The great American stroopwafel may not be great enough

October 21, 2012 8:46 PM

What are the best (and most authentic) brands of stroopwafels, and where can I obtain them?

My partner has been obsessed with stroopwafels ever since a friend brought some back from Amsterdam for him (we live in NYC, and of course no one remembers what brand those were), but none of the ones we've been able to find locally have been any good.

I really want to order some stroopwafels for him that will make him happy, but I have no idea what kind to buy or where to get them!

What are the best stroopwafels out there, and where can I order them?

(If the best ones are not available by mail order, I'll happily post a contract job to get someone to buy them and mail them to me instead. So don't worry too much about that!)

I'm particularly interested in replies from people who are from or who have visited the Netherlands and have tasted the real thing.

Thanks!

posted by 168 to food & drink (15 answers total)

I cannot say they are the best, but my mother found these cookies after our time in Amsterdam. She was going to send me some, but she ate them all.
posted by Duffington at 8:55 PM on October 21, 2012

I tried a few different brands while over there and they were all damn good. I don't think you could go wrong really. But, when in doubt type in 'stroopwafels' on Amazon and sort by review?

The ones that seemed to be the biggest seller in a grocery store weren't in a box but in a clear plastic bag with like 20 of the addictive bastards stacked in a row.
posted by ian1977 at 9:15 PM on October 21, 2012

The best ones are the ones you buy freshly-made from stalls, and you can approximate that with a pizzele iron if you feel daring.

I spent a bit of time in Amsterdam and take my transatlantic layovers there, and generally just buy the all-butter ones from HEMA or Albert Heijn, because they're not sitting on the shelf for too long, but of the brand names, Gouda's Gilde are very decent, and sold online from US importers. Aldi, of all places, also sells them once or twice a year; they're Dutch imports and pretty good. I've also seen them on the shelf at various natural/hippie-supermarkets, and heard that Costco sell them.

But... I see that there's a Brooklyn-based maker (but of course) who sells to a bunch of NYC locations. So, start there. Freshness is all.
posted by holgate at 9:18 PM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]

Jules Destrooper
posted by phrontist at 9:39 PM on October 21, 2012

I have seen stroopwafels at Cost Plus, called Daelman's and also at Trader Joe's. I can happily destroy packages of them in one sitting.
posted by dottiechang at 9:39 PM on October 21, 2012

They also sell stroopwafels in Belgium, and I am going there next month, so if you can't find any locally before then let me know and I'll bring some back for you.
posted by bedhead at 9:41 PM on October 21, 2012

Seconding the ones at the grocery store in a clear plastic bag, they're cheap too.

Dubbel Dutch here in Denver says they have them, but I've never gotten them there. I've always just brought them back with me.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 9:50 PM on October 21, 2012

I didn't compare a bunch of other brands, but the Daelmans stroopwafels met bourbon vanille I got there last week are pretty freaking delicious. I see them on that amazon search ian1977 linked to.

Though really, I'm not sure it's a great idea to have many of these on hand.
posted by aubilenon at 10:12 PM on October 21, 2012

I can't speak to the authenticity, as I've never had one from Amsterdam. I can say though that these are crazy good: http://www.dutchtreats.net/.

From Boise Idaho of all places.
posted by mgr at 11:11 PM on October 21, 2012

Recommendations here seem as good as any. I like Jules Destrooper, they are easy to find in the states and their other cookies are super lekker.

I'm off to the Albert Cuyp now for a warm one.
posted by humboldt32 at 1:23 AM on October 22, 2012

In holland most people just buy them from the Albert Heijn or the Hema. Both are good.

The freshly made ones, at the Albert Cuyp markt are great ... perhaps your go-to choice is a stroopwaffel iron?

I can pop some into the post to you when I am back in NL 1st week of November ... Memail me if you want.
posted by jannw at 2:31 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm confused by the references to Jules Destrooper, and Google won't help me: does Jules Destrooper do stroopwafels? Does anyone have a link for me? I haven't seen them but I'm impressed by their other cookies, so I'd love to taste them.
posted by Ms. Next at 4:34 AM on October 22, 2012

Come to think of it, I've probably not ever had a Jules Destrooper stroopenwafel. Clearly I can't get past their chocolate covered cinnamon biscuits which are otherworldly.

Ended up having a warm stroopenwafel on the Westerstraat today instead.
posted by humboldt32 at 7:28 AM on October 22, 2012

Just to clear this up:
A quick check on the DeStrooper product site (Dutch version) does not reveal any stroopwafels, newly available or otherwise. Only other yumminess. Mix-up with names, likely.

A test of the Algemeen Dagblad from 2004 says that these are what you're looking for.
posted by Namlit at 10:35 AM on October 22, 2012

I've never had a real Dutch stroopwafel (so I have no idea if these are authentic), but The Good Batch makes tasty stroopwafels by hand. They were selling them at the Brooklyn Flea last year.
posted by topoisomerase at 9:19 PM on October 23, 2012