Stroopwafel is Amsterdam's market sweet: two thin sandwich-thin waffles pressed around hot caramel syrup, served warm so the caramel oozes when you bite; in Netherlands we have verified places to eat it in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht.
Stroopwafel · Amsterdam
Stroopwafel is Amsterdam's market sweet: two thin sandwich-thin waffles pressed around hot caramel syrup, served warm so the caramel oozes when you bite. The market vendor presses them to order.
Stroopwafels emerged in Gouda in the late 18th century as a baker's way to use leftover crumbs and syrup. By the 20th century the format moved into Amsterdam street markets, with Albert Cuyp and Lindengracht running fresh-pressed stroopwafels alongside the vacuum-packed boxes sold at supermarkets. The warm market version is fundamentally different from the supermarket cookie: a soft caramel layer, the waffles still pliable from the iron.
Where to eat in Amsterdam:
- Rudi's Stroopwafels
- Original Stroopwafels Albert Cuyp
Where to eat Stroopwafel in Amsterdam: the editor picks
Stroopwafel · Rotterdam
Two thin crisp wafers sealed together with a caramel syrup filling, best consumed warm from the iron. Fresh stroopwafels from the Binnenrotte market are a different product from the packaged industrial version.
Where to eat in Rotterdam:
- Markthal Rotterdam
- Binnenrotte Market
Where to eat Stroopwafel in Rotterdam: the editor picks
Stroopwafel · Utrecht
Two thin waffle discs sandwiched with a caramelised sugar syrup filling. Held over a hot coffee cup so the steam softens the filling before eating.
The stroopwafel was developed by Gerard Kamphuisen, a baker in Gouda, in approximately 1810. A cheaper alternative to full waffles using leftover breadcrumbs with syrup, it spread across Dutch market towns and became a national biscuit. Utrecht's Boerenmarkt bakers produce fresh stroopwafel to order on cast-iron irons; the fresh version is fundamentally different from the packaged product.
Where to eat in Utrecht:
- Biologische Boerenmarkt Vredenburg
- Twijnstraat Organic Market
Where to eat Stroopwafel in Utrecht: the editor picks