Who is this distinction important for?

Home bakers who don’t want to add sugar

You want to choose exactly what goes into the dough. A recipe made with dates could work for you, as long as you bear in mind that dates contain natural sugars.

Shoppers looking for a sugar-free label

You want to know exactly what the claim means, so you check the amount of sugars per 100 g rather than relying on the wording on the front of the pack.

Shoppers keeping an eye on sweeteners and portions

When choosing a low-sugar biscuit, you also compare polyols and energy. The amount you eat may be relevant too.

What should you look for when choosing?

Bake your own without added sugars

A good fit if: you want to choose the ingredients and source of sweetness for the dough yourself.

Bear in mind: dates still contain sugars, and you’ll need to check the chocolate you add to the dough separately.

Choose a packaged chocolate biscuit

A good fit if: you’re looking for a ready-to-eat biscuit whose nutritional information you can compare with other products.

Bear in mind: low sugars don’t automatically mean low energy; a product may also contain polyols.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters most to
Sugar-free or no added sugars Compare the claim with the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Under the European regulation on nutrition claims, ‘sugar-free’ is only permitted when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. I want a biscuit that meets the ‘sugar-free’ threshold, not just a recipe with no added sugar. For around 40% of consumers, this strict sugar limit is the top priority.
Ingredients for home baking Check the source of sweetness in the recipe and the sugars in any chocolate you add; a high cocoa percentage doesn’t prove that chocolate is sugar-free. When I bake at home, I want to choose what goes into the dough, even if the biscuit still contains natural sugars. Around 30% of consumers prioritise having this control over the ingredients.
Sweeteners and portions Compare sugars, polyols and energy per 100 g, and check the portion size. When choosing a biscuit with sweeteners, I want to be able to weigh up how much I eat and what ingredients it contains. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers.
Allergens and storage Read the ingredients and allergen information for the product you choose. If you bake biscuits yourself, follow the recipe’s storage instructions. I need to take allergens into account, or I want to bake ahead and know how to store the biscuits. For around 10% of consumers, this is the most important consideration.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming biscuits made with dates are sugar-free

    Dates contain natural sugars. Albert Heijn Allerhande’s recipe for biscuits with no added sugars lists 6 g of sugars per serving.

    Distinguish between not adding sugar and making a sugar-free finished product; for the latter, check the nutritional information.

  • Judging by a high cocoa percentage alone

    Verkade lists sugar as an ingredient in its 71% Cooking Chocolate, which contains 22.5 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Check the ingredients and nutritional information for the chocolate before mixing it into or drizzling it over your biscuits.

  • Comparing sugar content alone

    For Céréal Choco Delight Dark, Jumbo lists 0.5 g of sugars, 24 g of polyols and 427 kcal per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, high intakes of polyols can cause digestive discomfort in some people.

    When comparing products, take polyols, energy and portion size into account too.

  • Taking a brand name as proof of what’s in the product

    Products in the same range can contain different ingredients. What matters is the information for the specific product you choose.

    Read the current ingredients, nutritional information and allergen details for the product you want to use.

Brands and recipes to consider

Céréal

Choco Delight Dark is a packaged biscuit you can use to compare the nutritional values of a lower-sugar product.

  • For this product, Jumbo lists 0.5 g of sugars and 24 g of polyols per 100 g.
  • The same product information lists 427 kcal per 100 g; in this case, low sugars don’t mean low energy.

Albert Heijn / Allerhande

The recipe for biscuits with no added sugars is a starting point for home baking with dates, oats and ground almonds.

  • You can check the recipe ingredients and decide for yourself whether to add chocolate.
  • Allerhande lists 6 g of sugars per serving, so the recipe doesn’t prove that the chocolate biscuits are sugar-free.

Verkade

71% Cooking Chocolate is one option for baking, provided you take the chocolate’s ingredients into account.

  • Verkade states that this product contains at least 71% cocoa.
  • The ingredients include sugar; Verkade lists 22.5 g of sugars per 100 g.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus describes Biscoff as speculoos that can also be used as an ingredient in the kitchen.

  • A distinctive speculoos flavour for baking when reducing sugar isn’t the aim.
  • Lotus lists 38.1 g of sugars per 100 g; Biscoff isn’t a sugar-free chocolate biscuit.

Biscotto / ALDI

ALDI describes Biscotto chocolate biscuits as butter biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate.

  • The product description lists a pack of 20 biscuits weighing 250 g.
  • Check the sugar content and ingredients of the pack you choose before buying these biscuits to meet a sugar target.

Sondey / Lidl

Sondey is a Lidl range that includes biscuits and cookies.

  • You can compare individual products in the range using their labels.
  • The brand name doesn’t tell you whether a particular chocolate biscuit is sugar-free; check the product you choose.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?

No. Under the European regulation on nutrition claims, the term ‘sugar-free’ can only be used when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. A recipe with no added sugars may still contain sugars from ingredients such as dates.

Are chocolate biscuits with sweeteners also low in energy?

The presence of sweeteners doesn’t necessarily mean they are. Jumbo lists 427 kcal per 100 g for Céréal Choco Delight Dark, alongside 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Compare the energy content and portion size of the product you’re considering.

What should I look for in biscuits containing polyols?

Check which sweeteners the product contains and how much polyol it lists. According to the Voedingscentrum, high intakes of polyols can cause wind or diarrhoea in some people; the amount eaten and individual sensitivity both matter.

How long do homemade biscuits with no added sugars keep?

Follow the storage instructions for the recipe you use. Albert Heijn Allerhande says its recipe keeps for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container; this doesn’t automatically apply to chocolate biscuits made with different ingredients.

Do I still need to check allergens in packaged biscuits?

Yes, read the information on the specific pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on the labels of prepacked foods; don’t rely on the brand or range name alone when choosing.