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Want to try a classic savory Dutch snack? Try Bitterballen! These fried meatballs are made from a thick, meaty gravy that is rolled in breadcrumbs for a crispy bite. A perfect snack to enjoy and easy to make!

Dutch meatballs

Bitterballen are often referred to as Dutch meatballs. It’s not a classic meatball made from a mixture of meat. No, bitterballen are made of beef broth with shredded beef and a handful of other ingredients. A delicious meaty filling with a crispy crust.

These fried Dutch meatballs are traditionally made with beef, but you can also try other flavors. How about chicken or veal? And if you’re looking for a vegetarian bitterballen, there are bitterballen made with mushrooms.

Ingredients

When I developed my recipe for Dutch meatballs, I wanted to make sure it was really easy. So I bought a jar of beef broth that already had shredded beef in it. If you can’t find that ingredient, you can buy (or make) your own beef broth and add the beef separately. Sometimes I use the broth with the meat and add extra meat for a really tasty filling.

In addition to the broth and the beef, you need some ingredients to make a nice roux. And to make it thick enough, you add some gelatin leaves. Here are all the ingredients for the stuffing:

• Beef broth. You can make your own or buy a jar of beef broth at the grocery store. Either will be fine.
• Shredded beef (brisket). Only if you have broth without pieces of meat, or if you want to add extra meat.
• Gelatin sheets. To make sure the filling is thick enough to cut into squares and roll into balls for breading.
• Unsalted butter. For making the roux. I prefer unsalted to have more control over the amount of salt.
• Flour. For making the roux. All-purpose flour is fine.
• Parsley. I used fresh parsley and chopped it finely for the stuffing.
• Mustard. Bitterballen are dipped in mustard when you eat them, but it’s also a perfect flavoring for the filling.
• Whipping cream. To make the filling nice and creamy.
• Eggs. For breading the bitterballen. You first roll the filling in an egg mixture.
• Bread crumbs. For breading the bitterballen. Roll the balls trough the bread crumbs after the egg mixture.

You’ll also need

There are some tools that come in handy when frying the meatballs. This is what I use:

• Deep fryer, large skillet or Dutch oven. I prefer my Dutch oven for fried snacks. I have a pan that I only use for frying.
• Sunflower oil. I like to use sunflower oil for frying, but you can also use other types of vegetable oil. You’ll fry the bitterballen for a couple of minutes in a few inches of oil.
• Skimmer. To scoop the bitterballen out of the oil.
• Paper towel. After frying the bitterballen, I put them on some paper towels to absorb some of the oil.

How to serve bitterballen

After spending some time in the kitchen making this Dutch recipe, you’ll have a serving of nice golden-brown bitterballen ready to enjoy.

In the Netherlands, fried meatballs are a popular snack that you can order at a cafe. Or serve them at home for a party, game day or birthday. They are usually eaten as a snack and not for dinner. But if you do eat them for dinner, they will probably be served with fries.

You can drink whatever you want with a bitterball, but this Dutch food is often served as a tasty snack with some alcoholic beverages. Most Dutch people love the combination of a nice cold beer with a piping hot bitterbal.

For dipping

Bitterballen are dipped in a sauce, usually mustard. I prefer to dip them in mayonnaise.

And be careful when you take a bite: Bitterballen are best when they come straight out of the fryer and are piping hot. I have burned my mouth countless times.

How to store bitterballen?

The best way to eat bitterballen is right after frying them. If you have leftovers, I would not save them (although I have never tried, there are never leftovers).

​Freezing bitterballen

After breading, you have two options: fry and eat. Or: freeze them. You can freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months. This way, you’ll always have a deep-fried snack (almost) ready to enjoy.

This way it’s possible to make a big batch and only fry the amount of bitterballen you need. You can fry them directly from the freezer, but they will need 30 seconds to 1 minute more to fry.

More Dutch recipes you’ll like

Looking for Dutch recipes? I got you! As a Dutchie I share a lot of authentic Dutch recipes on my blog. Here are some of my favorites. Sweet and savory.

• Saucijzenbroodjes (Dutch puff pastry sausage rolls)
• Poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes)
• Boterkoek (Dutch butter cake)

Print Recipe

4.44 from 16 votes

Dutch Bitterballen recipe

Want to try a classic savory Dutch snack? Try Bitterballen! These fried meatballs are made from a thick, meaty gravy that is rolled in breadcrumbs for a crispy bite. A perfect snack to enjoy and easy to make!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Resting time3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Servings: 18 servings

Ingredients

Filling

• 350 ml beef broth with at least 20% meat
• 2 gelatin sheets
• 80 grams unsalted butter
• 80 grams of all purpose flour
• handful of finely chopped parsley
• 2 tsp mustard
• 75 ml whipping cream

For breading

• olive oil to grease your hands with
• breadcrumbs
• 2-3 beaten eggs M

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Strain the finished broth and collect the meat. If necessary, cut it into smaller pieces. Soak the gelatin in water.
• Melt the butter, add the flour and cook this mixture, the roux, while stirring. When the flour begins to color, the roux is ready.
• Add the broth in 2-3 parts to the roux. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until you have a smooth and thick paste. Stir the rest of the ingredients in the meat mixture: chopped parsley, mustard and whipping cream. Remove pan from heat.
• Finally, squeeze the gelatin leaves and stir them into the filling. Pour it into a oven dish or shallow container and cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Leave to cool and chill in the refrigerator for several hours. I made the ragout in the evening and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
• When the filling has set, cut it into 18 equal pieces. Put some (olive) oil on your hands and roll the ragout pieces into small balls.
• Prepare a deep plate or bowl with the bread crumbs and another with the beaten eggs. Meanwhile, heat the pan with the oil to an oil temperature of 180°C/350°F.
• Roll a ball through the breadcrumbs, egg, breadcrumbs, egg, and finish with the breadcrumbs. Repeat for each ball. Each bitterbal will have three layers of breadcrumbs.
• Fry the bitterballen in small batches for 3.5 – 4 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Scoop them out of the oil and put them on a wire rack or baking sheet with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Serve immediately.

Want to try a classic savory Dutch snack? Try Bitterballen! These fried meatballs are made from a thick, meaty gravy that is rolled in breadcrumbs for a crispy bite. A perfect snack to enjoy and easy to make!

Dutch meatballs

Bitterballen are often referred to as Dutch meatballs. It’s not a classic meatball made from a mixture of meat. No, bitterballen are made of beef broth with shredded beef and a handful of other ingredients. A delicious meaty filling with a crispy crust.

These fried Dutch meatballs are traditionally made with beef, but you can also try other flavors. How about chicken or veal? And if you’re looking for a vegetarian bitterballen, there are bitterballen made with mushrooms.

Ingredients

When I developed my recipe for Dutch meatballs, I wanted to make sure it was really easy. So I bought a jar of beef broth that already had shredded beef in it. If you can’t find that ingredient, you can buy (or make) your own beef broth and add the beef separately. Sometimes I use the broth with the meat and add extra meat for a really tasty filling.

In addition to the broth and the beef, you need some ingredients to make a nice roux. And to make it thick enough, you add some gelatin leaves. Here are all the ingredients for the stuffing:

• Beef broth. You can make your own or buy a jar of beef broth at the grocery store. Either will be fine.
• Shredded beef (brisket). Only if you have broth without pieces of meat, or if you want to add extra meat.
• Gelatin sheets. To make sure the filling is thick enough to cut into squares and roll into balls for breading.
• Unsalted butter. For making the roux. I prefer unsalted to have more control over the amount of salt.
• Flour. For making the roux. All-purpose flour is fine.
• Parsley. I used fresh parsley and chopped it finely for the stuffing.
• Mustard. Bitterballen are dipped in mustard when you eat them, but it’s also a perfect flavoring for the filling.
• Whipping cream. To make the filling nice and creamy.
• Eggs. For breading the bitterballen. You first roll the filling in an egg mixture.
• Bread crumbs. For breading the bitterballen. Roll the balls trough the bread crumbs after the egg mixture.

You’ll also need

There are some tools that come in handy when frying the meatballs. This is what I use:

• Deep fryer, large skillet or Dutch oven. I prefer my Dutch oven for fried snacks. I have a pan that I only use for frying.
• Sunflower oil. I like to use sunflower oil for frying, but you can also use other types of vegetable oil. You’ll fry the bitterballen for a couple of minutes in a few inches of oil.
• Skimmer. To scoop the bitterballen out of the oil.
• Paper towel. After frying the bitterballen, I put them on some paper towels to absorb some of the oil.

How to serve bitterballen

After spending some time in the kitchen making this Dutch recipe, you’ll have a serving of nice golden-brown bitterballen ready to enjoy.

In the Netherlands, fried meatballs are a popular snack that you can order at a cafe. Or serve them at home for a party, game day or birthday. They are usually eaten as a snack and not for dinner. But if you do eat them for dinner, they will probably be served with fries.

You can drink whatever you want with a bitterball, but this Dutch food is often served as a tasty snack with some alcoholic beverages. Most Dutch people love the combination of a nice cold beer with a piping hot bitterbal.

For dipping

Bitterballen are dipped in a sauce, usually mustard. I prefer to dip them in mayonnaise.

And be careful when you take a bite: Bitterballen are best when they come straight out of the fryer and are piping hot. I have burned my mouth countless times.

How to store bitterballen?

The best way to eat bitterballen is right after frying them. If you have leftovers, I would not save them (although I have never tried, there are never leftovers).

​Freezing bitterballen

After breading, you have two options: fry and eat. Or: freeze them. You can freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months. This way, you’ll always have a deep-fried snack (almost) ready to enjoy.

This way it’s possible to make a big batch and only fry the amount of bitterballen you need. You can fry them directly from the freezer, but they will need 30 seconds to 1 minute more to fry.

More Dutch recipes you’ll like

Looking for Dutch recipes? I got you! As a Dutchie I share a lot of authentic Dutch recipes on my blog. Here are some of my favorites. Sweet and savory.

• Saucijzenbroodjes (Dutch puff pastry sausage rolls)
• Poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes)
• Boterkoek (Dutch butter cake)

Print Recipe

4.44 from 16 votes

Dutch Bitterballen recipe

Want to try a classic savory Dutch snack? Try Bitterballen! These fried meatballs are made from a thick, meaty gravy that is rolled in breadcrumbs for a crispy bite. A perfect snack to enjoy and easy to make!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Resting time3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Servings: 18 servings

Ingredients

Filling

• 350 ml beef broth with at least 20% meat
• 2 gelatin sheets
• 80 grams unsalted butter
• 80 grams of all purpose flour
• handful of finely chopped parsley
• 2 tsp mustard
• 75 ml whipping cream

For breading

• olive oil to grease your hands with
• breadcrumbs
• 2-3 beaten eggs M

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Strain the finished broth and collect the meat. If necessary, cut it into smaller pieces. Soak the gelatin in water.
• Melt the butter, add the flour and cook this mixture, the roux, while stirring. When the flour begins to color, the roux is ready.
• Add the broth in 2-3 parts to the roux. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until you have a smooth and thick paste. Stir the rest of the ingredients in the meat mixture: chopped parsley, mustard and whipping cream. Remove pan from heat.
• Finally, squeeze the gelatin leaves and stir them into the filling. Pour it into a oven dish or shallow container and cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Leave to cool and chill in the refrigerator for several hours. I made the ragout in the evening and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
• When the filling has set, cut it into 18 equal pieces. Put some (olive) oil on your hands and roll the ragout pieces into small balls.
• Prepare a deep plate or bowl with the bread crumbs and another with the beaten eggs. Meanwhile, heat the pan with the oil to an oil temperature of 180°C/350°F.
• Roll a ball through the breadcrumbs, egg, breadcrumbs, egg, and finish with the breadcrumbs. Repeat for each ball. Each bitterbal will have three layers of breadcrumbs.
• Fry the bitterballen in small batches for 3.5 – 4 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Scoop them out of the oil and put them on a wire rack or baking sheet with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Serve immediately.

Looking for a tasty snack? Look no further! These apple cinnamon yogurt muffins are just what you need.

Apple cinnamon yogurt muffins recipe

For snacks I like to try some things out, this time I wanted to make little yogurt-based muffins. For flavor I chose apple and cinnamon, one of my favorite flavor combinations that I love to bake with during the colder months.

Because just using yogurt as a base makes your batter very thick, I also used semi-skimmed milk. That made the batter just a little nicer to work with.

TIP: I love baking with yogurt, if you do too, you might like this easy yogurt cake!

Maple syrup muffins

I decided I didn’t want to use granulated sugar for these muffins, so I decided to reach for the bottle of maple syrup. To be clear, that’s still sugar and not necessarily a “healthy” choice. Regardless, these muffins are more responsible than I normally make them, though. Especially if you leave out the cinnamon sugar on top 😉 .

No maple syrup in stock? You can also use honey or just granulated sugar. You can also vary in the amount. I used very little syrup, feel free to add more if you want sweeter muffins.

Dutch sausage rolls can be found in every grocery store and bakery in the Netherlands. Everyone loves a sausage full of flavor wrapped in buttery puff pastry. A sausage roll makes a perfect snack, or you can even eat them for lunch or serve them at picnics and other parties (especially if you make them smaller).

Two Dutch sausage roll recipes

We have two very popular sausage rolls in The Netherlands. The Dutch like their sausage rolls, we have two that are really popular: worstenbroodjes and saucijzenbroodjes. Both are sausage rolls, but they are different. Let’s take a look!

Worstenbroodjes

These sausage rolls are from the south of The Netherlands and are also called ‘Brabantse worstenbroodjes’. The meat mixture is very simple and only has mustard, salt and pepper for flavoring (in my recipe, some leave out the mustard).

The sausage is wrapped in bread dough. If you want to make these, here’s my recipe for sausage rolls in bread dough.

Saucijzenbroodje

Now the recipe I’m sharing with you in this blogpost. They aren’t from a specific region in the country, but you can buy them at a lot of places, it’s a popular snack.

The meat mixture has more flavorings: mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, speculaas spice mix, nutmeg and salt. A big difference when compared to the rolls above. Next difference: these sausages are wrapped in puff pastry. You can make your own or buy puff pastry from the store (fridge or freezer).

TIP: another great Dutch savory snack you want to try: bitterballen!

Mini sausage rolls

The size of a saucijzenbroodje is enough for a good snack. You can compare them to a sandwich. They are too big for an appetizer, but you can make them bite-sized!

Cut a sausage roll in three and you have a perfect appetizer. Perfect snack for a high tea, game day, picnics and many other occasions.

The baking temperature will stay the same, but the baking time will be a little shorter. Start with 20 minutes and then check if they need more time in the oven.

How to store a sausage roll

These saucijzenbroodjes are best when they come out of the oven and are still warm, but you can make them in advance and store them really wel. I’ll share my tips and tricks!

Storing unbaked sausage rolls

There are a few ways to store them unbaked, so I’ll give you all the options.

• You can freeze the sausages (without pastry) in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• If you use homemade puff pastry or buy puff pastry from the refrigerator, you can store the sausage rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• If you used frozen puff pastry, you can’t store them in the freezer. But you can after baking.

Allow the frozen sausage rolls to thaw for about 45 minutes before placing them in the oven. Bake according to the recipe.

Storing baked sausage rolls

Have you already baked your sausage rolls and are wondering how to keep them fresh?

• I wrap my puff pastry rolls in aluminum foil and store them at room temperature for 2-3 days (if it’s not too hot).
• If you used homemade or refrigerated puff pastry, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Reheating sausage rolls

The puff pastry will be crispy and flaky when fresh, it will get a bit soft when stored. But it’s easy to get them crispy again!

They need to be at room temperature. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 180°C/350°F for about 10-15 minutes.

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4.22 from 19 votes

Dutch saucijzenbroodjes (sausage rolls)

Everyone loves a sausage full of flavor wrapped in buttery puff pastry. They make a perfect snack, or you can even eat them for lunch or serve them at picnics and other parties (especially if you make them smaller).

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

Sausage Mix

• 500 grams minced beef
• 1 egg
• 6 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp coarse mustard
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 0.25 tsp speculaas spice mix
• 0.5 tsp nutmeg
• 0.5 tsp salt

Other

• 10 square slices of puff pastry 12cm/4.7inch
• 1 egg yolk whisked with a teaspoon of milk

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Take the puff pastry slices out of the freezer and let them thaw.
• Knead all the sausage ingredients together in a large bowl to make your own seasoned ground beef mixture.
• Divide the mixture in 10 equal portions and make them in a sausage shape, about the length of the puff pastry sheets.
• Place the defrosted puff pastry sheets with the sticky side up and place the sausage in the center of the sheet.
• Fold the pastry over. Use a fork to press all the way around to close the sausage roll.
• Place the sausage rolls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and give them an egg wash with the beaten egg yolk. Let them rest for half an hour and brush them again with the egg yolk.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F (conventional oven) for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Time for another Dutch recipe: egg cakes! We call them ‘eierkoeken’ in The Netherlands and they are sort of a ligt and airy sponge cakes, very fluffy. You could even call it an egg sponge cake. They are known as a snack. Just plain, or with whipped cream and fresh berries.

What are Dutch egg cakes?

Baking egg cakes is actually a bit like making a very airy sponge cake for a delicious cake. In fact, just like a sponge cake, the base for an egg cake batter is eggs, sugar, and flour. And perhaps more importantly (and to the surprise of many), you don’t use butter to bake these small cakes.

Some people separate the egg whites and egg yolks, but i don’t do that. I just put the whole eggs in a large bowl and mis them several minutes on high speed until they are light and fluffy. I always have the best results this way.

Eierkoeken fun fact

Eierkoeken were made famous by the Dutch Sonja Bakker, she is a well known dietician and advices to eat egg cakes as a healthy snack when following her program. I wouldn’t say eierkoeken are very healthy, but they are a good snack indeed.

You can even make a nice treat out of them by piping a nice swirl of whipped cream on an egg cake and add some fresh fruit. Not a healthy snack, but many people think it’s a nice alternative to a slice of cake or pie. And I do agree with that.

Storing egg cakes

A homemade egg cake is best stored on room temperature. Don’t store them in de fridge, as they will dry out faster in here. I always store the egg cakes in an airtight container or a plastic bag. Packed airtight and stored out of the refrigerator, the egg cakes will keep for up to 4 days.

Freezing egg cakes

If you’ve made a lot of egg cakes, it’s a good idea to freeze them. That way, you can take an egg cake out of the freezer every day to enjoy as a snack later in the day.

Freezing an egg cake works the same way, wrap it tightly airtight. Personally, I like to put a piece of baking paper between each cake so they don’t stick together and I can easily take a single cake out of the freezer and let it thaw.

How to make different flavors eierkoeken

Over the years, I have made many different flavors eierkoeken. With apple and cinnamon, blueberries and even chocolate egg cakes. I will share some more egge cake recipes in the future, but here are some ideas in the mean time:

• Sprinkle some raisins on the batter on your cookies sheet for raisin eierkoeken.
• Replace 10% of the flour with cocoa powder for chocolate eierkoeken.
• Add some cinnamon to the batter (you could leave out the lemon zest)
• For chocolate chip egg cakes, sprinkle some chocolate chips on the batter before you put them in the oven.
• Leave out the lemon zest and replace 10% of the sugar with vanilla sugar for vanilla egg cakes.

Looking from more authentic recipes form The Netherlands? Make sure to check my collection of Dutch recipes!

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4.82 from 16 votes

Dutch egg cake recipe

Why buy egg cakes when you can easily make them yourself? With this easy recipe you can bake the best eierkoeken yourself!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• 100 grams sugar
• zest of half a lemon
• 100 grams all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy, this will take a few minutes.
• In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients together: lemon zest, flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold into the egg mixture.
• Use two tablespoons to scoop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (a silicone mat works fine as well). Always use a good full tablespoon per egg cake. Make sure they have plenty of space on your baking tray; they will expand quite a bit and rise slightly.
• Bake the egg cakes at 180°C/350℉ (convention oven) for about 10 minutes.
• The egg cakes can still look pale as long as the edges start to turn golden brown, that's fine. If you bake them too long, they will become drier and more brittle.

I love to make healthy snacks. I always bake large batches and then freeze them so I can always grab something tasty when I get a craving. These applesauce muffins are always in my freezer. It’s a great recipe that is often used in this household.

You don’t need any sugar or butter. I just added a bit of oil to make really moist muffins. They are not hard to make, so add them to your collection of easy recipes!

Applesauce muffins without sugar

These muffins are sweetened with applesauce, so they have no added sugar. I always use (homemade) unsweetened applesauce for baking. I will share my recipe for homemade applesauce soon. Don’t have enough time to make it yourself? Store-bought applesauce works perfectly fine. If you want to keep them as healthy as possible, I would advice to buy the unsweetened kind.

Because there is no sugar in them, they are not very sweet in taste, which may take some getting used to if you have a sweet tooth. I got used to it quickly and everyone who tried it liked it very much.

Do you like sweet applesauce muffins? Then of course you can add some brown sugar to the batter. Coconut sugar is possible as well.

Baking applesauce muffins

This recipe makes 8 small muffins, perfect as a small treat or snack. I bake them in regular-size muffins cups. I love to use silicone muffin liners for this recipe, so they won’t stick.

Don’t want to make a small amount of muffins? You can easily double or even triple the ingredients and bake a large batch of healthy muffins.

How to store applesauce muffins

After baking these healthy muffins, place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely. Store them in an airtight container once they are on room temperature. On the kitchen counter, they will stay fresh for about 4-5 days. If it’s summer or you live in a warmer climate, it’s possible they stay fresh a little less longer.

You could also freeze your homemade applesauce muffins. You can keep them for up to 3 months in the freezer. Place some pieces of parchment paper between the muffins so they don’t stick to each other. This way it’s easy to grab one as a snack. Just let the muffin thaw on the counter for about an hour.

How to flavor the muffin batter

I love to make small changes to the original recipe and It almost never happens I make recipes exactly the same the second time. I will share some variations which I have tried with this recipe:

• Add some spices for apple spice cupcakes. I really like to use my speculaas spice mix, add 2 teaspoons to the batter.
• Do you like the taste of you muffins a bit fresher? Add some lemon juice! I added about 2 teaspoons once and it was really nice.
• Apple and cinnamon is one of the best flavor combinations if you ask me, so often I add just some ground cinnamon. And if I have it on hand: sprinkle some cinnamon flavored pearl sugar on top. Believe me: cinnamon applesauce muffins are the best!

Delicious crispy chicken bites, that are easy to make in your oven or air fryer. No need for a deep fryer! They’re perfect to serve as an easy snack. Just make sure you have enough, everybody loves these bites!

Crispy chicken bites

Who doesn’t love delicious fried chicken bites? I know I do. As a child I could not get enough of them and I wanted to make them myself. Preferably without having to deep fry as I do not own a fryer.

These homemade crispy chicken nuggets are made in an oven. For making the crunchy coating I used cornflakes. That is just perfect for the ultimate crunch!

You can easily serve them as part of a meal or as a weekend snack. They are delicious on their own or served with an easy dip or something like honey mustard.

Love snacks?

Here are a couple of my favorite snack recipes:

• Dutch bitterballen
• Crispy cheese croquettes
• Halloumi cheese fries

What goes into these juicy chicken bites

I kept this chicken recipe very easy to make, but I will also give you a couple of variations if you want to add more flavor or a different flavor to them.

• chicken breasts – I used skinless chicken breasts here but you can absolutely replace those with skinless chicken thighs. The latter are a little fattier and will keep the chicken bites a bit juicier.
• all purpose flour – you need about four tablespoons of plain flour but that is depending on the size of your chicken pieces. You can further flavor the flour by adding some garlic powder or onion powder. Or make them spicier by adding a bit of cayenne pepper or black pepper to the flour.
• egg – you need roughly one (whisked) egg
• cornflakes – if you do not have cornflakes you can use bread crumbs or panko breadcrumbs for making the crispy breading. It depends on your personal preference. I thought the cornflakes worked really well.

Making these homemade chicken nuggets is super simple to do. So much better than having to use hot oil and a deep fryer!

How to make the chicken bites

First step is to slice the boneless chicken breasts into manageable pieces. Don’t make them too small. You will want to make sure that the bites are each roughly 2-3 bites per piece.

Heat the oven to the mentioned temperature and prepare three bowls, with whisked egg, crushed cornflakes and flour.

Now drag each piece of chicken through the flour, then the egg and at last the cornflakes. Line them on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!

Fan of mug cakes, but craving a more healthy afternoon snack? This recipe for a healthy banana bread mug cake is the one you’re looking for! You can make this recipe in the oven and in the microwave.

Healthy mug cake

I used my favorite banana bread recipe and made that into a mug cake recipe. My banana bread is made without sugar, oil or butter and is a pretty healthy (and delicious!) snack. Perfect for a healthy mug cake and an easy and quick alternative to a slice of banana bread.

I like eating it for breakfast, but I made it the other night as a late-night dessert with a scoop of ice cream and that’s probably going to happen more often as I enjoyed that dessert a lot.

​Use a microwave-safe mug, those are often also oven safe. But make sure to check that before baking. I like to use a coffee mug or other large mug. You want to make sure there is plenty of room for the mug cake as it rises in the oven.

The recipe calls for two bananas to make 2 mug cakes. But if you only have 1 overripe banana, just halve all the ingredients for 1 mug cake. You will also need to use halve an egg. The other half could be used with some extra eggs for an omelet or something.

Mug cake ingredients

You just need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious banana mug cake. I like to put them together in a small bowl and stir the ingredients with a spatula before putting the batter in the mug.

• Bananas. The most important ingredient. Make sure they are very ripe before you start. I prefer overripe bananas for baking.
• Egg. I like to make mug cakes without an egg (like this chocolate mug cake), but this banana bread mug cake turns out best if you do use an egg. Because I think 1 egg is too much for just 1 mug cake, I developed a recipe for 2 mug cakes.
• Vanilla extract. My bottle of homemade vanilla extract is used for every baking recipe I make. It just adds that amazing vanilla flavor. The recipe calls for 0.5 tsp vanilla, but I often just add a whole teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• Almond flour.​ I love using almond flour in banana bread, It makes the bread moist and had a delicious flavor.
• Whole wheat flour.​ I chose whole wheat because it’s a bit healthier than all purpose flour. But if you don’t have whole wheat flour in stock, all purpose flour is just fine.
• Baking powder.​ Just a little bit is needed for this recipe. But don’t leave it our, because it makes sure the result is light and fluffy.

And that’s all you need to make your own little banana cake! As you can see, I don’t use sugar, the banana add enough sweetness. But if you’re a sweet tooth, you could add some brown sugar or maple syrup to the batter.

To make the batter, you start with the banana, egg and vanilla extract. After those wet ingredients are combined, you can add all the dry ingredients at once. Just mix it up until incorporated and your cake batter is done.

Microwave or oven?

At first, I wanted to develop a recipe for a mug cake you could make in the oven as that was something I got asked for a lot. But I decided to try and make this recipe for the microwave as well.

​I’m happy to say this recipe can be made in the microwave and in the oven, I’ll share the directions for both options.

Microwave banana mug cake

If you have a microwave on hand, this is the quickest way to make your mug cake. I baked it for 140 seconds (2 minutes and 20 seconds) at 800 watts. The cooking time may vary due to the strength of your microwave.

Oven banana mug cake

Bake the mug cakes for 20-25 minutes at 180 °C/350 °F. Don’t bake them too long, as you want a moist cake and baking it too long may result in a dry banana cake.

Here you can see my mug cake, made in the microwave:

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If you are familiar with the Dutch ontbijtkoek, you know it’s good! It translates to breakfast cake and is often eaten for breakfast or as a nice snack. The most traditional way to serve ontbijtkoek is to take a slice of the spiced breakfast cake and spread it with a thick layer of butter. I’ll share my recipe for authentic ontbijtkoek with you!

What is Dutch breakfast cake?

The literal translation of ‘ontbijtkoek’ is breakfast cookie. But in English, that seems a bit weird and is not fitting. Breakfast cake or breakfast bread suits this recipe better. I prefer spiced breakfast cake due to the structure of the cake.

Ontbijtkoek is a very quick bread you make in a loaf pan. You can even make them smaller in mini loaves or even cupcake cases. This sweet bread has a wonderful moist, but dense texture. Especially homemade dutch spice cake! The flavors are amazing due to all the added spices and appelstroop. If you don’t have access to this Dutch product, you could also use molasses.

The breakfast cakes you can buy in a grocery store are usually a bit drier. Although they often have a sticky crust, just like a homemade loaf. If you are in The Netherlands and want tot buy one to take home: you’ll find it in the breakfast section. Usually next to crackers and ‘beschuit’ (another Dutch breakfast product).

How to serve Dutch breakfast cake?

A slice of this breakfast cake is the perfect sweet treat for me. I think my recipe is so good that it doesn’t need anything to go with it. But it is certainly possible if you want to. I will share my tips on how I serve my slice of store-bought breakfast cake (I admit, I still buy one from time to time).

Most Dutch people just take a slice and spread it with butter. It’s the most traditional way to eat it. Although ‘koekhappen’ is possibly even more traditional, I’ll tell you all about it after my serving suggestions!

I like to spread a slice with peanutbutter and if I’m in the mood for a real treat: I add some chocolate sprinkles. It’s amazing and you should really try it sometime. Another option I hear often is a nice layer of chocolate spread.

The Dutch tradition of ‘koekhappen’

Time for some more Dutch traditions: koekhappen! It’s a popular thing to do on Kingsday, but you’ll see it at other festivities as wel. To explain what koekhappen is: you tighten a string from A to B just above your head and hang slices of spiced cake on it.

Participants must eat the ontbijtkoek with their hands behind their backs. It is a fun activity and usually not a competition. Although you could make it a competition to see who finishes their gingerbread first.

The difference between honey cake and spiced breakfast cake

Ontbijtkoek is known by different names in The Netherlands, from honey cake to pepper cake (no, there’s no pepper in the recipe). The original name is ‘honingkoek’ which translates to honey cake. A long time ago, the recipe was made with honey. The honey was an expensive ingredient and was replaced with sugar. Which made it a spiced breakfast cake.

There are a lot of variations of breakfast cake. You could add nuts, ginger or a different spice mix. The recipe below is how I like my homemade breakfast cake best, for me it’s the real thing. But feel free to vary a bit.

More authentic Dutch recipes

As a Dutchie myself, you won’t be surprised I have many more Dutch recipes on my blog. Here are a few of my (and your!) favorites:

• Poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes)
• Boterkoek (Dutch butter cake)
• Appeltaart (Authentic Dutch apple pie)
• Stroopwafels (Dutch caramel cookies)
• Pannenkoeken (Dutch thin pancakes)
• Eierkoeken (Dutch egg cakes)

If you are missing any Dutch recipes, please let me know! I have many more Dutch recipes on my Dutch blog to translate. Here you can find all of my Dutch baking recipes in English.

Print Recipe

5 of 1 vote

Dutch breakfast cake recipe

Do you like Dutch ontbijtkoek? With this easy recipe you can make a homemade version of this Dutch spiced breakfast cake.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

• loaf pan

Ingredients

• 250 grams all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 200 grams dark brown sugar
• 1½ tsp speculaas spice mix
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 250 ml milk
• 50 grams appelstroop or molasses
• 60 grams pearl sugar optional

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, speculaas spice mix and ginger.
• Heat milk and apple syrup in a saucepan on low heat. Stir until the appelstroop (or molasses) is completely dissolved.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated and you have a smooth batter.
• Pour the batter into a cake pan lined with parchment paper and spread evenly in the pan.
• Sprinkle with pearl sugar on top. Bake at 160°C/320℉ (conventional oven) in the middle of the oven for about 60 minutes or until done (a cake tester should come out clean).

Appetizers are one of my favorite recipes to make. They can easily serve as a snack for any party and this blooming quesadilla ring is absolutely perfect. It’s a showstopping appetizer that is also a clever way to use up leftover tortillas. Easy to adjust to your liking too.

Blooming quesadilla ring

This quesadilla ring not only looks really good but it’s pretty tasty too. In the center of the ring I place an easy dip which makes it even better.

It would be perfect served – for instance – during the super bowl, but you really can’t go wrong with this simple recipe. Below I will give you some tips on variations to the recipe.

Looking for more snack recipes?

• Saucijzenbroodjes (Dutch sausage rolls)
• Cheesy pull apart bread
• Dutch bitterballen

What do you need for making the chicken quesadilla ring

Make sure to check the recipe card for full details on the ingredients needed!

• chicken breast – for preparing the chicken I cook it in a small saucepan filled with chicken broth for the best flavor of the shredded chicken
• cheddar – I like a spicy cheddar but you can use other kinds of cheese as well like monterey jack cheese or similar
• mozzarella
• bell pepper – you can use yellow peppers or red peppers
• corn
• soft flour tortillas – use small ones or the cones will be too large
• tomato sauce – you can use a taco sauce or your favorite sauce. I like adding some sour cream to it as well but that is optional
• barbecue rub – you use this to season the chicken mix so use your favorite brand
• tomato salsa – I’ll soon be sharing a recipe for a tomato salsa as well, but you can use your favorite salsa or your dip of choice

Making the tortilla cones

For making the cones you need a tortilla half. Once you’ve made the filling you slice all the tortillas into halves with a sharp knife. Spread some of the mixture on a halved tortilla and roll it up into a cone shape. To prevent the edges of the tortillas to unfold place it on a serving platter (oven proof) and make sure that the points of the cones are pointing inwards. Once it is baked in the oven the melted cheese will make sure everything sticks together.

It’s easiest if you use a dish for serving that can be both in the oven as well as on the table. A large baking sheet will work as well but it will be trickier to place the quesadilla ring from the baking sheet on a serving plate. If you’ve used a baking sheet you can best slide it onto a wooden board and serve it like that

Once you’ve filled all the tortillas sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheddar and place in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are lightly golden brown.

Additions and variations

Now these cones of soft tortillas are a great appetizer. Perfect for using up leftover chicken and in combination with the melty cheese it is one of the best appetizer recipes. You can add some of your favorite toppings to the dish. Think about adding some fresh cilantro or sliced spring onions on top.

You can add additional fillings to the blooming quesadilla ring as well. For instance some red onion or add some black beans. It’s a fun way to serve tortillas for taco night too!

Any leftover tortillas? Try these tortilla chips as well!

There is something so satisfying about working with phyllo dough. It is the crispiest after baking and these baked feta bites in phyllo pastry are my new favorite.

It’s super easy to make and the crispy outside layer with the creamy feta on the inside is just the best! One of my favorite feta recipes.

Baked feta bites in phyllo pastry

Phyllo pastry or filo pastry can be a little bit tricky to work with if you’ve never used it before. There is also quite a big difference in quality.

I like to buy my phyllo pastry in the Turkish grocery store as I find they have the best phyllo that is easiest to handle. But you can certainly use regular phyllo pastry too. Just something to be aware off.

The most important thing when working with this kind of pastry is to not let it dry out. So as soon as you remove it from the package, cover the sheets of phyllo with damp paper towels.

Also don’t be afraid to use a lot of olive oil. That will prevent the phyllo from breaking.

What do you need to make the feta bites

Now as I said you only need four simple ingredients to make the feta bites.

• phyllo pastry – you need 5 sheets of phyllo
• feta cheese – make sure to get a whole block of feta and not little cubes. You want to be able to cut oblong strips from the feta. Also make sure to use Greek feta for the best taste.
• honey
• extra virgin olive oil – you can also use melted butter instead

Making the baked feta bites

The first step is to cut the sheets of phyllo in half length wise. Cut your feta block into 10 feta rectangles and make sure they are a little narrower than the halved sheets.

Have both the honey and the olive oil ready in a small bowl. Brush a generous amount of oil over the pastry sheet. Place one feta cube on top and add a drizzle of honey over the feta.

Now roll the sheet of phyllo up around the feta, folding the sides inwards as you roll. Place the phyllo-wrapped feta on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Repeat this proces for all 10 rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Looking for more easy snacks and appetizers?

I’ve got you covered! I love to create appetizers and savory snacks and there are a lot of recipes I want to share with you. These recipes are a fes of my favorite Dutch snacks:

• Dutch bitterballen
• Sausage rolls
• Saucijzenbroodjes

Time for an easy banana bread recipe. This recipe is delicious, but also perfect for making even more banana bread recipes in all kinds of flavors!

