If you want to use a ready-made biscuit that meets the EU requirement for the ‘sugar-free’ claim, check that it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. According to their nutritional information, the two Céréal varieties mentioned are below this limit. Baking from scratch without added sugar is a different choice: ingredients such as dates may still contain sugars, and the other ingredients also affect the nutritional value of the finished bake.
You want to serve a biscuit or crumble it for a base or topping, and the amount of sugars in it needs to meet the EU requirement for ‘sugar-free’. Check the other ingredients in your recipe too before making any claims about the finished bake.
You choose the ingredients yourself and might use dates for flavour, for example. This means the bake may still contain sugars that occur naturally in those ingredients.
You want a caramelised biscuit flavour in a base or topping. If ‘sugar-free’ is also a requirement, check the nutritional information for your chosen biscuit separately.
First decide whether you need a biscuit that can be verified as sugar-free or simply want to bake without added sugar. Then let your preferred flavour, ingredients and intended use help you decide.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free or without added sugar | For a biscuit, check the sugars per 100 g. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim may only be used if the product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I’m crumbling biscuits for a recipe where I want to use a sugar-free biscuit, the amount of sugars on the label needs to be clear. For around 45% of consumers, that certainty matters most. |
| Baking from scratch | Check which ingredients provide the sweetness and read the nutritional information per serving; no added sugar does not mean sugar-free. | I want to choose the ingredients myself and I’m happy with sugars that occur naturally in dates. Around 33% of consumers prioritise baking without added sugar. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergens list. For biscuits with sweeteners, check which polyols have been used and what warnings appear on the packaging. | I’m looking for a particular biscuit flavour for a base or topping, but the sweetener and allergens need to suit my needs. This combination is the deciding factor for around 22% of consumers. |
A recipe may contain no added sugar as an ingredient and still contain sugars from ingredients such as dates. Albert Heijn Allerhande lists 6 g of sugars per serving for its biscuit recipe with no added sugar.
For a biscuit to carry the ‘sugar-free’ claim, use the EU limit of no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. When baking from scratch, assess the ingredients and nutritional value of the finished bake separately.
The Céréal biscuits mentioned contain maltitols. A low amount of sugars on its own doesn’t tell you how much energy or how many carbohydrates the biscuit contains.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g with the portion you’ll use. Also check which sweetener is listed in the ingredients.
A biscuit may fit your plan in terms of sugars, but still contain ingredients that aren’t suitable for the person you’re baking for. The Céréal speculoos variety mentioned contains almonds, egg, milk, soya, barley and wheat, among other ingredients.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging before buying and baking, even if you’ve used the same product before.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as an ingredient for cooking and baking. However, using a biscuit in a recipe says nothing about the amount of sugars in the biscuit you choose.
Choose Biscoff for the flavour you want; if you also need a sugar-free biscuit, check the nutritional value per 100 g on the packaging.
Ready-made biscuits you can serve or crumble into a recipe.
A recipe for anyone who wants to bake biscuits without added sugar.
A biscuit for anyone looking for a caramelised flavour in a base, topping or dessert.
No. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, biscuits can only carry the ‘sugar-free’ claim if they contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. A recipe with no added sugar may still contain sugars from ingredients such as dates; Albert Heijn Allerhande lists 6 g of sugars per serving for its biscuit recipe.
You can crumble these ready-made biscuits for a base or topping, but check the other ingredients in the recipe separately. Jumbo lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g for the coconut variety mentioned and 0.4 g per 100 g for the almond speculoos variety; these figures describe the biscuits, not the finished bake.
Yes. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, polyols provide around 2.4 kcal per gram. The Céréal biscuits mentioned contain maltitols, so check the energy, carbohydrates and portion size on the packaging as well as the sugars.
Check the current label for the almond speculoos variety for almonds, egg, milk, soya, barley and wheat, among other allergens. When baking, also check the ingredients you add to the recipe yourself.
