Guide4 June 20265 min read

Stroopwafel vs Cookie: Which Amsterdam Treat Should You Try?

One is warm, chewy and Dutch to the core. The other is a buttery bakery classic. Here is how to pick, or have both.

By Daniel MellicovskyBaker and owner, Melly's Cookiebar

A hand holding a candy-topped stroopwafel in front of a historic Amsterdam building

You walk into the shop, you smell warm caramel and fresh-baked cookies at the same time, and now you have a decision to make. Stroopwafel or cookie? Both are excellent, and both have a place. Here is an honest, friendly comparison to help you choose, from a bakery that happens to make both.

The quick verdict

If you want the most Dutch thing on the menu, and you want it warm, get the stroopwafel. If you want a comforting, familiar treat that you can eat on the move and share easily, get a cookie. If you cannot decide, you are not the first, and the answer is usually both.

What makes a stroopwafel special

A stroopwafel is two thin waffles pressed around a layer of warm caramel. Eaten fresh it is soft, chewy and gently spiced, and the caramel goes gooey if you rest it on a hot drink. It is unmistakably Dutch and it is the thing most people come to Amsterdam to try. We also dip ours in chocolate and finish them with toppings, so a stroopwafel can be a simple classic or a loaded dessert. Have a look at the stroopwafel flavours to see the range.

Melly's stroopwafels dipped in chocolate and finished with toppings — Pressed fresh, dipped in chocolate and finished with toppings, from a simple classic to a loaded dessert.

What makes a cookie a cookie

A great cookie is its own kind of comfort. Thick, fresh and a little soft in the middle, it travels well, shares easily and does not need a fork or a hot drink to be at its best. Our cookies come from the same family kitchen that ran one of Amsterdam's first espresso bars, so they are not an afterthought. See the cookies we bake, including chocolate chip, red velvet, salted caramel and a vegan sea salt.

A fresh-baked Melly's chocolate chip cookie — Our cookies are baked fresh daily, a habit we kept from the original Cookiebar.

How to choose

Want it warm and gooey right now? Stroopwafel.
Eating while you walk? Cookie, no plate needed.
Want the iconic Dutch experience? Stroopwafel.
Sharing with a group? A mix of both is the crowd pleaser.

Why not both

There is no rule that says you pick one. Plenty of people grab a warm stroopwafel to eat on the spot and a box of cookies for later. If you are taking treats home or sending a gift, our webshop has tins and packs that keep for weeks and ship across Europe. Come in, smell both, and decide in person. It is the best way to settle the argument.