Long before sisters Judith and Ada Goedbloed began selling fresh stroopwafels in Charlottesville, they imagined going into business together. Growing up in Heerlen, the Netherlands, the sisters talked about someday running a candy store, inspired by two somewhat mysterious sisters who owned one in their hometown. Decades later, that childhood idea has come full circle, although with a distinctly Dutch twist.
The path to Stroopwafel Sisters began across the country. After Judith and her husband moved from Charlottesville to Seattle in 2015, she began wondering why no one at local farmers markets was making the caramel-filled Dutch cookies she remembered from home. Encouraged by family, friends, and local business owners, she founded Dutch Dame Stroopwafels in 2019 with hands-on help from her daughter, Chelsa.
When Judith returned to Charlottesville in 2022, Chelsa continued the Seattle business before eventually relocating to the Washington, D.C., area. Meanwhile, Judith began exploring opportunities closer to home. An airline magazine article about Ix Art Park and its farmers market caught her attention, and she ultimately connected with market manager Cecile Gorham.
With Ada’s support, Stroopwafel Sisters was born. Ada, who lives in Alexandria, still makes the trip to Charlottesville every other weekend when she can to join her sister at the booth. “It is really fun, especially when Ada is helping me,” Judith said.
Creating an authentic stroopwafel requires considerably more technique than its simple appearance might suggest. A ball of supple dough is pressed on a specialized baking iron until it becomes a wafer approximately one-eighth-inch thick. While it is still warm and pliable, the wafer is carefully split into two layers before gooey caramel is spread between them.
Judith learned the process during a workshop in the Netherlands, where she also purchased her first specialized baking iron. She later adapted and repeatedly tested the accompanying recipes with help from family, particularly Chelsa.
Growing up in the Netherlands, Judith said, gives her an advantage because she knows what a traditional stroopwafel should taste like. Stroopwafel Sisters uses organic flour from Virginia’s Grapewood Farm, real butter, milk, fresh eggs, and “stroop,” a syrup imported from the Netherlands that gives the caramel its authentic flavor.
For customers accustomed to packaged versions, tasting one fresh from the iron can be a revelation. The aroma of warm, buttery wafers, caramel, and cinnamon often draws curious marketgoers to the booth. “We see smiling faces at our booth and hear cries of delight when people bite into one,” Judith said.
Those interactions are also why Judith is content keeping the business small. While she has considered expanding into retail stores, it would require a level of growth she isn’t looking for right now.
“I love what I’m doing and appreciate the enthusiasm of our customers,” she said. “I certainly hope to keep Stroopwafel Sisters going at the Ix. It is a destination for friends and neighbors to meet, with little kids and dogs in tow; a place to enjoy great food and shop for fresh seasonal produce or unusual gifts; and I haven’t even mentioned the wonderful murals and sculptures to admire there. Being there as a vendor makes me feel more like a part of the wider community, and I just hope we can keep the market going far into the future.”
Stroopwafel Sisters can reliably be found Saturdays at the year-round IX Farmers Market from March through early December, with occasional appearances at festivals and special events. Customers can follow @stroopwafelsisters on Instagram for updates and contact the sisters directly to inquire about special orders.