Speculaas Cookies are traditional Christmas Cookies that originated in the Netherlands. They are a spicy, buttery, crisp cookie traditionally put out on Christmas Eve for St. Nicholas (Sinterklaas). These cookies also go by Speculoos in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Speculaas have more spices than the Speculoos. For more delicious Christmas Cookies, make my Toasted Almond Shortbread Bars or my Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti.
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Speculaas cookies are traditionally made with a lovely cookie mold that creates a windmill shape. My SIS “simple is smart” method for making these cookies is to chill the dough, roll it out, and cut it into pieces. However, if you love the shaped cookie molds, the baked cookie is beautiful. Rolling pins with designs carved into the wood of the rolling pin will make lovely cookies as well.
What Do I Need for Speculaas Cookies?
The spice in these cookies is what gives them their distinct flavor. The speculaas spice combines cinnamon, cloves, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg. If you don’t have speculaas spice, I’ve included what you need to replace the speculaas spice. These cookies also use a whole cup of butter – two sticks. The sugar in this recipe uses both brown and granulated white sugar.
How Do I Make Speculaas Cookies?
These cookies are super easy to make.
- Mix the flour and spices – set aside
- Cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add the flour mixture and mix in.
- Shape the dough into a disc and refrigerate for one hour.
- Roll the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap. (my secret SIS method)
- Cut the cookies with a pasta wheel. I use the ruffled one. Bake until the cookies are golden brown.
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Equipment
- Pasta cutter wheel (ruffled pattern)
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1 tbsp speculaas spice (see notes)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar(100g)
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar Packed (53g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, speculaas spices, sea salt, and baking powder.
- In the stand mixer bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Add the optional vanilla and the flour mixture. Mix on low, about 2 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a disc between two pieces of plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- While the dough is chilling pre heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Lightly flour the chilled dough and roll it out between the two pieces of plastic wrap. This is my SIS (simple is smart) way to easily roll out a soft, fragile, slightly sticky dough.
- When the dough is 1/4 inch thick, cut into 1½-inch strips with a pastry wheel cutter. Cut on the diagonal to cut the strips into 3-inch sections.
- Bake until golden brown about 8 - 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C)
- Let cool for a few minutes and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container for 7 - 10 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
