Dutch baking is shaped significantly by the Netherlands’ history as a major spice trading nation. The Dutch East India Company — VOC — controlled much of the global spice trade from the early 17th century, and cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cardamom became embedded in Dutch baking during this period in quantities and combinations that distinguish Dutch sweets from neighboring German and Belgian traditions. This spice history is directly visible in speculaas and other Dutch baked goods that remain heavily spiced compared to most Western European equivalents.

Stroopwafels are thin waffle cookies sandwiching a caramel syrup filling, made by pressing batter in a waffle iron and slicing the result in half to insert the filling while warm. They originated in Gouda in the early 19th century and are now one of the most widely exported Dutch food products. Speculaas are spiced shortcrust cookies made in molded shapes for Sinterklaas — the Dutch celebration of Saint Nicholas on December 5th — flavored with a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and white pepper. Speculaas paste — speculaaspasta — is a spread made from ground speculaas cookies used as a condiment and baking ingredient.

Oliebollen are fried dough balls made with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar, sold by street vendors at New Year’s Eve markets across the Netherlands. They are one of the most distinctly Dutch preparations and have been documented in Dutch paintings from the 17th century. Almond paste — amandelspijs — made from ground almonds and sugar is used in banketstaaf, a puff pastry log filled with almond paste eaten at Christmas and Sinterklaas.

The Netherlands’ colonial history in Indonesia and Suriname introduced Indonesian and Surinamese ingredients and preparations into Dutch food culture. Spekkoek — the Indonesian layered spice cake — is sold in Dutch patisseries as a Dutch-Indonesian specialty. Surinamese sweets including black cake and various coconut preparations reflect the Caribbean colonial connection and are available in Dutch cities with significant Surinamese communities.