Today’s recipe is for something I have sorely missed over the years: gluten free Dutch waffles!
Despite the word waffle making it into the name, they’re actually technically cookies and treated as such in the Netherlands where they are known as stroopwafels.
For those less familiar with this deliciously sweet tea time Dutch classic, Dutch waffles are basically very thin waffles sliced in half with a sticky treacle based caramel filling in the middle.
I’ve never seen or heard of a gluten free version here in the UK (leave a comment below if you have, I would love to know!) so I took it upon myself to finally make my own gluten free Dutch waffles.
And you know what, other than being a bit time consuming it’s not actually as hard as it may seem!Β I created my own based on ‘normal’ recipes and it took some trial and error, but I’m very pleased with this last attempt. π
What you’ll need:
A very thin waffle maker (like an ice cream cone maker).
I got mine in TK Maxx recently (Gourmet Gadgetry – Vintage Tea Party) for about Β£15 so it’s not too pricy.
MY TIPS:
1. DON’T SKIP THE RESTING TIME!
I know it’s tempting, but you can’t get away with it with this recipe. lol Dutch waffles require a light and airy dough that can only be achieved by letting the yeast take action for a while.
2. DON’T MAKE THE WAFFLES TOO THIN.
They shouldn’t be any thinner than half a cm or you’ll struggle to slice them in half. For example my waffle maker is completely flat so if I let it close as much as it naturally wants, my waffles end up way too thin. The solution I found is to lower the lid slowly until I reach the desired thickness and hold it there for a while. This gives the outer layers time to crisp up a bit so it won’t carry on getting thinner when you let go. Alternatively you can place something under the handle to hold it at the right height (a mug is just about right for mine).
3. TRIM AND SLICE THE WAFFLES WHILE STILL WARM
Trim the rugged edges and slice them in half straight out of the waffle maker. Otherwise they’ll harden as they cool down and will break as you try to slice them.
4.Β LET THE WAFFLES COO DOWN BEFORE ADDING THE CARAMEL FILLING.
To prevent it from melting and leaking out.
5. GIVE THE CARAMEL TIME TO THICKEN UP
Let it thicken up a little before assembling the waffles.
6. GIVE YOUR STROOPWAFELS TIME TO SIT, COOL DOWN AND HARDEN UP BEFORE EATING.
I put them in the fridge for a while first.
7. FOR THE YEAST
Here I’m using easy bake yeast (this one by Allinson). This is the powdered type of yeast that can be added in directly with the rest of the dry ingredients without needing to be activated first.
8. FOR THE FLOUR
Here I’m using a standard gluten free blend that already has xanthan gum and self-raising agents added. If you don’t have access to a self-raising flour blend where you live, you can simply use a plain gluten free flour blend and add the baking powder and xanthan gum separately yourself. As I wrote in the ingredients below, about 2 teaspoons of baking powder and half a teaspoon of xanthan gum. π
Gluten free Dutch waffles (stroopwafels) recipe:
- 145g (1 cup) gluten free self-raising flour blend (I used Doves Farm)
- *Add 2 tsp baking powder if using plain flour instead of self-raising
- *Add ½ tsp xanthan gum (only if your blend doesn't already contain it, mine does)
- 35g (1/4 + ⅛ cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 1 heaped tsp (5g) easy bake yeast (I used Allinson)
- 65g (4-5 Tbsp) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 Tbsp milk (lukewarm)
- 1 large egg
- 100g treacle/molasses syrup
- 60g brown sugar (I used demerara)
- 50g unsalted butter
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
The dough for Dutch waffles as well as the caramel filling are quick to prepare. The preparation time is mostly consumed by the resting time which cannot be skipped as it is needed for the yeast to take action.
Directions
PREPARE THE DOUGH:
- Melt the butter in the microwave (in 10 seconds increments).
- In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and yeast together. Note: don’t forget to add baking powder and xanthan gum if your flour blend doesn’t already contain these (mine already does).
- Stir in the melted butter as well as a tablespoon of milk and a large egg.
- Mix well with a spoon or spatula until your reach a smooth dough. Note: with ‘normal’ dutch waffles, the dough is solid enough to work and knead with your hands, kind of like cookie dough, but the gluten free version needs more liquid so we skip this part. It should look like this instead, thick and sticky:
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LET THE DOUGH REST:
- Cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rest for 45 mins to an hour in a warm place (or overnight in the fridge). On a warm sunny day, you can place the bowl on a window sill. On a cold day, you can place it near a radiator or what I usually do is turn the oven on to the lowest possible temperature and place the bowl on the opened door (so it’s not actually in the oven). Note: don’t skip this step, it’s necessary for the yeast to take action.
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COOK YOUR STROOPWAFELS:
- Separate the dough into 10 balls – about 1 tablespoon worth of dough for each. To do this, cover your hands in flour and gently roll the dough between your palms or toss it in a bit of flour. Don’t apply pressure while you do this; you just want to shape the dough into balls and lightly coat them in flour while still keeping the dough light and airy. We don’t want to get rid of those air pockets the yeast created.
- Warm up the waffle maker and grease the waffle plates with cooking spray, oil or butter. I recommend using a low calorie cooking spray because 1) it’s what works best in my experience and 2) these waffles are already caloric enough without needing to add even more calories on top! π
- Place one ball on the waffle plate and gently close the waffle maker. Start your timer and cook for 2 to 2.5 minutes. Note: be careful not to make them too thin; no thinner than half a cm. (See tips section above for more advice on this)
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TRIM AND SLICE YOUR STROOPWAFELS:
- Trim the rugged edges with a cookie cutter (or knife). Not only does this make them look perfect, but it also makes them easier to slice.
- Carefully slice the waffles in half with a sharp knife. Note: I recommend doing this while the waffles are still warm, straight out of the waffle maker.
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HOW TO MAKE THE FILLING:
- Melt the syrup, brown sugar, butter and ground cinnamon together in a pan on low heat, stirring constantly, until the cinnamon becomes fragrant. About 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool down and thicken up a bit.
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ASSEMBLE YOUR GLUTEN FREE DUTCH WAFFLES:
- Let the waffles cool down.
- Spread some of the caramel mixture on one half and cover with the other, pressing gently to glue them together.
- For best results, give them time to cool down and for the caramel to harden before eating. I put mine in the fridge for a while first.
Hope you enjoy them! π
Kimi x
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Love it! Great pictures and great recipe!
Love the recipe. What’s the best way to store these? I put them in a Ziploc but they became soft.
thank you so much for this recipe! I love the waffles, but wasn’t a big fan of the syrup. I’ve always loved eating them at the Tulip Time in Pella Iowa so I was super excited to find your blog.
I haven’t tried your recipe yet, but in Canada Double Dutch makes a very good gluten free stroopwaffle.