Traditional Almond Speculoos

Name: Traditional Almond Speculoos
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Ingredients: 250 g of flour (sifted); 100 g of butter (softened at room temperature); 150 g of turbinado sugar (brown, vergeoise type); 1 eggs (beaten); 1/2 tsp of baking soda; 1 pinch of salt (fine); 2 tsp of ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp of star anise (ground); 1/2 tsp of cloves (ground); 1/2 tsp of nutmeg (grated); 30 g of almonds (slivered); 1 tbsp of powdered sugar

No reviews yet

Make authentic homemade speculoos with warm notes of cinnamon, anise, and brown sugar. These very crisp, shortbread-style cookies have an incomparable snap, perfect for dunking in a steaming cup of tea or coffee, ideal for an afternoon snack or winter holidays.

Total time: 37 min
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 12 min
Rest: 2 h
Difficulty: Medium
Per person: €0.19

By the CookinBreak team

Goes well with

🎅 Christmas: all recipes

As a starter

Air Fryer Scallops au Gratin

35 minEasy

As a main

5.0

Homemade Duchess Potatoes

1 h 05Easy

To drink

Christmas Spiced Tea with Citrus

15 minEasy

Nutrition facts

per serving · estimate

105kcal

Protein2 g8%
Carbs15 g58%
Fat4 g35%
Fiber1 g

Share of each nutrient in the calories of one serving.

Good to know

Chef's tip

To get the legendary crunch of real speculoos, don't skip the chilling time: it lets the spices fully release their aromas and keeps the carved designs from sagging during baking.

Freezing : Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes

Freezes very well. Raw dough can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer bag. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container.

Storage : How long does it keep?

Keeps 7 to 10 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Making ahead : Can you make it the day before?

Yes

The dough can be made the day before. Keep 24h in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

Reheating : How do you reheat it?

Usually eaten cold. For a light crispness, 2-3 min in the oven at 150°C or air fryer. Microwave not recommended (softens).

Variations

Almond-free version: make the cookies completely plain for a pared-down flavor centered on cinnamon.
Gluten-free version: replace the all-purpose flour with a mix of half rice flour and half cornstarch.
Cocoa version: add a teaspoon of unsweetened dark cocoa powder to the spices for an even darker, more aromatic color.

Mistakes to avoid

Using ordinary white sugar instead of brown sugar or vergeoise, which would rob the cookie of its characteristic caramelized flavor.
Baking lukewarm dough, which would melt the butter too fast and erase all the patterns from your cookie cutters.
Overbaking the cookies: they should still look slightly soft in the center when they come out of the oven, and they will harden completely as they cool.

Frequently asked questions

Which type of sugar gives speculoos its authentic taste?

Dark brown sugar or vergeoise is essential. This moist sugar brings the typical cooked-caramel flavor and gives the dough its beautiful, inimitable amber color.

Can I use a gingerbread spice blend?

Yes, you can replace the homemade assortment with two teaspoons of gingerbread spice blend, making sure the cinnamon remains the main spice to keep the speculoos balance.

Why does the dough need to rest in the refrigerator?

Resting lets the butter firm up and the spice flavors infuse. A well-chilled dough keeps clean edges when cut and holds the relief of your molds or cookie cutters in the oven.

How do I get nice flat, even cookies?

Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin fitted with thickness guides, to ensure completely even baking with no overbaked spots.