Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

speculaas (dutch style gingerbread biscuits)

(3 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Lisa 'Gayle' Goff
Chula Vista, CA

These are one of our family's favorite Dutch cookies. They bake thin and crisp, so they are more of a biscuit than a cookie, thus the name.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Originating in the Netherlands, Speculaas cookies are a unique gingerbread cookie filled with warm spices. This version is made in a rustic style by simply rolling out the dough, baking it in one piece, and then breaking it into pieces. Using cake flour gives the cookies a nice crumble to their texture. We'd describe this biscuit as a gingerbread shortbread. A recipe for the unique speculaas spice is also included. It makes more than enough for a batch of cookies and extra to share as holiday gifts. Between the unique blend of spices and texture, these Dutch-style gingerbread biscuits are a cookie you'll remember.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(3 ratings)
yield 10 -15
prep time 2 Hr 15 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For speculaas (dutch style gingerbread biscuits)

  • BISCUIT
  • 7 oz
    self-rising cake flour
  • 4 oz
    soft brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp
    Speculaas spice (this is very authentic and hard to find, see below to make your own)
  • 1 pinch
    salt
  • 5 oz
    chilled real butter (do not use margarine)
  • 2-3 Tbsp
    milk
  • SPECULAAS SPICE
  • 1/2 c
    cinnamon
  • 1/2 c
    cloves
  • 1/4 c
    nutmeg
  • 1/2 c
    ground ginger
  • 1/4 c
    cardamom
  • 1/8 c
    white pepper

How To Make speculaas (dutch style gingerbread biscuits)

  • Making the Speculaas spice.
    1
    For the Speculaas spice, add spices to a bowl and combine. You can use a pre-made gingerbread spice but it will not be the same. The gingerbread spices have allspice and no cardamom or white pepper, but use whatever suits your taste.
  • Flour, sugar, Speculaas spice, and salt in a bowl.
    2
    Combine flour, sugar, Speculaas spice, and salt.
  • Cutting butter into flour.
    3
    Dice the butter and mix into the flour using a pastry cutter or two knives.
  • Adding milk and kneading dough.
    4
    Then slowly add milk. With your hands quickly knead all into a firm dough (do this quickly so the heat from your hands does not warm the dough too much).
  • Dough wrapped in plastic wrap to chill.
    5
    Wrap the dough in Saran Wrap and let rest for at least 2 hours, but overnight is preferable to develop the spice flavor.
  • Roll out the dough.
    6
    Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Baking the Speculaas cookies.
    7
    Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Cooling the Speculaas and slicing.
    8
    Cool on a wire rack. Break into pieces and serve.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT