Stroopwafels were first made in the city of Gouda in the late 18th or early 19th century. Bakers used leftover bread and dough to make them. They sweetened these leftovers with syrup to create a tasty treat. The first known written recipe for stroopwafels dates back to 1840. However, some stories say that a baker named Gerard Kamphuisen may have created them around 1810. 