Speculoos Cookies (Classic Recipe) (2024)

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Bake up some perfectly crisp ‘n’ spicy Speculoos Cookies (Classic Recipe) for the holidays or any time using this great recipe. One bite and you’ll be transported to a nostalgic era.

Have you ever had a Speculoos Cookie, they are also called Speculaas? The aroma that fills your home as you bake these pleasantly spiced buttery cookies brings feelings of nostalgia to family and friends. The warmth from the spice blend makes these a perfect wintery cookie. For another delightful European treat try our amazing Orange Madeleine Cookiesor for that spice again try our Festive Gingerbread Cupcakes.

They have such a delicate crispness and delicious flavor, you will fall in love with them at first bite. Try them on their own or with a cup of tea or hot chocolate. Since they are nice and crisp, they make the perfect dunking cookie!

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Hi everyone! My name is Bernice and today I’m kicking off my holiday baking season here on Noshing With The Nolands. Baking cookies is an important part of my family’s Christmas preparation, so I have quite a few favorite holiday recipes over at my blog, Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen.

We always spend Christmas Eve feasting on a French Canadian Tourtière then finish with a tray of sweets that always includes a few types of shortbread. These Speculoos Cookies will fit right in on the cookie tray!

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What Are Speculoos Cookies?

Speculoos (or Speculaas) Cookies in their most simple form are a roll and cut shortcrust cookie. They can be quite plain to look at but it’s what’s inside that counts. These cookies have a buttery, delicate crumb scented with a combination of warming speculaas spices.

Most commonly, these spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and cardamom but may also differ regionally with additions of white pepper, mace, and anise.

The other ingredients that go into this cookie are unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, an egg, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.

They are made in a traditional way of first creaming the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy, then add the egg and then the flour mixture which is the dry ingredients.

Sometimes, the cookies can be decorated with a few sliced almonds pressed slightly into the dough just before baking.

You may have had this type of cookie from Biscoff before. They are a popular brand that makes this type of cookie. Making them at home for the holidays will bring a smile to everyone’s face.

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Speculoos are mostly served unadorned, although many come in various shapes including the famous Voortman Windmill Cookies. For the more traditional shaped varieties, a cookie mold (called a springerle mold) is used to create intricate scenes on the cookies.

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Where Are Speculoos Cookies From?

Speculoos, which are sometimes called Speculaas, Speculoos, Dutch Windmill Cookies, Belgian Spice Cookies, spekulatius (German), and Biscoff Cookies are originally from The Netherlands. However, different varieties that vary in taste and texture are found in other parts of Europe.

Served on St. Nicholas’ Day, these cookies were originally made using hand-carved molds and mirrored the shape of the generous saint. Since the Latin word for mirror is speculum, this is one plausible explanation for the origin of the name Speculoos.

You don’t have to be a pastry chef to make this simple cookie, using any mold will work well or simply slicing them into rectangles.

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Modern Speculoos Cookies

These days Speculaas cookies are manufactured by many companies. You can even buy them at Walmart and Trader Joe’s! Keep your eye open for the most well know brands like Voortman and Biscoff. However, there is nothing like the smell, texture, and taste of a freshly make Speculoos Cookie.

Speculoos cookie butter or speculoos spread is a rich spread made from ground speculoos cookies and butter is one of life’s most delicious pleasures. It’s entirely addictive and totally calorie-free. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

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Baking Tips for Great Speculoos Cookies

  1. Use room temperature unsalted butter.
  2. Cream the butter with the sugar until it becomes paler in color (this may take a while!).
  3. Use a room temperature egg.
  4. Preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before adding to the butter/sugar/eggs.
  6. Do not over mix the dough. Mix until all ingredients have come together, then turn the dough out on a clean surface and mix by hand, if necessary.
  7. Roll between two sheets of parchment paper, anchoring the bottom of the sheets between your body and the work surface and rolling in an upward motion.
  8. Allow the dough to chill for 20-30 minutes before cutting into shapes.
  9. Once from the oven, place them on a rack to cool.

INGREDIENTS

  • Unsalted butter
  • Dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • All-Purpose flour
  • Finely ground Almond Flour
  • Salt
  • Baking soda
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground ginger
  • Ground cloves
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground cardamom
  • Sliced almonds (optional)

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How to Store Your Speculaas

These cookies are very sturdy and will keep for at least a week in an airtight container. They freeze well which makes them a great choice if you are starting your Christmas baking a bit early.

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Festive Speculoos Cookies (A Classic Recipe)

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Bake up some perfectly crisp 'n' spicy Speculoos Cookies using this classic recipe. One bite and you'll be transported to a wintery wonderland.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter;room temperature
  • 1/2 cups dark brown sugar; packed
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg;room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup finely ground almond flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes lighter in colour.
  2. Add egg to the butter/sugar and mix in well.
  3. Measure all dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk slowly to combine.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients. Let them come slightly together then turn out on a clean surface and finish mixing by hand.
  5. Cut two large lengths of parchment paper and place dough in between them.
  6. Steady the end of the paper in between your body and the counter while you roll the dough in an upward motion.
  7. Roll dough out in an even fashion until it reaches 1/4 inch thickness. Chill for 20-30 minutes.
  8. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut into desired shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Press sliced almonds on top, if using.
  9. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on a baking rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days or freeze.
Speculoos Cookies (Classic Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between speculoos and Biscoff? ›

Speculoos, the cookie family to which Biscoff belong, are often described as a type of gingerbread, but that's a little misleading. Aside from their use of caramel sugar, speculoos don't have quite the same bite; their spice blend tends toward aroma rather than heat.

