Oliebol is a Dutch treat similar to an American-style donut, often filled with fruit and served during Christmas and New Year. It is made from flour, milk, sugar, salt, and yeast, and fried in cooking oil. A national oliebollen test is held every year in the Netherlands to determine the best bakery or trolley. The origins of oliebollen are obscure, but it is thought to have been eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands to appease the goddess Perchta.
An oliebol is a Dutch treat typically served during the Christmas and New Year season. Oliebol can be literally translated to “ball of oil” and the flavor is quite similar to an American-style donut. For this reason, they are often called Dutch donuts. A larger and equally popular version of the Dutch treat comes with fruit fillings, the most common of which include apple or raisins. Banana, berry, or custard fillings are also sometimes used.
Many Dutch people look forward to the time of year when Oliebol will be available. At this time, they can be found in bakeries or can often be purchased from carts outside train stations and supermarkets. Oliebol can be purchased one at a time or in multiples (oliebollen). Typically, larger bags of 10 or more can be purchased at a discount and shared with friends and family. In large Dutch cities, trolleys are also found in areas with high tourist traffic.
The basic oliebol is made from flour, milk, sugar, salt and yeast. The dough is shaped into a spherical shape and fried in cooking oil until golden brown. Powdered sugar can be added when served. Carts or bakeries produce large batches and sell them as customers arrive. If desired, you can purchase a bag without powdered sugar and heat it in your home oven to recreate the taste of a freshly fried oliebol.
A national oliebollen test is organized every year in the Netherlands in which the judges determine which bakery or trolley is considered the best of the year. The judges determine the winner by examining the oliebollen for proper texture, sweetness, and amount of frying. Past winners have come from all over the Netherlands.
Many in Holland claim that oliebol is the original donut. The idea is said to have been imported to the United States by Dutch immigrants, where its form was adapted and its popularity increased. In one part of upstate New York, USA, a donut is called an olicook, derived from the term used in Dutch at the time, “oliekoeck.” This perhaps demonstrates the location of oliebol’s origins in the United States and evidence that the Dutch brought it over.
The origins of oliebollen in the Netherlands are equally obscure, although it is commonly thought to have been eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands who wished to appease the Germanic goddess Perchta. The fat from the fry was supposed to cause Perchta’s sword to slide rather than cut the bellies of her potential victims.
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