I have a weakness for a seriously great dessert, and these 10 famous Dutch recipes really hit the spot.
Get ready for treats that are rich, delectable, and totally extraordinary.
You’ll want to savor every bite of these traditional sweets!
1. Dutch Butter Cake with Almonds
Maybe “butter cake” doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but trust me, it’s actually unbelievable.
The cake is tender, decadent, and essentially almond-flavored.
It’s rich and delightful, but still pretty subtle and not excessively sugary.
Moreover, the cake is actually quite pretty, even though it calls for such simple ingredients.
Its easy charm will remind you of something your grandma might have whipped up in years past.
It’s soothing and familiar, like coming home after a long trip.
2. Oliebollen (Dutch Doughnuts)
It’s hard to pick which is more awesome about these warm, deep-fried treats: the incredible flavor or how fun it is to pronounce their name.
For me, it’s a tough call, since I really love both.
If you enjoy beignets, then you’ll also appreciate oliebollen, because they’re pretty similar in both flavor and texture.
With or without powdered sugar, nobody could turn these down given the chance.
3. Arnhemse Meisjes
To whip up these delicate, crispy cookies, you’ll only need five ingredients: vanilla sugar, puff pastry squares, lime zest, cinnamon, and cardamom.
You’ll adore the satisfying crisp when you take a bite, and the gorgeous cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top makes every single one look delicate, refined, and just a little bit glittery!
It takes less than an hour to make a batch of these unbelievable cookies.
If you’re a fan of dunking your sweets in coffee or tea, these are the treats for you.
4. Dutch Letters (S Cookies)
Dutch letters, or sometimes “S” Cookies, are well-known in many places worldwide, and understandably.
They are decadent and flaky, and they feature a lovely almond paste filling that basically melts in your mouth.
The sugary topping contributes even more sweetness and some satisfying crunch, which makes them over-the-top delicious.
Just FYI, these cookies might not be ‘S’-shaped in your area, since they make them into round ‘O’s in some places.
5. Dutch Speculaas Cookies
While most people simply call them speculaas, I tend to think of these as spice cookies.
One mouthful of that sweet cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and white pepper flavor, and you’ll see why.
These delicate, almond-topped cookies are charming, and they taste awesome any time of the year, but due to their unique blend of spices, they’re really the quintessential Christmas cookie.
Whip them up for yourself, or share them with friends and family.
Either way, these are sure to impress.
6. Kruidnoten (Dutch Little Spiced Cookies)
Kruidnotens and speculaas cookies actually share pretty comparable flavor profiles.
As traditional Dutch “spice cookies”, they share a lot of the same ingredients, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, just to name a few.
However, the texture is different, since kruidnotens are much thicker and rounder, and they’re not as nutty as the speculaas.
They also won’t take nearly as long to make, so if you want spice cookies that you can whip up in less than 60 minutes, these are a great choice.
7. Tompouce
Using just five ingredients, you can effortlessly make this sensational orange dessert.
You’ll begin with a puff pastry layer, and you’ll then throw together a simple pastry cream and whipping cream filling.
That’s delicious all on its own, but you’ll complete it with a blend of powdered sugar and vibrant food colors for an over-the-top presentation.
The whole thing is gorgeous, fun, and an amazing mix of crispy pastry and creamy filling.
Plus, you can adjust the tompouce to be as simple or elaborate as you like, decorating with a rainbow, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day theme.
8. Sweet Dutch Pretzels
These Dutch pretzels may share the same shape as those Rold Gold Mini Twists at the store, but that’s where their similarity stops.
These tasty pretzels are tender, buttery, and coated with lots of sugary flavor.
While it takes some time to prepare them, the recipe is more time-consuming than challenging.
They can be cooked in just 15 minutes after they’re prepped.
If you need a tasty, sugary snack to make your day a little brighter, these Dutch pretzels certainly deliver.
9. Dutch Apple Pie
You might think apple pie is about as “American” as it gets, but the Dutch are even better at making it than us.
While this pie takes a little while to throw together, its gorgeous presentation, mouth-watering aroma, and unbelievable flavor will make you see that it was absolutely worth the effort.
The crust is warm and flaky, and the filling is thick, sugary, and spiced.
As if that weren’t enough, this Dutch apple pie also features a rich streusel crumb topping with lots of butter.
10. Dutch Stroopwafel
This delectable sweet is among the best Dutch recipes out there.
Many people initially think they’re waffles, but even though the texture is similar, they’re far more delicate than waffles.
Stroopwafels have two crispy, thin, waffle-like wafers with a caramel-flavored filling made from molasses, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
While they’re a little messy and sure to make your fingers sticky, they are unbelievably yummy!