If you want to control the flavour of your pepernoten batter, plain organic wholegrain porridge oats make a useful starting point. Choose fine flakes, or grind regular flakes if your recipe calls for finely ground oats; instant flavoured varieties may already contain sugar and flavourings. If you have coeliac disease, organic alone isn’t enough: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking that the oats carry the official Crossed Grain symbol.
If you add the sugar and spices to the pepernoten batter yourself, plain organic porridge oats are a good place to start. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo product pages list only organic wholegrain oats as an ingredient in the varieties reviewed.
If you have flakes but need a finer batter, check whether grinding them will work for your recipe. Jumbo explains how to grind porridge oats for baking and uses finely ground organic porridge oats in a batter recipe.
If you need to avoid gluten because of coeliac disease, organic labelling isn’t enough. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oats may be contaminated with gluten and says that products must carry the official Crossed Grain symbol for people with coeliac disease.
Start with the ingredients and the form of oats your pepernoten recipe calls for. If you need a gluten-free product, check that separately.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic and plain | Check the organic labelling and the ingredients list for sugar and flavourings. | I want to measure out the sugar and spices myself, so I’m looking for organic oats without added flavourings. This ingredient profile is a priority for around 45% of consumers. |
| How finely the oats are ground | Check whether the recipe calls for flakes or oat flour, and whether you can grind the flakes finely if needed. | If my recipe calls for oat flour, I want to avoid coarse flakes remaining in the batter. Getting the right consistency is a priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Gluten-free suitability | If you have coeliac disease, check for the official Crossed Grain symbol, as well as the ingredients and allergen information. | If I need to bake strictly gluten-free, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘organic’ alone. For around 19% of consumers, gluten-free suitability is the main requirement. |
A flavoured instant variety can change the composition of your batter. Quaker lists Oats Express Cinnamon as containing 81% wholegrain porridge oats, as well as sugar and natural flavourings.
If you want to measure out the sugar and pepernoten spices yourself, compare the ingredients list with that of plain organic flakes.
Flakes and oat flour have different textures. Jumbo recommends grinding porridge oats when using them in batter.
Check which form the recipe calls for. If you want to use regular flakes instead of finely ground oats, grind them first.
Grinding takes time and requires a food processor or chopper.
Organic oats aren’t automatically suitable for people with coeliac disease. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oats can be contaminated with gluten.
If you have coeliac disease, check for the official Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging, and read the ingredients and allergen information too.
An option if you want to use organic fine porridge oats in pepernoten batter.
An option if you want to grind regular organic wholegrain porridge oats yourself.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for an explicit gluten-free label as well as organic oats.
A brand with portion packs and flavoured varieties, worth considering if the flavour suits your recipe.
An option to consider if you’re looking for fine porridge oats.
It depends on the form of oats your recipe calls for and the ingredients in the instant variety. If the recipe calls for finely ground oats, you can grind plain organic flakes first; Jumbo describes this step for baking. If you’re using a flavoured variety, check first whether sugar or flavourings have already been added.
No. Organic labelling alone says nothing about possible gluten contamination. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, people with coeliac disease need to choose oat products bearing the official Crossed Grain symbol. Check the ingredients and allergen information as well.
Seal the pack tightly and store the oats somewhere cool, dry and dark. These are the storage instructions given by Albert Heijn and Jumbo for the porridge oats reviewed; follow the instructions on the packaging of the product you’re using.
