The in-flight snack so popular it has its own emoji

Biting into a complimentary Biscoff cookie on a flight may do little to sweeten the bitter experience of commercial air travel, but there’s so much more to these little biscuits than their white-and-red wrappers reveal.

These flat, crispy cookies that melt in your mouth hail from Belgium, where they’re called Speculoos and figure in Belgian culture from the 17th century as a sweet treat originally given to children for Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas Day, on December 6.

Aside from their heritage, in the US the cookies are now best associated with Delta Air Lines.

The carrier was the first to bring the snacks on board planes in 1986, which makes it now more than 30 years that travelers have begun or ended trips with its distinctive, sweet cinnamon-ginger-nutmeg taste.

For Aileen Nguyen, a traveler now based in Kuala Lumpur but who grew up nibbling on the biscuits while flying out of Delta’s Detroit hub, the nostalgia is as appealing as the flavor.

“A trip doesn’t truly start until I’ve bitten into a Biscoff,” Nguyen tells CNN.

Today, Delta have upgraded their Biscoffs to a larger size than sold in stores, which will hopefully stave off hunger pains until it’s either time to eat or time to land.

Anyone celebrating a birthday on board may find themselves with Biscoff to spare, as Delta cabin crews have been known to fashion crowns out of the cookies.

For the truly Biscoff-addicted, buying the cookies (or the cookbook!) over the Internet even helps save towards more travel; every dollar spent at the online store earns a frequent flier mile with Delta.

The legend status of the cookie was finally cemented late last year, when Delta developed a special Biscoff emoji as part of a downloadable “sticker pack” for iMessage on Apple iPhones.

Biscoff’s popularity has outgrown Delta, and now the cookie is also found on WestJet, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Sunwing flights.

Passengers love them best with coffee or tea, but there’s a rumor that they’re also pretty good dunked in Chardonnay.

Speaking to CNN, Idil Kozanoglu, US marketing manager for Lotus Bakeries, Biscoff’s parent company, credits the cookie’s ingredients for its broad appeal: “Lotus Biscoff cookies are made with Non-GMO ingredients, do not contain any artificial flavors or colors, and are vegan and nut-free, making them an ideal choice for a wide group of consumers that might have dietary restrictions or allergies.”

Bianca Molina, a Connecticut-based nutrition consultant, is one flier who benefits from Biscoff’s diet-consciousness, and she shared her enthusiasm with CNN, saying: “I was so sad when I thought I could no longer have them after going vegan, but then I saw the guy sitting next to me with them and I spotted the “V” [vegan] symbol! Now I always ask the [flight attendants] for extra. They have no idea how much it means to me.”

Even the fact they’ll be consumed at altitude is a consideration for the bakery, says Kozanoglu: “Our production and packaging team’s high standards ensure that every Biscoff cookie always tastes fresh and has the perfect crispiness even at 30,000 feet!”

Some diehard Biscoff fans just can’t wait for their next flight.

On a recent trip to the City by the Bay, traveler Kristin McSeese made a special point of visiting the only dedicated Biscoff store in the US: “I was SUPER excited when I went to San Francisco and I found out that they have a Biscoff store in Fisherman’s Wharf! I went and got a package of the cookies.”

While eating through an entire sleeve on a flight may be challenge, large packages for use in recipes can be found at grocery stores like Costco, Publix and Kroger.

Biscoff’s website even reserves a special section for the elaborate creations dreamt up by fans, like Speculoos Tiramisu, Hamantaschen with Biscoff filling, and Biscoff-crusted chicken and waffles.

Luckily Biscoff’s more than thirty years as an airline treat means both flight attendants and passengers have had plenty of time to develop small “hacks” for improving in-flight enjoyment.

Here are three of the most popular to try on your next flight.

Biscoff Hacks

“Key Lime” Biscoff

During the beverage service, ask the flight attendant for a lime slice or two. Squeeze the slice over top of a Biscoff cookie and eat right away, before it has time to get soggy. The zesty combination of Biscoff and fresh lime juice mimics the flavor of key lime pie.

Biscoff Sundae

Save the Biscoff for meal time on international flights, when your tray is likely to include a small dessert like a square of cheesecake or a tiny pot of ice cream. Squeeze the Biscoff package and crumble the biscuit over top and, voila, instant dessert upgrade.

Nutella Banana Biscoff Delight

You’ll have to plan ahead a little for this snack, but the result is worth the preparation. Head to your grocery store or Target and buy a small box of individual (we say travel-size) dunk cups of Nutella.

Pack two or three in your carry-on, and buy a banana at the airport before you board your flight.

Once onboard and cruising at 36,000 feet, spread the Nutella on the Biscoff biscuits and top with banana slices.

