A kletskop (plural: kletskoppen) is a traditional Dutch and Belgian lace cookie, characterized by its ultra-thin, crisp texture and caramelized flavor, typically made from butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts (usually almonds or peanuts).
 | |
| Type | cookie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Netherlands |
| Main ingredients | sugar, almond, butter |
| Variations | kaaskletskop (with cheese) |
History
editThe modern name kletskop evolved from the earlier official name kanteling, later nicknamed schorftenhoofd (“scurf head”), a reference to the cookie's bumpy, caramel-crusted appearance that resembled the rough texture of diseased skin of a scalp affliction common among children known as favus. This was later softened to kletskop, literally "bald head" in Dutch, as the decease caused baldness.[1][2]
In 16th century Dutch city of Leiden, the cookie was used as a part of the Leiden bakers’ guild master baker’s trial. The earliest known literary mention of the cookie is in a 1602 poem by Flemish writer Zacharias Heyns referencing the Leiden delicacy as schorftenhoofden (“scurf heads”). In the 19th-century Belgian towns like Bruges and Veurne also claim origin of the kletskop, but Dutch records predate these.[3]
Serving
editKletskop is typically served with coffee or tea, and are also used as a decorative crisp element in desserts (e.g., ice cream, pudding).[4]
See also
edit- Tuile (France)
- Florentines (France/Italy)
References
edit- ^ "Kletskop". etymologiebank.nl.
- ^ "Geschiedenis van de kletskop | Bakkenderwijs". www.bakkenderwijs.nl (in Dutch). 3 November 2016.
- ^ Mensink, Karlijn (7 October 2020). "Kletskoppen: hoe komen deze koekjes aan deze naam? - Culy.nl". Culy (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Kletskoppen". The Dutch Table.