Choose speculaas with dark chocolate if you can check how much cocoa the chocolate contains, and what that percentage refers to, to get the rich flavour you want. The word ‘dark’ on its own doesn’t tell you how much cocoa is in the whole biscuit. If you’re mainly looking for a crisp, caramelised biscuit to enjoy with your morning coffee, classic speculaas or Lotus Biscoff is another option, though that doesn’t indicate a high cocoa content.
If you want the chocolate to balance the sweet, spiced flavour of speculaas, check the cocoa percentage as well as the ingredients in the variety you choose. Make sure you know whether the percentage refers to the chocolate or the whole biscuit.
If you’re mainly after a crisp, caramelised biscuit, you don’t need to look for a chocolate variety. Lotus Bakeries presents Biscoff as a biscuit to enjoy with coffee; it isn’t a choice that demonstrates a high cocoa content.
If you have an allergy or prefer a particular composition, the ingredients and the current packaging are what matter. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the requirement for allergens to be clearly listed on the labels of pre-packed foods.
First decide whether cocoa or the classic biscuit should take centre stage. Then check the information on the specific packaging: a percentage given for the chocolate doesn’t automatically describe the whole biscuit.
When to choose it: go for this option if the chocolate component matters and you can assess the ingredients of the variety you’ve chosen.
The trade-off: the product name alone doesn’t confirm a high cocoa content in the whole biscuit.
When to choose it: choose classic speculaas or Lotus Biscoff if you prefer a spiced or caramelised biscuit flavour.
The trade-off: this won’t meet your preference for a demonstrably high cocoa content.
When to choose it: pair plain speculaas with chocolate that has a cocoa percentage shown on the packaging if you want to choose each separately.
The trade-off: this isn’t a speculaas product with dark chocolate; check the ingredients and allergens in both products.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Rich cocoa flavour | Check the cocoa percentage and whether it refers to the chocolate or the whole biscuit. Read the ingredients too. | If I’m looking for a distinct cocoa flavour, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘dark’ alone. For around 42% of consumers, a cocoa flavour they can verify comes first. |
| Classic biscuit with coffee | Check whether you’re choosing speculaas, a thicker speculaas biscuit or a speculoos biscuit, and whether chocolate has been added. | With my morning coffee, I mainly want a familiar biscuit flavour and texture, without chocolate driving my choice. Around 33% of consumers feel the same way. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Check the highlighted allergens and, if necessary, compare the nutritional information and serving size. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or compare products by their composition, the label matters more than the flavour. That’s the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
A description of the chocolate doesn’t tell you how much chocolate the biscuit contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also notes that ‘bitter’ and ‘extra bitter’ don’t indicate a fixed cocoa percentage.
Look for a specific cocoa percentage and check which part of the product it refers to.
A flavour preference says nothing about a biscuit’s nutritional value. The ingredients and the portion you choose still matter, even with a chocolate variety.
Compare the nutritional information for the products you’re considering, such as the values per 100 g and per serving, where provided.
The name doesn’t list all the ingredients or possible allergens. If you have an allergy, it’s important to check the packaging of the exact product you’re buying.
Before eating it, read the current ingredients list and allergen information. If in doubt, don’t choose a product based on its title alone.
Albert Heijn lists both baker’s speculaas and AH Speculaas with Dark Chocolate.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crisp, caramelised biscuit to enjoy with coffee.
Jumbo lists baker’s speculaas and speculaas chunks; for its baker’s speculaas, the brand also mentions chocolate varieties.
These Joybuy products are a good fit if you’re looking for a classic biscuit to enjoy with coffee: two types of speculaas and Lotus Biscoff speculoos biscuits. Don’t choose them on the assumption that they have a high cocoa content; if rich dark chocolate is what you’re after, assess a suitable chocolate variety using its own packaging.
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For anyone who wants to serve speculaas with coffee and prefers a pack with a stated biscuit count.
The product name states 8 pieces and 200 g. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens; if you’re looking for a demonstrably rich cocoa flavour, don’t choose this classic speculaas on that basis alone.
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For anyone looking for an almond version of speculaas to enjoy with coffee, rather than choosing a biscuit for its chocolate.
The product name states that the pack contains 400 g. If you have an allergy, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging; don’t infer the cocoa content from this variety name.
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For anyone who wants a caramelised speculoos biscuit with coffee: Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a biscuit to enjoy with coffee.
The product name states 250 g. This is a different choice from speculaas with a verifiable cocoa content; check the current packaging for allergen information.
No. The description of the chocolate doesn’t tell you how much chocolate the biscuit contains. Check any stated cocoa percentage and see whether it applies to the chocolate component or the whole product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also points out that ‘bitter’ and ‘extra bitter’ don’t indicate a fixed cocoa percentage.
Read the allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re actually buying, especially for ingredients you’re sensitive to. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the requirement to list 14 allergens on labels; don’t rely on the product name or the ingredients in another variety.
A rich flavour on its own doesn’t tell you anything about nutritional value. If you eat these products regularly, compare the ingredients, nutritional information and serving size of the specific products, without assuming that the flavour name indicates a nutritional benefit.
Check the label on the current packaging. For pre-packed food in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out requirements for clear product information. Before eating the product, check the ingredients, relevant allergens and best-before information there.
