If you want to pick up just one snack, choose speculaas with dark chocolate and check its ingredients and allergens. If choosing the cocoa percentage yourself matters most, buy plain speculaas and a separate bar of dark chocolate; you will need to buy two products, though. The stated proportion of chocolate in a biscuit is not the same as the cocoa percentage of that chocolate.
A separate bar of dark chocolate lets you compare stated cocoa percentages. With chocolate-coated speculaas, you also need to check whether a percentage refers to the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit.
Chocolate-coated speculaas combines biscuit and chocolate in one ready-to-eat product. A chocolate bar with speculaas pieces is another option if you would rather buy a bar.
The words ‘pure’ and ‘dark’ do not tell you which allergens a product contains. Read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current packaging.
Choose this if: you want biscuit and dark chocolate in one ready-to-eat product.
The trade-off: check what proportion of the biscuit is chocolate; that figure alone tells you nothing about the chocolate’s cocoa percentage.
Choose this if: you want a bar with speculaas incorporated into it.
The trade-off: check the specific product to see which chocolate is used and which ingredients and allergens it contains.
Choose this if: choosing your own cocoa percentage matters more to you than buying a ready-made combination.
The trade-off: you buy two products and won’t get a biscuit with a chocolate coating.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa profile | Compare stated cocoa percentages on a like-for-like basis. Keep the proportion of chocolate in a biscuit separate from this. | If you’re looking for a particular cocoa percentage, don’t rely on the word ‘dark’ alone. This check comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| One combined product | Check whether it’s a coated biscuit or a bar with speculaas, and confirm that it’s currently available. | For a quick top-up shop, you may want one snack you can pick up without having to combine anything. Convenience comes first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, the allergens listed and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current packaging. | If allergens are a deciding factor for you, you need to be able to assess the specific product before buying it. Around 20% of consumers put this check first. |
| Availability and storage | Check that the product is available and follow the storage instructions on the packaging you choose. | You may want to do your top-up shop straight away and store the product as directed on the label if needed. This is the first consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
The percentage varies from product to product: Jumbo states that its dark chocolate bar contains at least 52% cocoa solids, while Albert Heijn states that Lindt Excellence 85% contains at least 85% cocoa.
Check the percentage on the bar you’re actually choosing, rather than treating ‘dark’, ‘dark’ and ‘extra dark’ as equivalent strength categories.
Aerts Speculaas states that its speculaas product with dark chocolate contains 40% chocolate. This is the proportion of chocolate in the product, not the cocoa percentage of the whole snack.
Check what each percentage refers to: the chocolate in the biscuit or the cocoa in the chocolate.
Albert Heijn states that AH Speculaas with Dark Chocolate has been discontinued. A product description alone won’t help if you want to buy something straight away.
Check the current range before you go to the shop or place an order. If you can’t buy the combination as one product, speculaas and a separate bar of dark chocolate are another option.
A dark chocolate product can still contain relevant allergens or carry a warning about possible traces. Aerts Speculaas lists gluten and egg as allergens in its chocolate speculaas.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the specific product; if you’re unsure, ask the manufacturer or retailer for clarification.
Albert Heijn provides product information for both chocolate speculaas and separate dark chocolate.
Jumbo provides product information for speculaas products and a separate dark chocolate bar.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crunchy biscuit with a caramelised flavour.
Lidl has a product listing for a separate extra dark chocolate bar.
This bar suits you if you want to choose the cocoa percentage of your chocolate and buy plain speculaas separately. The bar itself does not contain speculaas.
Image unavailable
A separate bar of dark chocolate for anyone who wants to pair it with plain speculaas themselves.
85% cocoa; 100 g bar. Buy the speculaas separately, and check the current packaging if allergens are important to you.
No. ‘Dark’ doesn’t tell you what percentage a specific product states. Jumbo says its dark chocolate bar contains at least 52% cocoa solids; Albert Heijn lists at least 85% cocoa for Lindt Excellence 85%. Compare the information on the product you want to buy.
You can’t tell from the word ‘dark’. Aerts Speculaas lists gluten and egg in its chocolate speculaas and warns that it may contain traces of nuts, milk and soya. Check the current packaging of your product for its ingredients and allergens.
Yes. According to Ondernemersplein, mandatory food label information must also be available online. For the product you choose, check at least the information you need to assess its ingredients and allergens.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of each product you choose. If you buy speculaas and a bar of dark chocolate separately, check both packs: the instructions for one don’t automatically apply to the other.
