Dutch Stroopwafels (Syrup Waffles)

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Rise Time: 75 mins

Total: 2 hrs 25 mins

Servings: 20 to 22 servings

Yield: 20 to 22 cookies

Visit any Dutch market, and you’ll be led by the nose to a stand that churns out a delicious local delicacy—the stroopwafel. This thin, caramel-filled waffle cookie is an absolutely divine sweet treat and loved by locals and tourists alike.

Stroopwafel cookies are made with butter, yeast, caster sugar, an egg, and flour, and then filled with a decadent caramelly type filling consisting of molasses, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The outside part of the cookie is similar to a sugar cone and a Belgian waffle, and then the sweet filling inside—it is just a luscious treat to bite into.

Just make sure to be careful when biting into these syrup cookies while still hot, though, as greedy eaters can earn a scorched palate—yikes. Instead, take a moment to enjoy the smell, and give this caramel waffle cookie time to cool a bit before digging in. If it gets a little too cold, put it on top of your mug of coffee or tea to warm it back up. 

«These sweet, caramel-y treats aren’t as chewy as the store-bought versions I’ve enjoyed, but their freshness gives them a leg-up. Cutting them in half horizontally takes a steady hand, but they’re still quite fun to make.» —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Caramel Waffle Cookies:

• 1 ounce (25 grams) fresh yeast cake, or 1/2 ounce active dry yeast

• 1 tablespoon lukewarm milk, more if using active dry yeast

• 4.4 ounces (125 grams) unsalted butter, or best-quality roomboter, softened

• 2.6 ounces (75 g) superfine sugar, or witte basterdsuiker

• 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten

• 8.8 ounces (250 grams) cake flour, Dutch cake flour, or zeeuwse bloem

• 1 pinch fine salt

• Cooking spray

For the Filling:

• 4.6 ounces (200 grams) golden syrup, Dutch molasses syrup, or keukenstroop

• 4.4 ounces (125 grams) brown sugar, or bruine basterdsuiker

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) unsalted butter, or best-quality roomboter

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps to Make It

Make the Waffle Dough

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk. If using active dry yeast, dissolve in 1/4 cup lukewarm milk and let the mixture sit 10 minutes to hydrate.

   

3. Add the butter, superfine sugar, and egg. Stir to combine.

   

4. Whisk the flour and salt together, then stir into the yeast-butter-sugar mixture.

   

5. Cover the dough with a warm, moist dish towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

   

Make the Filling

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Add the golden syrup to a small saucepan on medium-low heat. when the syrup is warm, stir in the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Stir continuously until the sugar is melted.

   

3. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.

   

Cook the Waffles

1. Form dough into balls about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Transfer the dough balls to a parchment-lined or greased cookie sheet; they should not touch each other.

   

2. Cover with a warm, moist dish towel and allow to rise for 15 minutes.

   

3. Heat the waffle iron and spray both sides lightly with cooking spray.

   

4. Place 1 dough ball in the iron and bake until golden. This should take about 1 1/2 minutes in an electric waffle iron or 2 to 3 minutes in a stovetop version.

   

5. Working quickly and use a clean kitchen towel to protect your hands from the heat, cut the waffles in half horizontally (a serrated bread knife works best). Spoon and spread about 1 tablespoon of syrup filling in the center of the waffle. Cover with the second sandwich half, pressing down lightly to help spread the filling inside. Let cool slightly, then serve.

   

Tips

There are a few things to know before making this stroopwafel recipe: 

• The first is that since it is made with yeast, you will need to plan accordingly in order to let the dough rise for an hour.
• The second is that to create its iconic shape, you will need to use either a waffle iron or pizzelle iron.
• Lastly, there are a few items that may not be easily found at your local grocery store, so be prepared to source them online. In this day and age, when packages can be easily shipped in two days, there’s nothing to deter you from testing out a homemade version of this Dutch waffle cookie, because there really isn’t anything better than freshly made stroopwafels. 

More About Stroopwafels

Apparently, the first stroopwafels were baked in Gouda (also famous for its cheese) in the late 18th century. They are popular all over the Netherlands today and, while you can buy them abroad, they taste their best freshly made, baked until golden and crispy with a melting caramel center and that familiar warm cinnamony smell of Dutch fairgrounds and markets.

If you're not lucky enough to enjoy your stroopwafel straight from the waffle iron, simply rest one on top of a hot cup of coffee or tea for a few minutes—it's an old Dutch trick that works every time.

When looking for ingredients, there are a few things you should know:

Basterdsuiker

• This is a typical Dutch product that cannot be easily substituted. It is manufactured by adding invert sugar and other ingredients to fine white refined sugar. This mixture helps to achieve certain textural structures and keeps baked goods moist.
• There are three varieties, white, brown, and dark brown, called witte basterdsuiker, (licht) bruine basterdsuiker or gele basterdsuiker, and donkerbruine basterdsuiker. It is widely available from Dutch supermarkets and some Dutch grocers on the internet.

Zeeuwse Bloem

• This is a finely milled white Dutch cake flour, made from soft wheat. It is described by Dutch pâtissier Holtkamp as "a flour rich in enzymes and low in gluten, which is very pliable and elastic." According to the pâtissier, this makes the flour suitable for cookies that have to be ultralight and crispy.
• What makes this flour different from regular cake flour is that it comes from an area with a sea climate, contains less starch, is moister—with an almost fatty feel—and has less thickening power.
• Zeeuwse bloem can be ordered at most bakeries in the Netherlands. Alternatively, go to a good baker where you live and tell them you need a finely milled white flour, made from soft wheat, suitable for cookies.

Keukenstroop

• This is a molasses-colored syrup made from sugar syrup and glucose syrup. This treacly syrup (also called simply stroop) is often enjoyed with pancakes in the Netherlands instead of maple syrup. It is widely available from Dutch supermarkets and Dutch grocers on the internet.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20 to 22
Amount per serving
Calories	181
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	11%
Saturated Fat 5g	26%
Cholesterol 30mg	10%
Sodium 14mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 25g	9%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 22mg	2%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 57mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.