Taai Taai Traditions

Dutch Sinterklaas has the most wonderful treats. Perhaps they are enjoyed so much because most of them are not available during the rest of the year, or perhaps it’s that sense of nostalgia that takes you back to when you were a kid. Taai Taai (rhymes with bye-bye) is a favourite this time of year. These chewy molasses cookies have a hint of anise and sometimes smell like liquorice. In typical Dutch fashion, the story of its origin may not be suitable to share with young children! Here goes…

Saint Nicholas was the protector of small children. One story claims he brought back to life 3 boys who had been killed. Another story tells that he saved 3 young girls from a life of prostitution by giving each one a bag of gold for their dowry. It’s this tale that perhaps sparked the notion that Saint Nicholas was also a protector of marriages or a matchmaker and started the tradition of giving a doll-shaped Taai Taai cookie to an unmarried girl, a tradition that has carried on. Some say in the Middle Ages a suitor would give his beloved a Taaipop (Taai Taai doll). He would then return the following day. If his intended had eaten the cookie, they were now engaged. If she hadn’t eaten it, well, tough luck for him. Another version is that a young man would give his love interest a speculaas cookie. If she gave him one back, they were engaged. If she gave him a Taai Taai, it was game over.

Taai Taai literally means tough tough. Unlike speculaas, which is crispy, or ontbijtkoek (breakfast cake), which is soft, Taai Taai is hard and chewy. While the dough is not easy to work with, it has been made into a variety of shapes over the years. Boy and girl dolls for children, various churches, pigs for Opas (rude!) and cats for Oma. The decorations could become quite elaborate, some even being covered in gold!

If you’re feeling adventurous, try the our recipe for Taai Taai. Or you can always just pick some up already made!