For sweet biscuits, it’s best to leave stock cubes out: the products reviewed are intended for savoury dishes. For savoury biscuits or crackers, you could try crumbling a vegetable stock cube into a small batch, but don’t use the quantity recommended for water. The right choice depends on the salt content, ingredients and allergens in the specific product.
You’re thinking of seasoning crackers or savoury shortbread with concentrated stock. Before trying it, check the salt content and allergens: the quantity recommended for stock made with water isn’t right for biscuit dough.
You want to add flavour to savoury dough without losing sight of the salt already in the recipe. Compare the nutritional values of different products on a like-for-like basis, particularly per serving, and look for options explicitly labelled salt-free.
You’re making biscuits for guests with dietary requirements. Check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you choose: a product being described as vegetable-based doesn’t guarantee that it’s free from allergens.
First, decide whether your recipe is sweet or savoury. If it’s savoury, compare the salt content and ingredients of the stock cubes before choosing a pack size.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Type of biscuit | Whether the recipe is sweet or savoury, and whether the cube is recommended for cooking. Don’t use a quantity intended for water in dough. | If I’m making sweet biscuits, I want to avoid seasoning intended for savoury dishes; around 40% of consumers would put suitability for the recipe first. |
| Salt | The ‘salt’ value per serving, compared on a like-for-like basis, and the salt already included in the recipe. | For savoury dough, I want to stay in control of how much salt I add; almost 30% of consumers would make salt their main concern. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients list, declared allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the specific product. | When I’m cooking for guests with dietary requirements, I look for a product that suits them; ingredients would be the priority for around 30% of consumers. |
Knorr, Maggi and Auchan’s stock product listings describe uses in savoury dishes, but don’t give a recommended quantity for sweet biscuit dough.
Decide what you’re making before comparing packs. For savoury dough, start with a small batch rather than using an amount intended for making stock.
According to Knorr, its Classic Vegetable Stock contains 1.7 g of salt per serving, compared with 0.02 g per serving for its Salt-Free Vegetable Stock. These figures relate to the serving sizes given by the brand, not to an amount suitable for biscuits.
Compare the salt values on the labels and adjust the salt in your recipe before trying a stock cube.
Auchan’s listing for Maggi Vegetable KUB names celery and warns that other allergens may be present. Another Maggi product listed by Carrefour contains wheat and celery: ingredients vary from product to product.
Check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you buy, especially if you’ll be sharing the biscuits.
Carrefour and Auchan list packs of 12, 18 or 32 cubes, depending on the product. The number of cubes tells you nothing about their ingredients or salt content.
First choose a product that suits the recipe and your guests, then compare the available pack sizes.
The range includes Classic Vegetable Stock and Salt-Free Vegetable Stock, which you can compare for savoury recipes.
The Maggi Vegetable KUB listed by Auchan is worth considering if you’re looking for vegetable stock for a savoury recipe.
Auchan’s Vegetable-flavoured Stock is sold in a box of 12 10 g cubes for savoury cooking.
E.Leclerc sells this dehydrated cooking stock in a pack of 12 tablets, weighing 120 g in total.
It’s best to leave it out of sweet biscuits: the stock products reviewed are intended for soups, starchy foods, sauces and other savoury dishes. Their usage instructions don’t give a quantity for sweet dough.
No. The quantity Auchan recommends for some cubes is for using them in water, not biscuit dough. For savoury biscuits, try a small batch without using that amount, and remember to account for the salt already in the dough.
Read the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack for the specific product. In France, the DGCCRF states that allergens in the ingredients of prepacked foods must be highlighted; labels such as ‘vegetable’ or ‘organic’ are no substitute for checking the ingredients.
Compare the ‘salt’ values for each product on a like-for-like basis, and take the salt in the dough into account. Knorr states that its Classic Vegetable Stock contains 1.7 g of salt per serving, while its Salt-Free Vegetable Stock contains 0.02 g per serving; neither figure is a recommended amount for biscuits.
Keep the cubes away from heat and moisture, following the storage advice Auchan gives for its Vegetable-flavoured Stock. Also check the instructions on the box you’ve bought.