Martha's Stroopwafels

Be the first to rate & review!

A rich caramel filling and crisp wafel cookies means these Dutch treats are hard to resist.

Updated on September 7, 2023

Yield:

These favorite Dutch treats look like a crisp sandwich cookie filled with caramel, but they're not baked in the oven like most cookies. The slim, sweet discs are really more of a thin waffle (or wafel) than a cookie. Martha's stroopwafels recipe calls for cooking the batter in a waffle cone maker to get the crispy texture, then cutting out neat circular wafels using a biscuit cutter. A sweet, buttery caramel filling complements the wafels wonderfully.

There are as many versions of stroopwafels as there are bakeries that make them. Some use a yeasted batter; some are cooked in wafel makers with elaborate designs. Martha's recipe is quite simple and doesn't call for special ingredients, but you will need a nonstick electric waffle cone maker. In the Netherlands, stroopwafels are often sold as a street snack but we think they are delicious enjoyed at home with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients

Wafels

1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Caramel Filling

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Heat waffle-cone iron; combine dry ingredients:

Heat an electric nonstick waffle-cone iron. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.
Whisk eggs, sugar, and extracts:

In another large bowl, whisk together eggs. Whisk in sugar until well combined; whisk in extracts.
Add cooled butter, then flour mixture:

While whisking, slowly add cooled butter in a steady stream until batter is smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Place batter in pastry bag and pipe into waffle cone iron:

Transfer batter to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round pastry tip. Pipe batter into a 2-inch circle in center of heated waffle-cone iron.
Cook waffle:

Close lid and lock with clasp. Cook until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Remove waffle and cut out cookies:

Using a small offset spatula, remove waffle and immediately transfer to a cutting board. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies; let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make caramel for filling:

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Without stirring, cook, carefully swirling, until sugar dissolves. Without stirring, continue to cook, carefully swirling, until dark amber in color, about 10 minutes.
Add cream, vanilla, butter, and salt:

Reduce heat to low and slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until combined. Add vanilla seeds, butter, and salt; stir until is smooth.
Strain caramel:

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; set aside to cool slightly.
Spread filling on cookies and sandwich:

Spread caramel filling onto bottoms of half the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges.

Mike Krautter