Best Speculaas Recipes

SPECULAAS

Steps:

• Using a food processor, finely grind the almonds with 2 tablespoons of the flour. Whisk together ground almonds with the rest of the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, add in the flour mixture and mix until just moistened and combined.
• Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least three hours, but preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies and place on sheets about 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm and lightly golden around the edges. Cool sheets on wire racks for a couple minutes before transferring cookies directly onto wire racks with a spatula to finish cooling.

DUTCH SPECULAAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, molasses and orange zest. Combine the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger and cardamom. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until easy to handle. , Preheat oven to 350°. On a parchment-lined surface, roll a small amount of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Use a floured cookie stamp to press design into dough, then cut with floured 3-in. cookie cutters, leaving 1 in. between cookies. Remove excess dough and reroll scraps, if desired., Transfer parchment with dough to cookie sheet. If dough has warmed, place baking sheet in refrigerator until it firms up, about 10-15 minutes. Bake at 350° until edges are lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

SPECULAAS

Steps:

• In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour with spices, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and mix well.
• Stir in by hand half the flour mixture, then add the remaining flour and almonds. Mix with a wooden spoon or knead with hands.
• Divide dough into four parts, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours. (If you are using a mold, chill it as well.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and grease two cookie sheets.
• Remove one quarter of the dough from the refrigerator and flatten it with your hands. Oil your mold and lightly flour it. Using your fingers, press dough firmly into the mold. Trim any excess dough from the mold with a knife.
• Transfer the cookies onto greased cookie sheets with a spatula, spacing about one inch apart.
• Refrigerate dough trimming to be rerolled later. Lightly flour but do not re-oil cookie mold.
• Repeat process with remaining dough. When cookie sheets are full, bake cookies for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Store in a covered tin.

SPECULAAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dust 2 baking sheets with flour.
• Combine brown sugar and butter together in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough comes together.
• Shape dough into cookies by hand or using cookie cutters. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm but not hard, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

SPECULAAS (DUTCH WINDMILL COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat the butter 30 seconds or until softened.
• Combine the remaining ingredients, except for the almonds, in a small bowl.
• Add half of this mixture into the butter. Stir until mixed.
• Add the remaining flour mixture and 1/3 cup almonds and stir until mixed.
• Divide dough in half.
• On lightly floured surface roll one portion ot the dough to 1/8" thickness.
• Cut into desired shapes, place on greased cookie sheet and decorate with remaining almonds (if desired).
• Repeat with second half of dough.
• Bake at 350 degrees 8-10 minutes, or until browned.
• Cool on cookie sheet one minute.
• Remove and allow to cool.

SPECULAAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, mace, white pepper, and cloves in a large bowl.
• Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in half the flour mixture. Beat in water, then remaining flour mixture. Shape into 3 disks. Pat each to a 1-inch thickness, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Dust surface and springerle mold lightly with confectioners' sugar. Roll out dough to a 1/4- to 3/8-inch thickness (deeper molds will need thicker dough). Cut a piece of dough about the size of the mold. Press mold firmly into dough, flip over, and gently roll over dough with a rolling pin. Flip over, and press onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a knife, trim excess dough. Gently coax dough out of mold with fingertips and onto a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing cookies 1 inch apart, and placing same-size cookies on same sheet. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 1 sheet of cookies in oven, and immediately reduce temperature to 250. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are set and just beginning to turn light gold around edges, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

SPECULAAS - DUTCH COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and milk in a bowl.
• Stir until smooth.
• In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients and blend in the butter until the mixture is like cornmeal.
• Add the sugar and milk mixture and the almonds.
• Mix well.
• Wrap in foil, or wax paper and refrigerate overnight.
• Roll out the dough pretty thin.
• Use Christmas cookie cutters (or a windmill or other shaped cookie cutter if it isn't Christmas).
• Dust the cutter well with flour to be sure it doesn't stick.
• Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10- 12 minutes.
• Remove and cool.

