Stroopwafel translates to “syrup waffle,” which couldn’t be a more accurate description. It’s gooey caramel syrup sandwiched between a thin waffle sliced in half. Buttery, crisp, chewy and spiced with a little cinnamon, it’s a masterpiece of flavor and texture. It is not surprising that this has been one of the most popular biscuits in the Netherlands for centuries.
The stroopwafel was first made in Gouda either during the late 18th century or the early 19th century by a baker using leftovers from the bakery, such as breadcrumbs, which were sweetened with syrup. One story ascribes the invention of the stroopwafel to the baker Gerard Kamphuisen, which would date the first stroopwafels somewhere between 1810, the year when he opened his bakery, and 1840, the year of the oldest known recipe for syrup waffles. In the 19th century, there were around 100 syrup waffle bakers in Gouda, which was the only city in which they were made until 1870. After 1870 they were also made at parties and in markets outside the city of Gouda. In the 20th century, factories started to make stroopwafels. In 1960, there were 17 factories in Gouda alone, of which four are still open. Nowadays you can order them all over the world because of the internet.
