A Cookie with a Story
These cookies smell like a cozy winter evening. They are called Speculoos. My friend Anna brought the recipe from Belgium years ago. We baked them every December. I still laugh at that. We always ate half the dough.
She said bakers carved pictures into the dough long ago. They told stories of saints and winter. We use almonds for crunch now. But the warm spices are the same. This matters. Food can carry memories across oceans and years.
Why the Spices Sing
Let’s talk about the spices. Cinnamon is the star. It makes your kitchen smell like happiness. Cardamom and cloves are the quiet helpers. They add a little mystery.
Mix them with the flour first. This spreads the flavor in every bite. Fun fact: cardamom is often called the “queen of spices.” It grows in a little pod. Doesn’t that smell amazing when you open the jar?
The Shape of Things
Now, the parchment paper trick. Drawing that rectangle seems funny. But it is a grandma’s secret for perfect cookies. It keeps the edges straight.
You press the almonds right into the dough. Then you flip it. The almonds hide on the bottom. When you bake them, they toast and get so tasty. This matters. Good tools, even a pencil, help make food beautiful.
A Little Patience
The dough must rest in the cold. This is the hard part. You must wait. I put the kettle on for tea. I clean my mixing bowls.
Waiting lets the flavors become friends. It makes the dough firm for cutting. Do you have a song you like to sing while you wait in the kitchen? I hum old carols.
Cutting and Baking
Use your ruler and a pizza cutter. Snip-snip! You will have little rectangles. They look plain now. But just wait.
The oven is very low and slow. It coaxes the sugar to caramelize. It makes the cookies crisp all the way through. You will know they are done by the smell. What is your favorite smell from the oven? Mine is these cookies.
Sharing the Warmth
Let them cool completely. They get even crispier. I pack them in old tins. They keep for weeks. I give them to my neighbors.
Food is best when shared. That is the lesson of these cookies. Who will you share your first batch with? Tell me about them.
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) | |
| Ground cinnamon | 5 teaspoons | |
| Ground cardamom | 1 teaspoon | |
| Ground cloves | ¼ teaspoon | |
| Baking soda | ¼ teaspoon | |
| Baking powder | ¼ teaspoon | |
| Salt | ¼ teaspoon | |
| Turbinado sugar | ¾ cup (6 ounces/170 grams) | |
| Unsalted butter | 8 tablespoons | Cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled |
| Large egg | 1 | |
| Sliced almonds | ½ cup |
Instructions
Step 1: First, let’s mix our spices. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. That smell is pure Christmas magic. Now, grab two big pieces of parchment paper. Draw a 10 by 12-inch rectangle on each. This trick makes rolling so much easier later. I still use my grandson’s ruler from school.
Step 2: Time for the food processor. Pulse the turbinado sugar for 30 seconds. It will look a little sandy. Add the cold butter pieces and process until it all comes together. Then, add the egg and blend until smooth. Finally, add your flour and spice mixture. Process just until no dry flour is left. (Chilled butter is the secret to a perfect cookie crumb!)
Step 3: Put the dough in a bowl. Gently knead it with a spatula until smooth. Place your dough inside the rectangle on one parchment sheet. Top with the second sheet, pencil-side up. Now, roll the dough to fit your drawn lines. Peel off the top paper and sprinkle almonds everywhere. Gently press them in with your rolling pin.
Step 4: Flip the dough so almonds are on the bottom. Slide it onto a baking sheet. Now, patience is key. Chill the dough for at least an hour and a half. This keeps the cookies from spreading. I know waiting is hard. Use the time to wash up! What’s your favorite cookie to eat while baking another? Share below!
Step 5: Heat your oven to 300 degrees. Get two baking sheets ready with parchment. Peel the paper off your cold dough. Trim any uneven edges with a fluted cutter or knife. Cut the dough into 8 long strips. Then, cut each strip into 4 little rectangles. Space them out on your sheets. Bake for 30-32 minutes, swapping racks halfway. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
Creative Twists
These cookies love to play dress-up. Try dipping one end in melted dark chocolate for a fancy touch. You could also swap the sliced almonds for finely chopped pecans. Their flavor is lovely with the spices. For a fun shape, use a cookie cutter before chilling the dough. Stars or little trees are so cheerful. Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving & Pairing Ideas
These cookies are wonderful all on their own. For a special plate, add some orange slices and a sprig of rosemary. They also crumble beautifully over vanilla ice cream. For a drink, a glass of tawny port wine is a cozy, grown-up match. For everyone, warm spiced apple cider is perfect. The cinnamon friends in both. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Cookies Cozy
These cookies keep beautifully. Store them in a tin at room temperature. They stay crisp and spicy for weeks. You can also freeze the rolled dough. Just wrap it well in plastic. I keep a log in my freezer all December. It is perfect for surprise guests.
