Families who want to bake together
If mixing, kneading and shaping are the main activities, a baking mix is a better choice than ready-made biscuits. Allow time for baking too, and check which ingredients you need to add yourself.
Who are these options suitable for?
Families who want to put together a quick dessert
If you mainly want to crumble, layer or decorate, you can use ready-made biscuits, filled speculaas or spread without having to prepare dough first.
Households that need to check allergens
Ingredients vary between speculaas and speculoos products. Check the packaging of the option you choose for ingredients including wheat, egg, milk and almonds, as well as any ‘may contain’ statements.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the children will be baking biscuits or mainly putting together a dessert. Then check the ingredients required and the allergen information for the specific product you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Baking from scratch | Check what you need to add to the mix and how much preparation and baking time you’ll need. | If the children want to mix and shape the dough themselves, you’ll need to allow time for that as well as baking. For around 42% of consumers, the baking activity comes first. |
| Making a quick dessert | Choose biscuits for crumbling, filled speculaas for a layer with a filling, or spread for a spreadable component. | If you mainly want to make layers or decorate together, preparing dough isn’t the point. Around 33% of consumers say that using a product in a quick dessert is their top priority. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ statements. | If someone needs to avoid certain ingredients, the packaging will help you decide whether the product is suitable. This is the most important consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Letting children taste raw dough
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, raw dough can contain harmful bacteria, which can make young children particularly unwell.
Agree that everyone will wait until the biscuits are baked before tasting them. Make sure the children wash their hands before and after handling dough.
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Confusing a premium biscuit with a baking activity
You can use ready-made speculaas to put together a dessert, but the children won’t mix or shape any dough. A baking mix lets them do those steps.
First decide what you’d like the children to do, then choose whether you need a mix, biscuits or spread.
For example, you’ll need to add butter or margarine and an egg to Jumbo Mix for Speculaas.
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Relying on the words ‘gluten-free’ alone
A gluten-free speculaas option may still contain other allergens. For example, the gluten-free speculaas described by Jumbo contains egg.
Check the full allergen information on the packaging you choose, even if it carries a gluten-free logo.
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Relying on one seasonal option for your dessert
If you have a particular filled speculaas in mind, availability may vary between shops and at different times.
Check whether that option is available, and consider in advance whether ordinary speculaas or speculoos biscuits would also work in your dessert.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists bakers’ speculaas alongside options including filled and butter speculaas.
- The range includes different types of product, so you can choose between a plain biscuit and an option with a filling or other ingredients.
- Albert Heijn notes that product information can change. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergen information.
Jumbo
Jumbo sells both a speculaas baking mix and ready-made speculaas options.
- The baking mix is a good fit for an activity where children mix and shape the dough themselves.
- Jumbo Mix for Speculaas requires butter or margarine and an egg. Check the allergen information separately for other Jumbo options.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Biscoff offers speculoos biscuits and spread to serve with or use in a dessert.
- Lotus Bakeries describes its biscuits as an ingredient for use in the kitchen, and offers smooth spread as well as a crunchy version.
- Biscuits and spread aren’t a substitute for a baking mix if the children want to make biscuit dough themselves. Check the ingredients for each option.
Lidl
Lidl lists bakers’ speculaas and uses filled speculaas in a trifle recipe.
- In Lidl’s recipe, crumbled filled speculaas forms one of the dessert layers.
- Check the availability of the biscuit you choose and read the ingredients on the packaging.
ALDI
ALDI describes a 240 g ready-made filled speculaas with almond paste.
- Filled speculaas is an option when putting together a dessert matters more than making dough.
- If you have a particular option in mind, check whether it’s available and read the current packaging.
Speculoos products for desserts
These biscuits and spreads are for anyone who wants to put together or decorate a dessert with children. If you’d rather make and bake dough together, you’ll need a baking mix.
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Lotus Biscoff Spread, 400 g
This spread is suited to a dessert that children put together or decorate, rather than kneading and baking biscuit dough.
If wheat or soya is a concern, check the current packaging.
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Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Cookie, 250 g
These ready-made speculoos biscuits are ideal for crumbling or decorating together, without having to make dough.
Check the packaging if wheat or soya needs to be avoided.
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Lotus Biscoff Crunchy, 700 g
This spread is for anyone looking for a spreadable speculoos ingredient with crunchy pieces to use when putting together a dessert.
It isn’t a mix for making biscuit dough. Check the current allergen information on the packaging.
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Lotus Speculoos Hazelnut Cocoa Spread, 400 g
This speculoos spread is suited to an activity where children combine ingredients or spread something, rather than baking biscuits from scratch.
If the hazelnut and cocoa description or an allergen is important to your choice, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging for this option.
Frequently asked questions
Can children taste raw speculaas dough?
No. Let children eat the biscuits only after they’ve been baked. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that raw dough can contain harmful bacteria, particularly for young children. Wash your hands before and after handling dough.
What do I need to add to a speculaas baking mix?
It depends on the mix you choose, so read the instructions before buying. For Jumbo Mix for Speculaas, you’ll need to add 175 g of butter or margarine and one medium egg. Flaked almonds are optional.
Is gluten-free speculaas also free from other allergens?
No. Gluten-free doesn’t tell you anything about other allergens. According to Jumbo, its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas contains egg and may also contain other allergens. Always read the full information on the current packaging.
How should I store speculaas after making a dessert?
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the option you’ve chosen. Jumbo says its 600 g Bakkers Speculaas should be stored in a cool, dry place. Don’t automatically apply that advice to another biscuit or a spread.