SPECULAAS COOKIES OR SPICY SINTERKLASS CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in milk. Combine the flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar and milk. Mix in 2 tablespoons of almonds and candied citron. Cut in the butter until it starts to form a dough, then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Cover dough and chill for about 1 hour for easier handling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dust a wooden speculaas mold lightly with cornstarch. Firmly press the dough into the mold. Run a knife around the edges to trim off excess dough. Gently lift dough out of the mold or tap out onto a cookie sheet. Press remaining almond slivers into cookies to match the designs.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, just until the edges begin to darken. If your cookies are more than 1/2 inch thick, bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for up to 30 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks to crisp. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. The flavor will get better with age.

SPECULAAS SPICES (DUCH SPICE FOR SINTERKLAAS)

Steps:

• Put all the spices together and mix.
• Use only 1 tablespoon of this mix on 4 cups of flour!

SPECULAAS (DUTCH SPICED BISCUIT)

Steps:

• Combine the cake flour, brown sugar, all spice and salt.
• Cut butter into pieces and mix into the flour in a food processor.
• Add milk and you should now have a firm dough ball.
• Wrap the dough in clingfilm and allow to rest in a cool place for atleast 2 hours, but preferably for a day to draw out the spice flavour.
• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celcius, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1cm thick.
• Place this onto a lined baking tray and bake the spiced biscuit in the oven for about 30 minutes until done.
• Cool the biscuit on a wire rack.
• To serve: Break the biscuit into pieces and serve with warm chocolate milk.

SPECULAAS (DUTCH SPICE COOKIES OR WINDMILL COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Add egg.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir to form a stiff dough.
• If making the cookies without a mold, roll the dough into cylinders that are the diameter of your desired cookies.*
• Freeze for at least 20-30 minutes.
• Slice the chilled dough into thin (~1/4 inch) rounds and place on a cookie sheet. Cookies will spread a little bit upon baking.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
• *Also chill dough before pressing into molds or using cookie cutters.

MARTHA'S SPECULAAS COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in half the flour mixture. Beat in milk, followed by remaining flour mixture. Shape dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Line three baking sheets with parchment. Dab speculaas mold all over with a small piece of dough (this provides a light buttery coating that prevents sticking). Generously sprinkle mold with flour, tapping to remove excess. Take a piece of dough that is roughly the same size as the mold; using your palm, press into mold. Using a long, thin knife, scrape off excess dough. Invert mold over a prepared baking sheet; rap far end of the mold against the sheet, holding it at an angle to release the formed cookie. Sprinkle mold with more flour; repeat with remaining dough. Gather scraps (refrigerate if dough gets too soft) and form more cookies. Freeze at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until firm and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

GEVULDE SPECULAAS

Steps:

• Mix cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, mace, allspice, cloves, and ginger together in a bowl to make speculaas spice mix.
• Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add 3/4 cup white sugar, egg, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest. Pulse until mixture forms a ball.
• Combine speculaas spice mix, flour, brown sugar, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until dough resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk, vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; mix until dough forms a smooth ball.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll out into circles on a lightly floured work surface. Press 1 circle over the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the lined pan. Spread almond mixture on top. Cover with second circle and seal edges over filling.
• Mix 2 tablespoons white sugar, water, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract in a small bowl to make a thick paste. Brush paste over top of the dough. Arrange slivered almonds in a decorative pattern on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool before removing the outer ring of the springform pan, about 30 minutes.

DUTCH SPECULAAS COOKIES (WITH SLIVERED ALMONDS ON TOP)

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Gradually add sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mixing well, until the dough forms a ball.
• Place on a floured surface and roll out very thinly until it's about 3 mm (1/8th inch) thick.
• Use cookie cutters to shape into desired forms
• Brush the tops with lightly beaten egg white.
• Decorate tops with slivered almonds.
• Bake at 190 C (375 F) for about 12 minutes or until light golden brown.

BELGIAN SPICE (SPECULAAS) COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together first four ingredients.
• Sift together dry ingredients, pour into creamed ingredients.
• Stir until blended.
• Stir in the pecans.
• Form the dough into long rolls on wax paper and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
• Slice very thin (the family can't agree how thin "very" is) and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees about 10 minutes.

DUTCH SPECULAAS COOKIES (CONTAINS GROUND ALMONDS)

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the salt, almonds, egg and 3 tablespoons of milk.
• Add the flour and spices and enough of the remaining milk to make a stiff dough. Mix well to work in all of the flour throughout the mixture.
• Roll into a ball, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll out and use a wooden Speculaas form to make decorative shapes or use cookie cutter forms. Place on a greased baking tray, brush lightly with milk and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

NICK'S SPECULAAS COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, ginger, cloves, and white pepper. Stir well to combine.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce to low speed, and beat in half of the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Beat in milk; then add the remaining flour mixture. Continue to beat until a firm dough forms. Shape dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap dough in plastic, and chill it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place racks in upper and lower third of the oven. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator. Dab mold all over with a small piece of dough; this provides a light buttery coating that will prevent sticking. Generously sprinkle mold with flour, tapping to remove any excess. Take a piece of dough that is roughly the same size as the mold, and press it with the palm of your hand into the mold. With a long thin knife, scrape away excess dough. Invert the mold over the baking sheet, and rap the far end of the mold against the pan, holding it at an angle to release the formed cookie. Use a paring knife to trim any excess dough. Reflour the mold, and repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Press together scraps of trimmed dough, and chill to prepare them for molding.
• Bake cookies until firm and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Slide parchment paper from each baking sheet to a rack to cool. Cookies may be stored between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

GEVULDE SPECULAAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven up to 150° Celcius. Put the flour, the speculaaskruiden, the sugar, the butter (in small pieces) and the milk in a bowl and knead until you have a dough. At this point you could choose to roll the dough into some foil and put it into the refrigerator to let it soak up all the herbs, but I have to confess I mostly am too impatient for that, so I skip that step. Now you split the dough in two equal parts. The first part you roll onto a greased oven plate in whatever shape you want, could be a square, a heart.. Smear the almond paste on top of the dough, but leave some space at the edges. Then add the second part of the dough on top of this and close the sides, enclosing the almond paste. Now you can decorate with the sliced almons and cover with the egg yolk. Put it into the oven and bake the speculaas for about 30-45 minutes (check if it's golden brown). Then get it out of the oven and make sure it cools off and gets a bit harder before you start cutting it (but not too long, because it's delicious when it's still warm :-)) Bon appetit!

GEVULDE SPECULAAS - HAS ALMOND PASTE

Steps:

• Speculaas spices Mix together - this makes enough spices for 2 cakes, but only going to use half of this for one recipe. Almond paste for two recipes Place into a food processor, grind almonds very fine, add sugar, eggs, lemon zest and almond extract. Pulse until it forms a ball. Put into a jar or container and place in the freezer, keeps a while (don't know how long, usually doesn't last that long). Speculaas dough Mix into one small ball of dough. In spring form, divide dough in half. Roll or smooth in bottom of spring form. Use ½ of almond paste mix for next layer. Then top layer gets rest of dough and cover till you see no more almond paste. Then take 2 tablespoons sugar, some almond extract and little water and mix till you have a thick paste. Brush this over the top to cover. Then add slivered almonds to decorate (optional). Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes. Need to watch so doesn't burn. If you want to make 2 Gevulde Speculaas's, then just double dough mix. Enjoy!

SPECULAAS TART WITH ALMOND FILLING

Steps:

• For dough:
• Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten dough into disks; wrap and chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Soften slightly before rolling.)
• For filling:
• Blend first 8 ingredients in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Roll out larger dough piece on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to pan and press gently over bottom and up sides, pressing any tears together. Spread filling in dough. Trim dough on sides to 1/2 inch above level of filling. Fold dough in over filling.
• Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12- to 13-inch round. Using bottom of cake pan as aid, cut out 9-inch-diameter round of dough. Slide dough round onto plate and freeze 5 minutes to firm. Reserve dough scraps for cookies. Place chilled dough round on tart; press to adhere and seal edges.
• Bake tart until crust is brown, about 50 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan; cool tart completely on pan bottom. Maintain oven temperature.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough scraps on lightly floured surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch gingerbread-man cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer cutouts to prepared sheets. Repeat, using all of dough.
• Bake cookies until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets. (Tart and cookies can be made ahead; cover and store at room temperature 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days.)
• Sift powdered sugar over top of tart. Place small dab of preserves on back of 1 cookie; place at top edge of tart. Repeat with more cookies, forming border around tart. Transfer tart to platter. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour.