Jan Hagel

Jan Hagel are traditional Dutch cookies that are a part of the Feast of St. Nicholas and the Christmas tradition in the Netherlands. They consist of a flaky, buttery shortbread crust, a variety of crunchy nuts such as almonds or walnuts, and crystallized sugar.

Due to the fact that the word janhagel denotes an unruly mob or a swarm, it is believed that the unusual name is quite fitting for these cookies made with a variety of nuts. The inventor of janhagels is still unknown, but apart from the Netherlands, there are many sources linking the cookies to France and Belgium.