What are speculoos cookies made of? ›

Speculoos (French: spéculoos, German: Karamellgebäck) is a biscuit, originally manufactured in Belgium, made from wheat flour, candy syrup (from beet sugar), fat, and sometimes cinnamon.

Why are speculoos cookies so good? ›

While speculoos, and its slightly spicy flavor (ingredients include cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and ginger), tickles many a Belgian adult's nostalgic tendencies, the shortbread biscuit is more than ever a thing of the present.

What is a substitute for speculoos cookies? ›

Instead of Belgian speculoos, we use a mix of readily available cookies including gingersnaps, graham crackers and shortbread. You can make this cookie butter ahead of time and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

What is the new name for speculoos? ›

But while it's been known as speculoos in Belgium since its invention, when Lotus took the brand to international markets in the 1990s, it abandoned its native name. Instead, it gave it the name Biscoff — a portmanteau of “biscuit” and “coffee” — easier to say for an international audience.

What is the flavor of speculoos? ›

Speculoos – also called biscoff – is similar to gingerbread and 'pumpkin spice' flavour. It also goes well with caramel to make sweet recipes that need a hit of warming spices.

Is speculoos Dutch or Belgian? ›

Speculoos is a spiced shortbread cookie that originated in Belgium. Today, speculoos cookies are popular all across Europe and often served during holidays and special occasions.

What are some fun facts about speculoos? ›

Speculoos, speculos or speculaus comes from the Latin "speculum", which means "mirror", in reference to this biscuit's manufacturing process: when the wooden mould is coated with speculoos dough, it is struck against a table and the speculoos gently becomes unstuck but maintains the shape of the mould, thus forming a ...

What does speculoos stand for? ›

The biscuits are therefore typically shaped into figures of Sinterklaas (or his helper Zwarte Piet) using wooden moulds. The word 'Speculoos' supposedly derives from the Latin speculum (mirror): it is the mirror image of the wooden mould in which it has been made. Sinterklaas in Speculoos form.

Why are Biscoff cookies so addictive? ›

“The mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves makes it quite a tasty treat, and because they are so small it's very easy to eat more than a few of the smaller versions easily.” Because of its association with flying, the Biscoff cookie can also lock into the sensory memory.

Who makes speculoos cookies? ›

Lotus Bakeries NV is a Belgian multinational snack food company founded in 1932. Based in Lembeke, Kaprijke, the company's best known product is Speculoos (known as Biscoff in the United States and the United Kingdom).

What to eat with speculoos cookie butter? ›

It's perfect for spreading on toast, bagels, or pancakes for a sweet and flavorful twist. You can also use it as a dip for fresh fruit like apples or strawberries. If you're feeling adventurous, try using it as a filling for cupcakes or cookies, or even as a topping for ice cream or yogurt.

What is the difference between speculoos and speculaas cookies? ›

Speculaas and speculoos are 2 different biscuits. Speculaas is typical cookie from the Netherlands based on the specific flavour of "speculaas"herbs. At Lotus Bakeries, we produce Speculoos, a biscuit that obtains it taste by the special production proces of the karamelisation of sugar in the biscuit.

What does speculaas mean in Dutch? ›

Speculaas (Dutch: speculaas, French: spéculoos, [spekylos], German: Spekulatius) is a type of spiced shortcrust biscuit baked with speculaas spices originated from the County of Flanders territory in present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

What flavor is Biscoff? ›

If you're not familiar, Biscoff cookies are actually speculoos cookies which originate from Belgium. They are a shortbread cookie and have a deep caramel and spiced flavor paired with a crispy texture.

Does Biscoff taste like speculoos? ›

Biscoff cookies are a brand of Speculoos cookies that are made by the Lotus Bakeries company in Belgium. While the recipe for Biscoff cookies may be slightly different than traditional Speculoos cookies, the two are very similar in taste and texture.

What is the closest biscuit to Biscoff? ›

If you want to replace Biscoff cookies biscuits, try other spiced speculoos biscuits or other biscuits that have caramel taste or brown sugar in the ingredient.

Is it Lotus or speculoos? ›

The Speculoos biscuit is branded Lotus Biscoff, a brand name launched since 1986 and gradually introduced in all countries. In the mid-1980s, several airlines began serving Lotus Biscoff as an in-flight treat.

What is so special about Biscoff? ›

Lotus Biscoff is a cookie with a surprisingly crunchy bite and distinctive flavor. Its unique caramelized taste is loved all over the world. You can enjoy it as a treat throughout the day, with your coffee or include in your favorite baking recipes!

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