Dutch Delights: Karamel Kruidnoten
What: Karamel Kruidnoten – tiny round, hard cookies spiced with ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg and then covered in a caramel flavoured layer.
Why: Kruidnoten are said to be linked with the Dutch controlled spice trade with the East in the 17th century. Kruidnoten were a way for the ordinary Dutch people to show off all the spices that they were able to easily get their hands on. Nowadays, covering the kruidnoten in caramel or chocolate (see varieties below) was just another way for individual brands to entice the general population to consume the kruidnoten in vast quantities.
Where: Kruidnoten in general can be found in every grocery store, sweet shop and even some non-food related shops. Karamel Kruidnoten are most easily found in the grocery stores, usually in a special ‘seasonal’ area towards the front of the store. Alternatively, visit any Sinterklaas type event and prepare for the possibility of having kruidnoten and other small sweets thrown at you by Sinterklaas’s helpers, the Zwarte Pieten.
When: These little gems are found in the run-up to Sinterklaas on December 5th. Like all things seasonal, they appear earlier and earlier each year but you should have no problem finding them from at least the middle of November until stocks run out after the beginning of December.
Varieties: Kruidnoten in their original form are the most common, however there are chocolate (milk, dark, white) covered kruidnoten, truffle covered kruidnoten and karamel kruidnoten. Who knows what next year will bring!
How Much [Should I Eat]: Karamel Kruidnoten are well worth buying in tub sized proportions since they are so yummy, however they can become repetitive after awhile, making you never want to see a light brown drop again!
Pas Op! (Watch Out!): Don’t confuse kruidnoten with their similar looking cousin, the pepernoten. The pepernoot is chewier and has a more aniseed flavour.
We have finished at least 1kg of chocolade kruidnoten already, and I still have 1kg in the cupboard...SINTERKLAAS rocks!
Ohhh I had these last week, the chocolate ones are good, but these are even better!!! I couldn't stop eating them!
I think you mean kruidnoten rocks! ;)
Another Karamel Kruidnoten addict! I wonder what they will bring out next year to top this one?
I discovered these things last weekend at a friends house. They are amazing and dangerously addictive.
'Amazing' and 'addictive'. Two very dangerous words when put together!
You should try the black and white chocolate ones, very tasty.
I had a few of those last year but forgot to pick up a bag this year. Did you try the truffle ones?
[...] to show off all the spices that they were able to easily get their hands on. As I mentioned last year, covering the kruidnoten in a candy coating, caramel or chocolate (see varieties below) is just [...]