My first batch ever went a bit soft. I was so sad. Then I warmed them in a low oven for five minutes. They came out perfectly crisp again. It was like magic. Batch cooking the dough saves so much time. You can bake a few cookies at a time. This means fresh, warm cookies whenever you want.
This matters because holiday joy should be easy. Having treats ready means more time for stories and laughter. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Cookie Troubles? Let’s Fix Them
First, dough too crumbly? You may have over-processed it. Just knead it gently with your hands. The warmth from your palms helps it come together. I remember when mine looked like sand. A little patience fixed it.
Second, cookies spreading? Your dough was not cold enough. Chilling firms the butter. This keeps the shape sharp. Always chill the full time. Third, spices tasting weak? Your spices might be old. Fresh spices make a world of difference.
Fixing these small things builds your confidence. You learn how ingredients work. Getting the spice right matters most. It fills your whole kitchen with a warm, happy smell. Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend. Add a teaspoon of xanthan gum too.
Q: How far ahead can I make the dough? A: You can refrigerate it for five days. You can also freeze it for a month.
Q: I don’t have turbinado sugar. A: Light brown sugar works fine. The flavor will be a bit deeper and softer.
Q: Can I double the recipe? A: Absolutely. Just mix it in two batches. Your food processor will thank you.
Q: Any optional tips? A: Try a pinch of black pepper. *It gives a wonderful little warmth. My grandson calls it the secret kick.* Which tip will you try first?
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope you love making these cookies. The smell is my favorite part of December. It reminds me of my own grandmother’s kitchen. I would sit and watch her roll the dough. Now I get to share it with you.
Please tell me all about your baking adventure. I read every note with a cup of tea. Have you tried this recipe? Let me know how it turned out. Share a picture if you like.
Happy cooking! —Elowen Thorn.
Almond Spiced Speculoos Christmas Cookies
Description
Belgian Spice Cookies (Speculoos) with Almonds
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Using pencil and ruler, draw 10 by 12-inch rectangle in center of each of 2 large sheets of parchment paper, crisscrossing lines at corners. (Use crisscrosses to help line up top and bottom sheets as dough is rolled.)
- Process sugar in food processor for 30 seconds (some grains will be smaller than granulated sugar; others will be larger). Add butter and process until uniform mass forms and no large pieces of butter are visible, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg and process until smooth and paste-like, about 10 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture and process until no dry flour remains but mixture remains crumbly, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Transfer dough to bowl and knead gently with spatula until uniform and smooth, about 10 seconds. Place 1 piece of parchment on counter with pencil side facing down (you should be able to see rectangle through paper). Place dough in center of marked rectangle and press into 6 by 9-inch rectangle. Place second sheet of parchment over dough, with pencil side facing up, so dough is in center of marked rectangle. Using pencil marks as guide, use rolling pin and bench scraper to shape dough into 10 by 12-inch rectangle of even thickness. Gently peel off top layer of parchment. Sprinkle almonds evenly over surface of dough. Using rolling pin, gently press almonds into dough. Return parchment to dough. Flip dough so almonds face down and transfer dough with parchment to rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 1½ hours (or freeze for 30 minutes). (Rolled dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment. Transfer chilled dough to counter. Gently peel off top layer of parchment from dough. Using fluted pastry wheel (or sharp knife or pizza cutter) and ruler, trim off rounded edges of dough that extend over marked edges of 10 by 12-inch rectangle. Cut dough lengthwise into 8 equal strips about 1¼ inches wide. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 equal pieces about 3 inches long. Transfer cookies to prepared sheets, spacing them at least ½ inch apart. Bake until cookies are lightly and evenly browned, 30 to 32 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.)
Notes
- For perfectly crisp cookies, ensure the dough is thoroughly chilled before cutting and baking.