Hopje

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Hopjes (pronounced /ˈhɒpjəs/ in English; also referred to as Haagse Hopjes, hopjes from The Hague) are a type of Dutch sweets with a slight coffee and caramel flavour that originated in the 18th century.

The hopje was named after the baron Hendrik Hop, whose doctor advised him not to drink coffee. He ordered his baker Theodorus van Haaren to invent a sweet with coffee flavouring. After some experimenting, van Haaren created a sweet made of coffee, caramel, cream and butter. The enthusiastic baron Hop was keen to let his guests try his 'Hopjes', which quickly gained popularity. Van Haaren's successor eventually even got orders from abroad.

A typical characteristic of the hopje is that it does not stick and that it does not go soft over time. The Hague has a museum called Museum voor het Haagsche Hopje, which is dedicated to the hopje and its history.