Muisjes

(; ) are Dutch aniseed comfits, used as a traditional bread topping, often to celebrate the birth of a baby. They are traditionally eaten on beschuit, or rusk, though it is also customary to eat them on bread. Muisjes is a registered trademark of Koninklijke De Ruijter BV. Muisjes are made of aniseeds with a sugared and colored outer layer. Dutch food processing company De Ruijter, a brand acquired by Heinz in 2001, holds a monopoly on the production of Muisjes.

==Etymology== It's uncertain why the name "little mice" was chosen. It may have been that the stem of the seed reminded people of a mouse's tail, or it may have been that the mouse's fast reproductive cycle was further used as symbolism for healthy childbirth. In Belgium they are commonly called muizenstrontjes (mouse droppings).