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Stroopwafel

What: Perhaps the best-known Dutch sweet, stroopwafels consist of two thin waffle-like wafers with a sticky, sweet stroop, a molasses-y syrup, spread in the middle. Said to have originated in the late 18th or early 19th century in Gouda, where they began life as a poor man’s cookie fashioned from crumbs, the treats are typically made with a basic batter (flour, butter, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon) that is pressed on a waffle iron and slathered with a simple butter-and-brown-sugar-based syrup, heated to gluey consistency. But every baker will have his or her own recipe. Packaged, they make excellent little souvenirs to bring home, but you just cannot beat a hot, fresh, chewy stroopwafel on the street—or, for that matter, a refined, fresh bakery version.

Where: A local pointed us toward Lanskroon (Singel 385), a historic canalside bakery and tearoom celebrated for its big, crispy stroopwafels, which are made fresh downstairs throughout the day. It usually offers them with three different fillings: Linden honey, coffee caramel, and fig.

When: Mon-Fri, 8am-5:30pm; Sat, 9am-5:30pm; Sun, 10am-5:30pm

Order: Whichever flavor floats your boat, though the fresh, sticky, delicately sweet honey (€2,25) would be considered the most traditional. It did not disappoint. These stroopwafels have thicker, crunchier wafers than some other varieties in town, making for a more substantial, satisfying cookie. If it’s not straight out of the bakery, it will have been made within the last few hours. Warm it up, if you wish, by ordering some coffee or tea and placing the wafel over the top of it—but this was still delicious at room temperature. During winter, try the cinnamon-gingery speculaas cookies here, too.

Alternatively: The most-recommended stroopwafel in town has to be “the guy in Albert Cuypmarkt” (map)—the one vendor who sets up a stand and churns out fresh, hot stroopwafels all day long (generally Mon-Sat, 10:30am-5:30pm). This is a completely different style of stroopwafel: very thin, pliable, and super gooey and sweet inside. Bonus: They’re big and cheap, at €1.50 each (take a small pack with you for €2.25), and completely addictive. It’s hard to stop at one.