How to make authentic Dutch kletskoppen: easy and absolutely delicious!

In Lekker Hollands by Rudolph van Veen, you’ll find an ode to Dutch cuisine, with more than 70 recipes from the past and present. And of course, kletskoppen cannot be missing! These traditional Dutch cookies, with their thin, crispy texture and delicious caramel flavor, are simply irresistible, aren’t they? They are made with sugar, butter and nuts. 

A kletskop is characterized by the small holes that form in the cookie in the oven. This happens because the thin batter spreads and bubbles during baking. The result is an almost lace-like texture. Kletskoppen sold in supermarkets are usually made with pieces of peanut, because peanuts are cheaper than almonds. But we make them with almonds— even more delicious!

• Melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Chop the almonds into small pieces.
• In a bowl, combine the butter, white caster sugar, water, cinnamon, salt and almonds. Add the flour and stir everything together with a spatula.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spoon small mounds of batter onto the lined baking tray. Keep in mind that the batter spreads considerably during baking. The cookies will at least double in size.
• Bake the kletskoppen for approximately 10 minutes until evenly light brown. Let them cool briefly after baking so they are firm enough to pick up. Do not keep them for too long: because of their high sugar content, they are wonderfully crispy when fresh, but they also become chewy or soft relatively quickly.