Which form is right for you?

Christmas bakers looking for a crunchy layer

Want to crumble speculaas for a biscuit base or as a topping for a Christmas dessert? Focus on whether the biscuit’s texture suits your recipe, rather than just looking for a seasonal label.

Home bakers looking for a filling

Filled speculaas is an option you can serve as it is, while speculoos spread works well as a spreadable layer. These forms aren’t interchangeable if your recipe calls for a dry, crisp biscuit.

Shoppers who check ingredients carefully

If wheat, milk, soya or nuts could affect your choice, read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact product you’re buying. A different filling or flavour layer can also mean a different recipe.

What should you look for when choosing?

For Christmas baking, the role speculaas plays in your recipe determines which product form will work. A label such as ‘limited edition’ doesn’t tell you anything about that on its own.

Crisp speculaas

Choose this if: you want to crumble biscuits for a base or topping, or use them in a dessert.

Keep in mind: the crumb texture and flavour vary from biscuit to biscuit and recipe to recipe; a standard speculaas biscuit isn’t automatically a Christmas edition.

Filled speculaas

Choose this if: you want to serve speculaas filled with almond paste as it is, rather than use it as a crisp base ingredient.

Keep in mind: fillings and allergens vary by product; AH’s filled version contains milk, soya and cereals containing gluten, among other ingredients.

Speculoos spread

Choose this if: you want to make a spreadable filling or flavour layer.

Keep in mind: spread won’t give you a dry biscuit base, even if the version you choose contains biscuit pieces.

Bake your own speculaas

Choose this if: you want to decide the shape, thickness and spice mix of your biscuits yourself.

Keep in mind: baking takes preparation and time in the oven; homemade biscuits aren’t a shop-bought limited edition.

What to consider What to check before buying Who is this relevant to?
Texture and use Work out whether your recipe calls for a crisp biscuit, filled speculaas or a spreadable paste. If you’re buying biscuits, check whether they look suitable for crumbling. When I’m making a Christmas bake, I want to know in advance whether I need crumbs, a filling or a spreadable layer. For around 40% of consumers, how the product works in a recipe would be the top priority.
Edition and availability Check the exact product name to see whether it’s a limited edition and whether it’s available from your chosen shop. If I’m making a recipe around a seasonal flavour, I want to know first whether I can buy that exact product. The edition would be the main reason for buying for around 30% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen. If an ingredient limits my choice, the contents of this particular product need to suit my plans. For around 30% of consumers, this would matter more than the product form or season.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking festive packaging for a Christmas edition

    A product from a Sinterklaas or festive range isn’t automatically a Christmas limited edition. Availability can also vary from shop to shop.

    Check the exact edition and availability before basing your recipe on that product.

  • Using speculoos spread when you need a biscuit

    A spreadable paste won’t give you the dry crumbs or crisp layer you’d get from a speculaas biscuit.

    Use biscuits for a crumb base or topping, and choose spread when your recipe calls for a spreadable layer.

  • Assuming the allergens are the same as in another version

    Filled speculaas, chocolate versions and spreads may contain different ingredients from a standard biscuit. For example, AH lists milk, soya and cereals containing gluten in its filled speculaas.

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

  • Relying on an old online product description

    Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional and allergy information can change. A description you viewed previously may therefore not match the product you buy.

    Use the current packaging to make your final choice, especially if a particular ingredient matters to you.

Brands and supermarket own-label products to consider

These examples can help you compare product forms for Christmas baking; a brand name or recipe page doesn’t confirm that a Christmas edition is currently available.

Lotus Biscoff

Worth considering if you’re choosing between a biscuit and a spreadable paste in the speculoos range.

  • Lotus Bakeries also describes its classic biscuit as an ingredient for use in the kitchen. The brand says its crunchy spread contains biscuit pieces and 65% Original Speculoos.
  • Biscuits and spread have different uses in a recipe. This product information doesn’t confirm that either is a Christmas edition; also check the ingredients of the version you choose.

AH

A supermarket own-label range with bakers’ speculaas and filled speculaas with almond paste.

  • Albert Heijn describes its bakers’ speculaas as crunchy. According to the product information, the filled version contains 44% almond paste filling.
  • The filled version contains milk, soya and cereals containing gluten, among other ingredients. Albert Heijn points out that online ingredients and allergy information can change.

ALDI

An example of filled speculaas in a seasonal range.

  • ALDI describes a 240 g filled speculaas with almond paste, as well as a 2-pack with almond and almond paste.
  • Being part of the Sinterklaas range doesn’t confirm that it’s a Christmas limited edition. Check the current product information and availability at your shop.

Lidl

A supermarket option if you’re looking for a crisp speculaas biscuit to use in a dessert.

  • Lidl describes its 600 g pack of bakers’ speculaas as crisp biscuits, and uses speculaas in a Christmas trifle recipe.
  • The bakers’ speculaas mentioned is only sold in store. Check the packaging for ingredients and allergens, and don’t assume it’s a Christmas edition.

Jumbo

A source of recipes if you want to bake your own speculaas or a filled version.

  • Jumbo shares recipes for everything from biscuits to filled speculaas, and notes that the spice proportions can vary from brand to brand.
  • A speculaas recipe says nothing about the availability or limited-edition status of a ready-made product.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is speculaas from a Sinterklaas range also a Christmas limited edition?

No. Being part of a Sinterklaas range doesn’t in itself confirm that it’s a Christmas edition. Check the exact product name to see whether it’s being sold as a seasonal Christmas version and whether it’s available.

Which form of speculaas should I use for a filling or flavour layer?

Speculoos spread works well as a spreadable filling or flavour layer. If you need a crisp base or topping, look for a crisp speculaas biscuit; filled speculaas is more suitable for serving as it is.

Should I check the allergens again if I choose a different version of speculaas?

Yes, check the label of each version separately. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that mandatory labelling covers 14 allergens; ingredients can also vary within the same range.

How long can I keep homemade speculaas?

According to Albert Heijn’s speculaas biscuit recipe, the biscuits keep for one week in an airtight tin. This guidance applies to that recipe; for shop-bought speculaas, follow the use-by date and storage instructions on the packaging.