Click through the gallery below to see InflightFeed blogger Nik Loukas’ pick of the world’s best airline meals:

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

Nik Loukas's InflightFeed blog reviews airline meals. When it comes to low-cost carriers, "I'm torn between Pegasus Airlines from Turkey and Peach [pictured here] in Japan," Loukas tells CNN. "I've sampled some amazing in-flight sushi on both airlines. I've also tried an amazing Wagyu beef salad on Peach, and one of the best steaks I've ever eaten in-flight was on Pegasus [see next slide]."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

Here, courtesy of Pegasus, is one of the best steaks Loukas has tried on a plane. The Inflightfeed founder says, "Who would have thought that low-cost airline meals could be so good? You pay for it, of course, but the quality was far better than some business-class meals I've eaten."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

Singapore's national carrier serves the best first-class in-flight meal, according to Loukas. "Singapore Airlines Suites, a truly amazing in-flight meal experience that just keeps on giving. I really enjoyed my lobster thermidor and the caviar that was offered to me on a flight recently in Suites on a Singapore to Melbourne flight."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

Loukas says, "If you can, take advantage of some of the delicious 'Book the Cook' meals exclusively available for passengers in first class or Suites. It's like dining in your own private restaurant at 35,000 feet." First-class meals aside, Loukas says Singapore Airlines serves the tastiest economy meals too.

Nik Loukas/Inflightfeed

Air Baltic's create-your-own-meal-tray food ordering system wins when it comes to in-flight meal innovation. "Passengers can select everything they want to eat on their upcoming flight, right down to the salad and dessert. It's a fantastic meal concept that really lets you choose what you want to eat in-flight (at a cost of course)."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

It's a tie between Germany's Lufthansa and Taiwan's Eva Air. "Lufthansa places a great emphasis on kids' meals and has a celebrity chef who creates the meals specifically for children. Eva Air has those amazing Hello Kitty kids meals on select flights, something that will totally keep kids entertained at meal time (and yes I've tried the meals!)."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

"Politics aside -- hands down Turkish Airlines. It really does have some of the best in-flight meals in the world," says Loukas. "Its caterer Do & Co is known to create some of the best in-flight dishes in the world."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

"[Turkish Airlines] meals are always on point, delicious and there's plenty of it, even on short flights."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

"Doesn't matter where in the world you may fly with these airlines, their in-flight meal quality and standard is always great, something that a lot of airlines find hard to do. Japan Airlines has teamed up with some great brands over the years to create some amazing economy-class meal experiences for passengers, like Mos Burger and the very strange KFC meal in-flight."

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

Greece's carrier Aegean offers fliers a great mid-air introduction to its cuisine. "It's like a taste of Greece every time you step on board one of their flights. It's a great ambassador for Greek food and products in-flight," says Loukas.

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

Aegean Airlines recently launched a campaign called "Closer to Greece." Loukas says, "It highlights a different region of Greece through culinary experiences at different touch points of the customer experience such as lounges, on planes and in in-flight entertainment. And the food is always typical of traditional Greek recipes. Yum."

Alaska Airlines

"For business class it's gotta be Jetblue in its Mint class, and in economy I'd have to say Virgin America closely tied with Alaska Airlines [pictured here]," Loukas says.

Virgin America

Loukas says he considers three airlines to be best in America because of their focus on locally produced food. New York-based Jetblue partners with local eatery Saxon + Parole to create the dishes for Mint. Virgin America (pictured) tries to focus on brands based in its home city. Alaska teams up with Tom Douglas, a well known restauranteur in Seattle, to create "some lovely economy class dishes" for sale in-flight.

Nik Loukas/InflightFeed

"On a recent flight from Paris to Singapore I truly enjoyed my pre-ordered upgrade meal. I paid 28 euros ($31) to upgrade my meal to a meal created by the chefs at the famed Lenotre in collaboration with Air France. A fine dining experience such as this is usually only reserved for those fortunate enough to travel in business class."

Qantas

"I think some of the best wines in the world come from [Australia] -- call me biased -- and Qantas has some of the best wine experts and mixologists from Rockpool deciding on what wines to serve you in-flight," says Loukas. Wines served in-flight are available for purchase on the airline's EpiQure website.

Nik Loukas/Inflightfeed

"Most cabin crew will go find you extra snacks or meals if you ask nicely. It's worth getting up and having a stretch and checking out the in-flight galleys as the crew sometimes set up drinks and snacks that you can help yourself to. Most traditional long-haul airlines will do this even in economy class."

Nik Loukas/Inflightfeed

In-flight meal choice can be unpredictable, especially in economy. "Sometimes there is no choice whilst other times you can have up to four dishes to choose from. If choice is an issue for you, pre-order a special meal with the airline a few days before your flight."