Making Banana Bread

It’s time for a good recipe for one of the baked goods I make incredibly often, my go-to banana bread recipe! It’s one of the most popular recipes over on my Dutch blog. Over the past few years, I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit, especially in the proportions of different flours. Now I have found a combination that I never deviate from. And that’s when I know I have a good basic recipe. It’s a perfect destination for those overripe bananas on you kitchen counter.

A bowl, fork, spatula and some basic ingredients is all you need for making this recipe. No need for a hand or stand mixer. As always, all ingredients need to be at room temperature. Just follow the steps in the recipe card for the best moist banana bread recipe you’ve ever tried.

Banana Bread with Almond Flour

For my banana bread recipe, I use both all purpose flour and almond flour. You can make it with almond flour alone, but I find it a little too dense, and you can make it with all-purpose flour alone, but it gets a little less creamy and a little too firm for my taste. This combination works perfectly and results in an airy and creamy banana bread.

If you want to learn more about baking with almond flour, check out this article with a recipe for making your own almond flour.

What is banana bread?

Actually, the term is silly because I can’t really call it bread. Rather, it has the texture of a cake. Since there is no butter or sugar in this recipe, it is still more banana bread than banana cake. And that makes banana bread an instant healthy snack! Or as I like to eat it: a slice for breakfast with a scoop of yogurt on top. Delicious.

Healthy banana bread recipe

People often ask me if this is a healthy banana bread. I always tell them first of all that I am a (home) baker and not a nutritionist 😉 And although I don’t usually dare to make such statements, I would definitely dare to say that this is a pretty healthy banana bread! Simply because you won’t find any butter, oil or sugar in this recipe.

The banana bread is sweetened by ripe bananas, it stays nice and creamy thanks to the eggs and almond flour, but still airy thanks to the combination of baking powder and baking soda (and the eggs). A deliciously responsible snack! Can it be even healthier? Yes, by substituting whole wheat flour.

TIP: Looking for a less healthy banana bread? Try this cream cheese banana bread, it’s amazing!

How to make banana bread in different flavors?

As stated before: I have made many different kinds of banana bread. Although I think this is de best banana bread recipe ever, I still love to make different flavors. Here are a few of my favorite tweaks to this recipe:

• Adding chocolate chips for a chocolate chip banana bread recipe.
• Replace a bit of flour for Dutch processed cocoa powder for a chocolate banana bread.
• Make half of the batter chocolate flavored for a marbled banana bread.
• Add some sour cream to the batter to make it extra creamy. Cream cheese works too!
• Add (chopped) nuts to the batter for a banana nut bread.
• If you have a sweet tooth: add some sugar. I like dark brown sugar for a bit extra flavor.
• Add swirls of peanut butter, it’s delicious. You can do the same with Biscoff. Not so healthy, but oh so good!

Don’t want to make a banana bread? Scoop the batter in a muffin tin for delicious banana muffins. These banana oatmeal muffins are delicious too!

Making my own puff pastry had been on my bucket list for years. It wasn’t until my 3th book that was all about making delicious snacks and appetizers that I got started making my own rough puff pastry.

In my head making puff pastry dough was really complicated but in fact it was absolutely not complicated. And the good thing is you really only need four ingredients. Flour, butter, water and salt.

Easy puff pastry (rough puff pastry)

Let me first start by explaining what the difference is between rough puff and regular or classic puff pastry:

• the classic version of making puff pastry is by adding an entire block of butter to the dough which you then start laminating and making turns to create the flaky layers.
• Rough puff is different as you add the butter already to the flour. So essentially it is a butter-rich dough that behaves like actual puff pastry.

In terms of flavor both are equally delicious and you will still get a very flaky pastry. So that’s what the difference between the two is. And the easy version is of course less work.

As you might have guessed the method we are highlighting here today is the rough puff pastry. It’s absolutely perfect for making loads of puff pastry recipes!

The process

Now making this quick puff pastry I have already given you the pretty simple ingredients. A few things that are really important when making sheets of puff pastry.

First is that the butter and the water that you’re going to be using need to be cold and not just cold from the tap. It needs to be ice-cold water. Set the water in the fridge prior to using or add a couple of ice cubes to a bowl of water and let it sit for a bit so the water gets really cold. That’s step one.

Step two is to make sure the butter is also really cold. That works best if you already make little cubes of the butter and place those in the fridge again to cool down.

Now you first mix the dry ingredients (flour and salt) together and add the cubes of butter. Add the ice cold water and mix it briefly. The flour mixture should be absorbed into the dough but you still want to be able to see the butter cubes. So don’t knead it for too long!

Form a disk of the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Folding or laminating

Once the dough is chilled it is time to start folding it by making turns. You start by placing the dough on a lightly floured surface and – using a rolling pin – roll it out into a long rectangle.

Now fold the dough into thirds. Almost like folding a letter for an enveloppe. The picture shows you how it should look when you’ve folded it properly.

Now turn the dough a quarter of the way and roll out again to repeat the folding. This is now called a turn. So by rolling it out twice you’ve created one turn. Wrap the dough again and place back in the fridge.

You repeat this process two more times. So in total you will have three turns.

After the last turn you can cover and refrigerate the dough until you’re ready to use it. Or continue by making for instance these saucijzenbroodjes or a banketstaaf. These are both Dutch recipes but there is so much more you can make with this easy puff pastry recipe.