Description
Delightfully spiced Speculoos cookies featuring a blend of cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg. These crisp rectangular biscuits are coated with flaked almonds for a nutty crunch and brushed with milk for a golden finish, perfect for tea time or a festive treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 270g plain flour, plus a little for dusting
- 150g caster sugar
- Pinch of baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp speculoos spice (cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg)
Wet Ingredients
- 100ml milk, divided (50ml for dough, 50ml for brushing)
- 100g unsalted butter, room temperature
Topping
- 200g flaked almonds
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, mix the plain flour, caster sugar, a pinch of salt, baking powder, and speculoos spice thoroughly. Add 50ml of milk and the softened butter, then knead quickly until forming a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in foil and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C / gas mark 6). Line 2-3 baking sheets with baking parchment. Evenly sprinkle the flaked almonds over the parchment to create a crunchy bed for the cookies.
- Roll and cut the dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out the chilled dough to about 3mm thickness. Cut the dough into rectangles approximately 4cm by 6cm in size.
- Assemble the cookies: Place the dough rectangles onto the almond-covered baking sheets, pressing them gently to embed the almonds into the bottom of each cookie. Brush the tops of the cookies lightly with the remaining 50ml milk to enhance browning during baking.
- Bake: Place the trays in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for about 8 minutes. Monitor carefully to prevent over-browning, especially around the edges.
- Cool and trim: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the trays. Trim any almonds that stick out from the edges for a neat appearance.
- Store: Once cooled and trimmed, store the Speculoos cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crispness.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is at room temperature for easier mixing and a smoother dough.
- Speculoos spice can be purchased online or substituted with a similar blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves if necessary.
- Keep an eye on the cookies during baking to avoid burning due to high oven temperature and thin dough.
- Chilling the dough helps in easier handling and better texture in the final cookies.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute plain flour with a gluten-free all-purpose mix.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Belgian
Keywords: Speculoos cookies, spiced cookies, almond cookies, Belgian biscuits, festive cookies, holiday baking
