Syrup Waffle Factory Tour

Holland is famous for a lot of things (clogs, windmills, cheese…mmm..cheese). But one of the tastiest things to come out of the Netherlands is the syrup waffle!

You may know it better as a “stroopwafel,” and rumor has it that it actually originated in Gouda!

A stroopwafel literally translates to “syrup waffle,” and at the Kamphuisen Syrup Waffle Factory it’s actually two paper-thin waffle cookies with a mouthwatering syrup sandwiched in between.

*Other popular stroopwafels use one cookie sliced in half as opposed to two cookies.

During our adventure in Gouda, we visited the Kamphuisen Syrup Waffle Factory in the markt (town center), and enjoyed it down to the very last bite.

If you’re walking around the markt and stumble inside the little syrup factory shop, you’d never believe there’s an entire factory behind the doors of the little Kamphuisen shop, but that’s where the fun begins.

A Tasty Tour

We made a reservation for the tour just after our Gouda Cheese Experience, because a little savory snack followed by some dessert seemed like the perfect way to spend a morning.

(Spoiler alert: it is the best way to spend a morning.)

When it’s time for your tour you’ll watch an animated clip explaining the history of the rich cookie.

It’s in Dutch, but there’s an English print out to follow along, and it was entertaining enough to occupy all three kids.

After the quick history lesson, you’ll head inside to see where the magic is made.

Kids, and kids at heart, can help “make” the dough, and then everyone on the tour gets to enjoy a little syrup taste test, followed by a step by step tutorial on how to make the actual cookies.

The whole process has evolved over the decades, and it’s cool to see the whole thing from start to finish.

After you get the ins and outs of how they’re made, you can see the actual recipe (kind of).

The coveted recipe is in a “vault” sealed up and protected…but lucky for you, you don’t need the recipe since you get a free syrup waffle at the end of the tour!

Wrap up the tour by sliding down the slide (the kids picked this option) or taking the long way around, and end up in their little cafe.

Buy your extra syrup waffles here, and (pro tip) get more than you think you’ll need; they make excellent gifts for friends back home.

Also, if you see a bottle of their syrup liquor, grab some of that, too. It’s delicious in coffee!

After tasting a syrup waffle and a stroopwafel back to back, I can honestly stay that I like the syrup waffle more. It has more of a crunch, followed by that chewy center, so the texture of it is a little more appealing.

Kamphuisen Syrup Waffle Factory

Basic Info
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am—6pm
Address: Siroopwafelfabriek, Markt 69, 2801 JM Gouda, Netherlands
Must make reservations: Get tickets here.