough and method; around 33% of consumers prioritise dough texture. |
| Sourdough discard | Check whether the pepernoten recipe uses sourdough discard and explains how firm the dough should be. | If you want to use sourdough discard, you’ll need a different kind of pepernoten recipe; for around 33% of consumers, the sourdough option is their top priority. |
| Extra ingredients needed | Check what you need to add to the mix and whether the instructions are for cooking in a frying pan or baking in the oven. | If you’re making pancakes and want to add as few ingredients as possible, the preparation instructions are important; around 20% of consumers prioritise convenience. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any may-contain warning on the packaging. | If you need to avoid certain ingredients, check the full packaging rather than just the product name; checking ingredients is a top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
According to the instructions from Koopmans and PLUS, pancake mix is cooked as a batter in a frying pan. The Albert Heijn Allerhande kruidnoten recipe, on the other hand, uses dough that you shape and bake in the oven. So swapping in pancake mix changes the recipe’s starting point.
For classic kruidnoten, choose a suitable dough base and follow the baking instructions for that recipe. Save pancake mix for pancakes.
The pepernoten recipe from Zuurdesemrecepten.nl uses sourdough discard with ingredients including rye flour and spices to make kneadable dough. That doesn’t mean regular pancake mix is a suitable substitute.
Check that your chosen recipe actually uses sourdough discard, and follow its guidance on the dough consistency.
The Consenza Pannenkoekenmix described by Albert Heijn is gluten-free and wheat-free, but according to the product information it contains milk, egg and lupin. So a label highlighting one dietary feature doesn’t tell you everything about the other ingredients.
Before using it, read the allergen information on the exact pack you’ve bought. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains which allergens must be listed on food labels.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that raw dough and batter can contain harmful bacteria, including from raw flour or eggs.
Don’t taste the raw dough or batter, and bake the finished product according to the recipe.
Koopmans offers pancake mixes with different preparation instructions.
Jumbo lists an organic pancake mix made with organic wheat flour.
The Consenza Pannenkoekenmix described by Albert Heijn is a gluten-free and wheat-free pancake mix.
Not as a direct substitute for the dough base in a kruidnoten recipe. The pancake mixes we looked at are designed for batter cooked in a frying pan, whereas the Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe shapes dough made with self-raising flour into balls and bakes them in the oven.
Use sourdough discard when you specifically want to follow a sourdough pepernoten recipe, not as a quick addition to regular pancake mix. The recipe from Zuurdesemrecepten.nl uses ingredients including rye flour, spices and sourdough discard, and describes a dough that is firmer and less elastic than kruidnoten dough.
It’s best not to taste raw dough or batter. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that harmful bacteria may be present, including from raw flour or eggs. Follow the baking instructions in your chosen recipe.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the variety you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen labelling requirements. A gluten-free pancake mix may still contain other allergens, such as the milk, egg and lupin listed for the Consenza variety we looked at.
