Holland’s capital city is a treasure trove of cakes and cookies beyond your wildest dessert dreams.

The Dutch are known for having quite the sweet tooth (think hagelslag – chocolate sprinkles traditionally spread on slices of buttered bread for breakfast), making Amsterdam the perfect place to indulge in sugary delights. The city is full of cafes and bakeries serving all things desserts from the very traditional to never before seen novelties. Here are eight Dutch confections and the best spots to try them in Amsterdam.

 

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Inside of a traditional Amsterdam house in the historic Jordaan neighborhood lies Winkel 43, AKA the place to go for Dutch apple pie, or appeltaart, in the city. The cafe’s version of the fruit-filled dessert is known for its thick, lattice patterned crust topped with a dollop of light and airy whipped cream made in-house. There’s limited seating inside, but a large patio space surrounds the exterior, with plenty of room to enjoy a warm slice fresh out of the oven.

Opened in 1973, The Pancake Bakery is the oldest pancake restaurant in Amsterdam, operating out of the basement of a 17th century warehouse right on the canal. Thicker than crepes, but thinner than American style pancakes, pannenkoeken at The Pancake Bakery follow a special traditional recipe passed down for generations. The menu offers over 100 topping combinations to choose from, including various ice cream flavors and candies. From fruity jams to chocolate shavings and powdered sugar, pannenkoeken are a delicious sweet treat providing limitless possibilities for any palate.

Lanskroon Banketbakkerij has been a family-run Amsterdam staple for over 100 years, serving up near perfect gevulde koeken everyday. These traditional “stuffed cookies” are soft, buttery pastries with lightly crispy edges, filled with a sweet almond paste. Snag a table by the window to watch the world go by, or sit out on the bench for some fresh air with your treats. With four generations of perfecting recipes and techniques, it’s no wonder Lanskroon has built up such an esteemed reputation between locals and tourists alike.

Opened in 1890, Bertram & Brood is a very traditional Dutch bakery that has become an international supplier of bread across countless cafes and restaurants. While Bertram may be best known for their loaves, don’t let that fame overshadow their out of this world appelflappen. These indulgent desserts are battered and deep fried apples, best served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar – a donut-lover’s dream.

Patisserie Holtkamp has been known as one of the best bakeries in all of Amsterdam since it was founded in 1969. This family-owned business is housed in a beautiful Art Deco building, selling authentic Dutch pastries like the nationally beloved tompouce. This is somewhat reminiscent of the French millefeuille, boasting a thick layer of cream between 2 puff pastry sheets, topped with a delicate pink icing. Holtkamp is the official kroketten (Dutch croquettes) supplier to the Dutch Royal Family, so you know they don’t mess around.

Located inside of a former carousel, De Carrousel Pannenkoeken Amsterdam serves some of the best poffertjes in the city. Poffertjes are essentially mini pancakes, traditionally served with powdered sugar, butter, or maple syrup. They’re much easier to eat while walking around than a full sized pannenkoek, making them a great street food option.

Perhaps the most well known Dutch dessert, stroopwafels are thin waffle cookies with a sweet syrup filling (most commonly caramel or honey). While you can find these treats all over Amsterdam, Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels uses a secret traditional family recipe to create the perfectly crunchy and not overly sweet cookies they’re known for. The stroopwafels are baked fresh daily and served out of a food truck in Albert Cuypmarkt – a novelty you won’t want to miss.

Founded in 1910, Broodbakker Simon Meijssen is known as Amsterdam’s first baker. It was also the first bakery to be awarded the title of Royal Supplier (a company that supplies products to a royal or imperial court), a feat that can only be achieved by a business that has been operating for at least 100 years. Simon Meijssen is extremely passionate about using quality ingredients and precise techniques, which is what makes their speculaas koekjes so special. If you’ve heard of speculoos or cookie butter, you might already know about the delicious Dutch spiced shortbread biscuits those spreads originate from. If you haven’t heard of them, then that’s all the more reason to try the delightfully spiced cookies from Broodbakker Simon Meijssen, where they strike the perfect balance between crunchy and soft.