Best Dutch Speculaas Recipes

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 (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 - 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 (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.

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.

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.

SPECULAAS (DUTCH STYLE GINGERBREAD BISCUITS)

Steps:

• 1. Combine flour, sugar, spice and salt
• 2. Dice the butter and mix into the flour using a pastry cutter or two knives then add milk and with your hands quickly knead all into a firm dough (do this quickly so the heat from your hands does not warm the dough too much)
• 3. wrap the dough in saran wrap and let rest at least 2 hours but overnight is preferable to develope the spice flavor
• 4. Pre heat oven to 375
• 5. Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes
• 6. Cool on a wire rack, break into pieces to serve.
• 7. * Speculaas spice: 1/2 Cup Cinnamon 1/4 Cup Cloves 1/4 Cup Nutmeg 1/2 Cup Ground Ginger 1/4 Cup Cardamom 1/8 Cup White Pepper (You can use a pre-made gingerbread spice but it will not be the same, the gingerbread spices have allspice and no cardamom or white pepper, but use what ever suits your tastes)