What started off as a local Dutch delicacy, is now a phenomenon that is known worldwide.

The exact date of the invention of the stroopwafel is unknown. It is estimated that it was invented around 1810 in the Dutch city Gouda, located in the west of the Netherlands. The stroopwafel is created by baking waffle dough in a waffle iron. The waffles are baked for a minute so that the center stays a bit softer. The waffle is then cut in half. Syrup is added to one half and then the waffles are pressed together to create the iconic stroopwafel. 

The stroopwafel dates from around 1810, but the waffle itself is a much older invention. Waffle irons have been found in the graves of 7th century Viking women from Sweden and Norway. In the 13th century, the Netherlands already had a waffle bakers guild. Only men could become a member even though the waffles were baked by women. The process of waffle making resulted in a Dutch saying that is still used nowadays: “Houd je waffel dicht!”. It is a not so subtle way of saying someone should stop talking. As the Dutch women were baking the waffles above the open fire, they were talking loads and would regularly forget that the waffles were on the fire. This resulted in burnt and failed waffles. Therefore it would have been better if they did the baking in silence to make sure they kept their attention to the waffles.

The first stroopwafel factory opened its doors in 1837 in Gouda. In the years that followed the stroopwafels were not only sold at a bakery but also at grocers and later at supermarkets as well. The waffle went from Gouda to the rest of the Netherlands and is now available worldwide. 

The stroopwafel is everywhere. You can get a warm version on the Dutch markets and around 22 million bags of stroopwafels are sold yearly in the Netherlands alone. Throughout the country we see pastry chefs and stroopwafel fanatics experiment with the waffle to create new initiatives for the fresh waffle. The waffle is already available in different flavours such as honey, rice, and hazelnut by adding flavours to the syrup. In 2013 stroopwafel bakeries from Gouda set a world record by baking a stroopwafel with a diameter of 2.5 metres!

Wondering what happens with the cut edges and failed stroopwafels? These parts of the stroopwafel are sold in a bag as “snippers”, which you can translate to snippets. 

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