Speculoos

Speculoos are traditional cookies from Belgium, the Netherlands, and surrounding areas. They are particularly associated with the Christmas season and feature a very distinctive spiced aroma. Now I will list the ingredients and then we will proceed with the preparation.

Ingredients

• 250g of flour
• 150g of brown sugar (preferably muscovado or similar)
• 100g of butter at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of Speculoos spices (a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger; proportions can vary according to taste)
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the flour with the baking soda, spices, and salt.
2. In another bowl, cream the soft butter with the sugar until you have a smooth mixture.
3. Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well to incorporate it.
4. Then add the flour and spice mixture and work everything until a homogenous dough is formed.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (this will help the spices spread better).
6. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
7. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 3mm.
8. Use cookie cutters to cut out the Speculoos in the desired shapes.
9. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden.
11. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.

Curiosity

Speculoos are so popular that in many countries of Northern Europe there are also spreads with the same aroma of the cookies. Moreover, the word “speculoos” comes from “speculum,” which means mirror, and refers to the fact that originally the cookies were stamped with molds that created mirror images of the original designs.

If you are a coffee enthusiast, Speculoos cookies are perfect to accompany it thanks to their rich and spiced taste.