The name sounds so plain and ordinary. The cookies tell a different story.
The words “BUTTER KEKS” appear on the back of the cookie. This provides a clue about the origins of the cookie. Kek is a German derivative of the English word “cake”. A little Wikipedia research tells us the story behind the name. This is an ALDI’s house brand version of the Leibniz-Keks. If you count the teeth around the edge of the cookie, you’ll notice it doesn’t add up to the magic number 52, which is what the original Leibniz-Kek has. Incidentally, the original is named after the mathematician Leibniz. I guess mathematicians can have a sweet tooth?
Putting aside the interesting history, these are some fine cookies. It’s got to be the chocolate that does it. The cookie comes in two variations, with either a milk chocolate or a dark chocolate covering. Either one is a winner. The cookie is made in Germany. As a European chocolate, it is not as sweet as a typical American chocolate. To my taste buds the milk chocolate isn’t much “lighter” than the dark chocolate. However the milk chocolate has a softer melt in the mouth texture, making it feel almost luxurious. The dark chocolate isn’t much behind the milk chocolate in the silky feel department. The major difference is a little more intense cocoa taste after a few seconds in the mouth. Either one should be slowly eaten to get the full effect of the texture and flavor.
The most amazing thing is that one cookie has the ability to be almost totally satisfying. There’s no need to eat half the package and then wonder what’s next. At 70 calories per satisfaction (cookie) this is an affordable calorie treat.
The other really nice thing about this product is the picture imprinted in the chocolate covering of each cookie. I’m sure there’s a machine that does this at almost no additional manufacturing cost, but what the … , it makes the cookie look as good as it tastes. Nice touch.
Calories 70/cookie Price $1.49
Tags: aldi, cafe bistro, calories, chocolate butter cookie, food, price, review, reviews, snack
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12/15/2019 at 09:09 |
Could not find butter keks again this week at Claycliffe store.
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11/04/2019 at 08:03 |
These WERE good cookies. I just bought a box expecting the wonderful cookie-but the “chocolate” was grey and waxy and didn’t taste like chocolate. It wasn’t! Noticed the box says “coated with chocalate flavor”
They were awful
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09/25/2018 at 07:43 |
Does anyone have a full list of the buildings on the biscuits? We’ve had some but not all descriptions. Thank you in advance
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08/29/2017 at 17:36 |
Have you figured out all of the pictures?
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08/29/2017 at 19:04 |
Not me. It’s on my list of things to do. Maybe someday? Look in the comments, it’s a good start. 🎡
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06/13/2017 at 11:23 |
So can you name the buildings / monuments on the cookies?
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06/13/2017 at 12:36 |
Not me, too busy eating the cookies. But browse through the comments. There are some answers there. 🏛️
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06/09/2017 at 09:24 |
Just had some of these……..2 14’s (28)….2 12’s (24)……when I was at school that was 52…the number of magical teeth marks on the edges…of course plus my two from where I took a bite….but then there was only one set of twelve and two lots of 6!! 🙂
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06/09/2017 at 10:51 |
🔢 😄
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12/10/2016 at 23:11 |
I just had a couple that I bought today. Unfortunately, I do not like them….. Not a distinctive buttery taste and just too sweet. Also, I’m a baker so I’m very judgmental of store bought sweets. They just looked so darn good and for $1.99, you can’t beat that price.
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12/11/2016 at 01:22 |
Thanks for your comments. I agree, butter cookie is not the best name for these. In the US, a butter cookie has a much different expectation. The milk chocolate version is on the sweet side for me, but the dark chocolate version is my happy place.
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10/23/2015 at 21:28 |
I love bargains that still make us feel like winners, Steve! I like my Walgreens store which carries “Nice” brand which I buy cashews, pizza (like DiGiriono, it “rises”) and used to buy dried fruit. The flavor is very dependable for these purchases.
I am like you, run into the grocery store and feel myself “sucked into the vortex” of buying.
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10/05/2015 at 03:20 |
These look good. Going to check them out next time I’m in town.
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09/25/2015 at 19:41 |
Wow – chocolate and Leibnitz – who would have thought there would ever be a connection? I clicked on your links to find out. Leibnitz’s binary system is said to be similiar to the mathemactical concepts embedded in the I Ching. Next time i’m an Aus i’m popping into Aldi’s to buy these biscuits, and counting the number of ‘teeth’ they have. Teeth in the biscuits themselves – now there is another interesting concept!
BTW thanks for the blog follow 🙂
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09/25/2015 at 19:55 |
Who would’ve thunk it, the world in a cookie? Happy to be following your blog 🙂
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12/30/2014 at 17:13 |
My mom bought these and I thought they were gonna be disgusting but, they were the exact opposite.
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12/30/2014 at 19:55 |
That’s exactly why moms are moms.
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11/25/2014 at 14:39 |
i b down wit the dark. excellent article
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09/25/2014 at 23:24 |
These Aldi biscuits are my favourite. However here in Australia, the dark choc sells about 5 time the amount compared to the milk, and the management has failed to adjust stock levels, so the dark often run out. I must confess I am dark choc version hoarder!
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09/26/2014 at 01:29 |
Same here in the US. I don’t know about sales, but the shelf seems to have about 5 times as many milk versus dark chocolate. I think that’s the way they ship in. With some digging through the boxes, I usually manage to find my fix for the week.
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09/09/2014 at 13:26 |
An ALDI store opened up here (Patchogue, NY, USA) and it was not very long before I discovered those “Bistro”-brand (dark chocolate) BUTTER KEKS. Became instantly addicted. I think they are the best thing ever to come from Europe. For some reason, I seem to prefer the ones from Germany to the French ones. Darker chocolate or better BUTTER in the KEKS, perhaps.
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09/27/2013 at 20:16 |
To help with the embossed edifices pictured, you have some iconic European symbols: the Eiffel Tower for France (these cookies are very similar to Petit Ecolier by Lu), London’s large Ferris wheel, Holstentor in Germany, Brandenburg Gate (Berlin), a Windmill (Kinderdijk) Holland, Grand Place, (Brussels) Belgium.
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01/27/2015 at 09:21 |
Thank you, thank you, thank you for identifying the landmarks – that’s exactly what I was looking for when I googled the cookie name! I believe the “Ferris wheel” is called The London Eye – huge enclosed capsules v. open air seat with a safety bar across the lap.
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02/27/2015 at 15:47 |
The Ferris wheel I’m pretty sure is the one in Vienna. It’s chunkier than the London Eye and a well known landmark. It features in the b/w movie The Third Man.
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02/27/2015 at 16:36
Thanks. That looks like a match to me. There’s the 3 horizontal braces on the legs and the additional steel structures and cables between cars. Good eye for ferris wheels and classic movies!
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06/16/2020 at 11:52 |
Well done for spotting that. Yes, the London Eye is a more slender structure, but I had to eat another couple of Butter Keks to check. So that is two buildings in Germany, one in France, Belgium, Netherlands & Austria and None in UK. Hmm… I wonder who chose those landmarks.
I just checked my Aldi receipt and I was charged 20% VAT, same as a chocolate biscuit. If this is a Kek as denoted on the product, then it should be zero rated VAT. Come on Aldi – this really takes the biscuit.
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05/20/2021 at 08:44 |
I understand that this is a very old post, but I just found it today, almost eight years later, when looking for information about one of the buildings mentioned. Good guesses but many a near miss. The Gate of Brandenburg has square gates unlike the ones in the biscuits that has it rounded; it seems to be Arcades du Cinquantenaire in Brussels. None of the buildings in the Grand Place (the big -as main- square or plaza mayor in Spanish) have all the characteristics of the one despicted in the biscuits; the picture is strikingly similar to the Brockdorff’s Palace in Copenhagen. For the tour Eiffel, I don’t have the biscuits in front of me, but there is something odd about it…then, depending on the pack, it could have the Doge’s Palace of Venice, the Vienna Riesenrad ferris wheel and the Lubeck Holstentor (do they still have the Brussels Atomium).
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05/20/2021 at 13:22
Thanks Fernando for adding all the great information. Maybe soon more people will be able to get out and compare their cookies with all the wonderful locations. Stay safe!
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07/09/2021 at 15:40
I also just found this thread today while puzzled by the one which, thanks to you, Fernando, I now know is the Brockdorff Palace. It could almost be any of the four palaces in the Amalienborg, but only two have four chimneys each, and the biscuit does seem to show the clock that only the Brockdorff has. Well done!
I have to admit that I unthinkingly took the arch to be the Brandenburg Gate (since Aldi is German), and I have eaten that now, so I’ll just have to buy some more to see what you mean.
I’ve also eaten my Eiffel Tower, but there are many similar towers, some being deliberate replicas, so could the discrepancies you notice be due to artistic licence? The steps in front of the Brockdorff are grossly enlarged, for instance.
I’m glad to say I did know my Riesenrad from my Eye!
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06/19/2013 at 11:31 |
does anyone know what the pictures are of? we have some identified but not all
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06/19/2013 at 13:21 |
Great question. But no, not a clue.
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06/20/2013 at 22:17 |
The Holstentor in Lübeck, Germany?
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holstentor
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02/21/2012 at 21:28 |
More Aldi love – part 1 of my 3-post series – starting with the good stuff first…http://www.susanhardy.org/2012/02/aldi-part-1-of-3-good.html
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01/27/2012 at 12:13 |
How can i order these cookies online
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01/27/2012 at 20:37 |
I did a quick search but didn’t find that ALDI sells online. However, I did find the original chocolate Liebniz Keks that Cafe Bistro are modeled from. Try the this link, Amazon Liebniz Keks. They’re considerably more expensive, $10 for 2 ounces with shipping (ouch). I haven’t tried them.
Or, you may have a friend in another city who could ship you some?
Good Luck.
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01/09/2012 at 17:51 |
OK, now I’m a little bit mad/worried. Are you guys missing the normal rice cakes at your local Aldi? http://www.susanhardy.org/2012/01/food-hey-aldi-whither-rice-cakes.html
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01/09/2012 at 17:54 |
Too healthy for me.
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12/25/2011 at 13:25 |
I would love to find out where to purchase theses cookies. They were a gift from a friend. My wife and I would love to find these
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12/25/2011 at 14:04 |
About half way down the first isle on the right.
I suspect you haven’t run across an ALDI store where you live. Type ALDI in your favorite search engine and see if there are any ALDI stores near you. Once you find one, my guess is they’ll be in about the same location as my local store.
Once you find them, there should be a bunch of similar items to further tempt.
Bring cash or debit card. That’s all they take.
ALDI is a unique place.
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02/21/2012 at 16:03
Wow that’s exact the same location they are at my local branch! I’ll have to check with the family overseas if your theory is correct. Shopping at Aldi has sentimental value for me – though the deals there far more impressive since we border Germany.
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02/23/2012 at 12:24
Top shelf?
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02/23/2012 at 23:15
Shopping at Aldi’s is a necessity for me. Must be nice to see it as just a nice sentimental experience. Wish they had these choco biscuits all the time. They are the bomb. I bought some for my liberal (ugh) relatives to serve at Christmas and they acted like “whatever”. Liberals are so freakin’ creepy.
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02/27/2012 at 13:51
yes! Top shelf here 🙂 and if I remember correctly its only been 2 or 3 years they’ve been carrying these cookies. I happen to be a big fan of their choceur chocolate!
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11/25/2011 at 22:30 |
These cookies are absolutely delicious. The buttery taste of the cookie is evident immediately, as is the superior quality of the milk chocolate. Top it off with the tastefully done design imprinted on top – this is a great find! I’m going back to stock up for more to give as little thank you gifts during Christmas!
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11/03/2011 at 11:42 |
Speaking of sweet stuff, have you tried ALDI’s Fiber Now bars? They’re so good it’s a bit dangerous. My cautionary tale follows – hope ALDI understands it comes from a place of love…
http://www.susanhardy.org/2011/11/food-aldis-fiber-now-bars-cautionary.html
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10/23/2011 at 14:17 |
awesome, Steveo- love the electrical generator. Never know when you’re going to need that. Or a dehydrator to go with your spaetzle on sale. 🙂
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10/16/2011 at 19:52 |
So excited when I see people like you posting rapturously about ALDI! I’ve been on an ALDI love train recently too:
10 Reasons Why Aldi Rocks, and One Caveat: http://www.susanhardy.org/2011/10/food-10-reasons-why-aldi-rocks-and-one.html
Aldi’s Cheeky UK TV Ads: http://www.susanhardy.org/2011/10/commercials-aldis-cheeky-uk-tv-ads.html
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10/23/2011 at 10:40 |
11. Milk, eggs, bananas and pizza.
As noted in the 10 list above, cheese pizza. But also for $5.29, Mama Cozzi’s (perhaps this is mama’s son?) 12″ Ultimate Meat Pizza is the best, most loaded, store pizza anywhere. 28.25 ounces says it all. I’m afraid to buy the 16″ size at $6.99, which is almost twice as heavy, because it might take me a week to eat it? Both, uncharacteristically, located in the refrigerated meat section.
12. What other supermarket sells, on occasion, an emergency electrical generator? A real one. I might pick one up if I ever find a bag big enough to put it in. That’s an example of some of the quirky things in the weekly specials. Always useful if you just happen to need what’s on special that week.
13. Walking out of a supermarket for less than $12. Because I have a thing about “renting”, even if it’s a free rental, a shopping cart (it’s just me, not humanity), I bring my own shopping bag and shop until I run out of strength to carry it. That means I seldom walk out of the store spending more than $12. I’ve never had that experience in a regular supermarket, even when I just ran in and ran out with a few things in my hands.
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