Speculaas !
This is one of those quiet little recipes and treats that sort of hangs out in the background, is certainly not the flashiest, might be the easiest to make, and before you know it, is likely to be your favorite. Somewhere between a graham cracker and a ginger snap, these spiced cookies keep super well, can handle intricate cookie cutter shapes, and are nice and sturdy. I like them plain, but you can ice or frost them. And like all my favorite recipes, you can adjust these to fit your tastes. Bake a little crispier or softer, roll a little thicker or more thin, pump up the spices or tone it done. But whatever you do, definitely add these to your holiday baking list. (And then hang onto the recipe for next summer — these do make awesome graham cracker subs!
Traditionally, these cookies are stamped with a design on the front. This is adorable and simple (but looks so festive!) so if you have a cookie press, go for it! You can use all sorts of things to press a pattern into the dough once it’s rolled out — flour a lace doily and smash it in there. Roll a cut glass vase or cocktail glass across the top! Often for cookie boxes, I’ll just do these rolled out smooth and cut with cookie cutters (see the trees and ‘gingerbread’ men above). Smooth is best if you want to frost them, but stamped can work great if you want to pour a light icing on them.
Directions:
Measure dry ingredients (flours, spices, baking powder, salt) into medium bowl & whisk together. Set aside.
Combine sugars & butter in bowl of stand mixer & beat with paddle attachment until just combined. (Can also do this by hand; doesn’t need to get fluffy, just mixed together.)
Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl in between. Mix in vanilla.
Add dry ingredients to mixer bowl, scraping down & mixing slowly until combined.
Use hands to bring dough together. It’s a fairly stiff dough, but should be smooth and totally combined. If you’ve got some crumbly bits, go ahead and knead or smash it together a few times.
Divide into two disks. Roll out each disk between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment and chill in refrigerator 1 hour. If you want a thicker, chewier cookie, roll it out a little thicker (1/4” or so). I usually like these a little thinner and crunchier, so I’ll roll it a bit thinner than that. You might stick to a little thicker if you’re going to stamp!
Use cookie or biscuit cutters to cut into shapes and bake cookies 10-12 minutes at 350’ until browned. (Might take several minutes longer; baking time is going to vary depending on thickness, size of cookie cut out, and how crunchy you like them. First time around: bake off the first few that you cut out and let them cool while you cut and stamp the rest of your cookies. Use those first ones as a test to get a feel for how long you want to bake the rest!
Note: You can chill the dough in discs before you roll it out, but then you’ve got to let it warm up a little when you’re ready to roll it out as it gets quite firm. Even if I’m going to make the dough ahead and chill it for a couple of days before I bake, I like to roll it out into sheets and stack them up on a small sheet pan if I’ve got the room in my fridge. If you’re making a few batches, or if your kitchen is extra warm, be sure to throw the cookies in the fridge to chill a bit after you cut them out and before you bake them so they hold their shape!
Ingredient list & notes:
9 oz butter, room temperature, cubed
¾ c brown sugar
¾ c demerara sugar (if you can’t find demerara, you can also use muscavado or raw sugar. You can even sub in white sugar, especially if you have a larger grain organic cane sugar.)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 ½ c flour (2 cups all purpose flour, 1 c rye flour, ½ c whole wheat flour; or personal preferred flour combination to total 3 ½ c.)
1 T cinnamon, ground (increase/decrease/swap out spices to fit your preference!)
1 tsp coriander, ground
½ tsp cardamom, ground
½ tsp ginger, ground
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt