The end of the week and then of course there must be a great recipe. I wanted to write this recipe for some time, but then another delicious dessert came up and this recipe had to wait a while. Depending on where you live in the world, you may know this recipe or have never heard of it. If you live in the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany, you have often eaten this. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to make speculaas / speculaas cookies.
What is the definition of Speculaas
The meaning of Speculaas is:
”a baked cookie with speculaas spices. The cookie is also known under the name speculoos. The cookie can contain different forms but is always flat. It’s eaten throughout the year with a cup of tea or coffee”.
Speculaas Cookies
I am so excited to describe this recipe for you. These are cookies that you can always make and they are also very addictive in a good way. The cookies / biscuits are popular in the Netherlands and Belgium, but also in areas of Germany and Northern France. Speculaas is known for its solid structure. Bakers use molds to make the cookies into different shapes. The shapes can consist of windmills, roosters, cats, people in traditional costume, etc. These molds were usually made of wood and touched up by hand.
The molds are for sale on the internet. You can also make the speculaas without a mold, only then they will look less beautiful. The recipe is actually quite simple. However, you will notice that if you buy the cookies from a Dutch bakery, the taste is different. Speculaas spices are used to make the cookies, but a baker will then add a number of spices themselves. They do this to really create their own taste. The spices that can be used further consist of anise, mace, ginger powder, cardamom, white pepper, nutmeg, cloves and of course cinnamon.
Another tip that I will mention later. Once the dough is made, you will need to keep it in the fridge for 3 days. That’s when the herbs come into their own. You will also notice that the dough will change color! Of course, this all benefits the final result.
I really recommend you try Speculaas! Do you like this recipe leave a comment below or leave a comment on my YouTube Channel! I will appreciate that too! If you have any tips or feedback? Let me know!
Speculaas Cookies Recipe
This snack is easy to make. You need the follow ingredients: butter, light caster sugar (yellow), salt, buttermilk, Zeeland flour, baking powder, speculaas spices. Optional are ginger powder, cardamom and nutmeg.
The first step is to add 225 grams of butter, 300 grams of sugar, 5 grams of salt and 50 grams of buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer with dough beaters. When the mixture is mixed together you transfer it to your working space.
Add 500 grams of Zeeland Flour (Zeeuws Bloem) to the mixture together with 20 grams of baking powder, the speculaas spices and optional spices. If you don’t have Zeeland Flour you can also use all purpose flour. Start kneading the mixture with your hands untill you can form a rod or ball. If you use all purpose flour the dough can be really dry. Add some drops of water to make the dough firmer.
Cover the ball with a plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 2 days. You can’t start making the cookies immediately. The spices have to work well in the dough first. You will also see that the color of the dough will change. From light brown to dark brown. After 2 days get the dough out and spread some flour over the dough. Roll the dough out until it reaches the right thickness for the speculaas mold. If you don’t have a speculaas mold you can make squares and draw some figures in the dough. Make sure they don’t go too deep.
Remove the excess dough of the mold. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius. Place the cookies on the baking tray. When the oven reaches 150 degrees celcius, add the baking tray in the oven. Bake the cookies for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes take the cookies out and let them cool completely. Enjoy these amazing Authentic Dutch Speculaas Cookies.
How to make Speculaas
Below you can find the summary of the steps:
- The first step is to add 225 grams of butter, 300 grams of sugar, 5 grams of salt and 50 grams of buttermilk in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients together with a hand mixer (use the dough beaters)
- Transfer the mixture to your working space.
- Add 500 grams of Zeeland flour (or all purpose flour), 20 grams of baking powder and the speculaas spices (and optional spices) to the mixture.
- Start kneading the mixture with your hands until you can form a rod or ball.
- Cover the ball with a plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 2 days.
- After 2 days get your dough out and spread some flour over the dough.
- Roll the dough out until it reaches the right thickness for the speculaas mold.
- Remove the excess dough of the mold.
- Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celcius.
- Place the cookies on baking tray.
- When the oven reach 150 degrees celcius, add the baking tray and bake the cookies for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes take the cookies out and let them cool completely. Enjoy!
Other Snacks Recipes
If you are searching for more snacks recipes:
If you have another interesting recipe, please let me know!
Speculaas Ingredients
To make this amazing snack you need a couple of ingredients. These ingredients are: butter, light caster sugar (yellow), salt, buttermilk, Zeeland flour, baking powder, speculaas spices. Optional are ginger powder, cardamom and nutmeg. You can find the recipe below! Interested in cooking videos? Watch my YouTube Channel!
Speculaas
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Speculaas mold
- Plastic wrap
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 225 grams Butter (Room temperature)
- 300 grams light caster sugar (Yellow)
- 5 grams Salt
- 50 grams Buttermilk
- 500 grams Zeeland Flour (or All Purpose Flour)
- 20 grams Baking powder
- 30 grams Speculaas spices
Optional spices
- 3 grams Nutmeg
- 3 grams Cardamom
- 3 grams Ginger powder
Instructions
- The first step is to add 225 grams of butter, 300 grams of sugar, 5 grams of salt and 50 grams of buttermilk in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients together.
- Transfer the mixture to your working space.Â
- Add 500 grams of Zeeland flour (or all purpose flour), 20 grams of baking powder and the speculaas spices (and optional spices) to the mixture.
- Start kneading the mixture with your hands until you can form a rod or ball.
- Cover the ball with a plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 2 days.
- After 2 days get your dough out and spread some flour over the dough.
- Roll the dough out until it reaches the right thickness for the speculaas mold.
- Remove the excess dough of the mold.
- Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celcius.
- Place the cookies on baking tray.
- When the oven reach 150 degrees celcius, add the baking tray and bake the cookies for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes take the cookies out and let them cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- When you have made the dough, wrap it in a plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 2 days.
- It is best to form the dough on a speculaas mold to make the cookies.
- If you don't have the opportunity to buy Zeeland flour, then all purpose flour is also good. You will notice that the flour is a bit drier, so you can add a few drops of water.
Nutrition
FAQ Speculaas
Below you can find the most frequently asked questions:
What are Speculaas Cookies?
a baked cookie with speculaas spices. The cookie is also known under the name speculoos. The cookie can contain different forms but is always flat. It’s eaten throughout the year with a cup of tea or coffee.
How long does it take to make?
The dough can you make in 20 minutes. Afterwards you need to place it in the refrigerator for 3 days. Baking will taking you 25 minutes. The total recipe time is 3 days and 45 minutes.
Which ingredients do I need for this recipe?
The ingredients you need for this recipe are: butter, light caster sugar (yellow), salt, buttermilk, Zeeland flour, baking powder, speculaas spices. Optional are ginger powder, cardamom and nutmeg.