Name: Golden Stroopwafel
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: All-purpose flour 500 g (about 4 cups); Unsalted butter 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp, melted); Granulated sugar 120 g (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp); Active dry yeast 16 g (2 packets); Warm milk 70 ml (about 1/4 cup); Ground cinnamon 3 g (1 tsp); Salt 1/2 tsp; Brown sugar 250 g (1 1/4 cups); Unsalted butter 60 g (4 tbsp); Corn syrup 375 g (1 1/2 cups); Ground cinnamon 4 g (1 tsp)

The kitchen timer sat silent on the counter last night while I tried for the third time to split a warm cookie without tearing it. My kids stood waiting by the toaster with their mugs of tea, hoping the batch of homemade stroopwafel would hold together this time.

We don’t make these every week, but when we do, the smell of warm cinnamon fills the whole house.

I fell in love with these thin Dutch caramel cookies on a trip years ago, and I spent weeks figuring out how to make a real stroopwafel right in my own kitchen.

Prep: 30 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes · Total: about 1 hour and 15 minutes · Serves: 12

How do you split a stroopwafel without breaking it? You have to slice the hot waffle cookie horizontally right when it comes off the iron while the middle is still soft and pliable.

If it cools down even a little bit, the waffle turns brittle and cracks in half.

↓ Jump to the recipe

What Goes Into Stroopwafel

All-purpose flour 500 g (about 4 cups)
Unsalted butter 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp, melted)
Granulated sugar 120 g (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp)
Active dry yeast 16 g (2 packets)
Warm milk 70 ml (about 1/4 cup)
Ground cinnamon 3 g (1 tsp)
Salt 1/2 tsp
Brown sugar 250 g (1 1/4 cups)
Unsalted butter 60 g (4 tbsp)
Corn syrup 375 g (1 1/2 cups)
Ground cinnamon 4 g (1 tsp)

A Few Notes on the Ingredients

The flour gives the dough its structure, so use standard all-purpose flour rather than bread flour. Bread flour makes the cookies tough and chewy instead of tender and crisp.

The milk needs to be warm to activate the yeast, but keep it mild so you don’t kill the culture. If it feels too hot on your wrist, let it cool down before mixing.

The corn syrup in the caramel is non-negotiable because it prevents the sugar from crystallizing as it cools. Without it, the filling turns grainy instead of glossy and smooth.

How to Make Stroopwafel

Activate the yeast. Stir the active dry yeast into the warm milk in a small bowl until it dissolves, making sure the liquid stays warm to the touch.
Mix the dough. Combine the flour, melted butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl, then pour in the yeast mixture. Stir everything together until it forms a soft dough, and let it rest until it doubles in size, about one hour.
Portion the dough. Divide the risen dough into equal pieces weighing 40 g each, rolling each piece into a neat little ball between your palms.
Make the syrup. Combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and ground cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar melts completely.
Cook the waffles. Heat your waffle iron and press each dough ball flat until it turns golden brown on both sides.
Split and fill. Slice each warm waffle horizontally across the middle with a sharp knife, spread a spoonful of the warm syrup inside, and press the halves back together.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Keep the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. They stay fresh longer if you place a piece of parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together.

You can also freeze the baked unfilled waffles for up to a month. Thaw them on the counter before warming them slightly on the stove to add the caramel filling.

More From My Kitchen