Fans of a darker coffee break
You’re looking for speculaas with a clear chocolate flavour to enjoy with coffee or tea, and want to know what cocoa information is actually shown on the packaging.
Who is this choice relevant to?
People in charge of a shared office biscuit tin
You want to be able to share biscuits without the ingredient and allergen information being out of sight.
Practical bulk buyers
You consider the pack size and how easily colleagues can help themselves to a biscuit. Classic speculaas is still an option if chocolate isn’t essential.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether dark chocolate is a must. Then compare the allergen information and biscuit shape for use in a shared tin.
Dark chocolate speculaas
A good fit if: a dark chocolate flavour is your priority and you can check the current packaging and cocoa information.
The trade-off: Albert Heijn doesn’t state a cocoa percentage for its dark chocolate speculaas and marks that specific variety as ‘Discontinued’.
Classic speculaas
A good fit if: the spiced biscuit matters more to you than a chocolate coating.
The trade-off: classic speculaas won’t meet a preference for dark chocolate; check the allergens on the pack you choose.
Milk chocolate speculaas
A good fit if: you’d like chocolate with your speculaas but don’t want a dark chocolate flavour.
The trade-off: Jumbo states that its speculaas windmills contain 30% milk chocolate, not dark chocolate. According to Jumbo, this variety also contains milk, wheat and gluten.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Dark chocolate flavour | Check the type of chocolate and, if a particular cocoa content matters to you, the percentage of cocoa solids on the pack you choose. | I want speculaas with a pronounced cocoa flavour, not just ‘chocolate’ in the product name. For around 42% of consumers, that dark flavour is the top priority. |
| Allergen information | Read the allergen declaration and any ‘may contain’ warnings, and keep the information available by the biscuit tin. | When colleagues help themselves from the same tin, I want them to be able to check the ingredients before taking a biscuit. Easy access to this information comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Pack size and portions | Compare pack sizes and check whether the biscuits can be picked up individually or need to be portioned out first. | I top up the tin regularly and want to choose biscuits that are easy to hand out in practice. For around 25% of consumers, pack size and practicality come first. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking milk chocolate for dark chocolate
According to Jumbo, its chocolate speculaas windmills contain 30% milk chocolate. They’re not the right choice if you specifically want dark chocolate.
Check the type of chocolate on the packaging, and look separately for the cocoa content if that’s important to you.
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Treating an old product page as a current buying option
Albert Heijn’s page for AH Speculaas Met Pure Chocolade includes product information, but also says ‘Discontinued’.
Check the product’s availability and the label on the variety you’re actually choosing just before you buy.
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Throwing away the packaging after filling the tin
The Jumbo varieties described list different allergens and possible traces. Without product information by the tin, colleagues can’t check these differences for themselves.
Keep the packaging by the tin, or make a clear card for each product listing its ingredients and allergens. Don’t mix different varieties unless they’re clearly labelled.
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Assuming a separate chocolate bar is the same as chocolate speculaas
Jumbo states the cocoa content of a separate dark chocolate bar, but that figure tells you nothing about the ingredients in a speculaas biscuit.
If you like, serve separate chocolate alongside classic speculaas, but don’t present them together as dark chocolate speculaas.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
The product page for AH Speculaas Met Pure Chocolade shows the type of product that matches a preference for dark chocolate.
- Albert Heijn lists a 320 g pack for this specific variety.
- The same page says ‘Discontinued’ and doesn’t give a cocoa percentage for this speculaas.
Jumbo
Jumbo provides product information for both classic speculaas chunks and milk chocolate speculaas windmills.
- Jumbo lists both varieties described in 375 g packs, with ingredient and allergen information.
- According to Jumbo, the chocolate windmills contain 30% milk chocolate; these two varieties don’t support a choice of dark chocolate speculaas.
Lotus Biscoff
The Lotus Biscoff described here is classic speculoos in a 250 g pack.
- Albert Heijn lists around 32 biscuits per pack, so you can check in advance how many individual biscuits you’ll have.
- The ingredient information for this standard variety doesn’t mention chocolate or cocoa; it isn’t dark chocolate speculaas.
Classic biscuits for the office biscuit tin
These Joybuy products are classic speculaas or speculoos to enjoy with coffee and share with others. Choose them if a dark chocolate flavour isn’t essential. When using a shared tin, always check the packaging for ingredients and allergens.
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Hellema Smoeltjes Speculaas, 8 pieces, 200 g
A classic speculaas option if you’re choosing biscuits for a shared tin and don’t require dark chocolate. The product name lists 8 pieces and 200 g. Keep the current packaging available so colleagues can check the allergens.
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Lotus Biscoff Speculoos, 250 g
A classic speculoos option if individual biscuits with your coffee matter more than chocolate. For the 250 g pack described, Albert Heijn lists around 32 biscuits. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens.
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De Ruiter Bakers Speculaas, 450 g
A classic speculaas option if you’re looking for a 450 g pack for the tin and don’t need dark chocolate. Consider how you want to share the biscuits, and keep the packaging by the tin for its allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘dark chocolate’ on speculaas automatically mean a high cocoa content?
No, the description doesn’t confirm a particular percentage. Check the stated percentage of cocoa solids on the packaging of the speculaas you want to buy. Albert Heijn’s product page for AH Speculaas Met Pure Chocolade doesn’t state a cocoa percentage and marks the variety as ‘Discontinued’.
How can I keep allergen information accessible when there’s an open biscuit tin in the office?
Keep the current packaging by the tin, or put a clear ingredient and allergen card next to each type of biscuit. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products. Check ‘may contain’ statements too, and make sure colleagues can see which information applies to which biscuits.
How should I store speculaas in an office biscuit tin?
Follow the storage advice for the product you choose, and refill the tin in amounts you can seal and manage. Jumbo advises storing its standard speculaas chunks in a cool, dry place. For the milk chocolate variety described, Jumbo advises sealing the pack well after opening and storing it in a dark place.