Recipe: Speculaas

Speculaas

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup rolled dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. speculaas spices
3 tbsp. whole milk
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup halved almonds

Slice the chilled butter into small pieces and add it to the flour and baking powder. Add the salt, sugar and the spices. Add the milk and then work the dough with your hands until you have a malleable dough ball. Add the slivered almonds and work them into the dough. Allow the dough to rest overnight, covered. Dust flour on the speculaas mold. Press the dough into the mold and cut off the excess dough. Shake the molded cookie out onto a floured table and press the almond halves into the dough.

Bake on greased cookie sheets for 20-25 min. at 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C in a preheated oven.

This makes enough for three large molds. You can also spread the dough on a cookie sheet, bake, and cut into squares, but this lacks some of the aesthetic qualities.

Speculaas spices, which are made of a mixture of ground ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cloves and cardamom, are sold in many Dutch delicatessens throughout North America around Christmas.

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Speculaas (Dutch Spice Cookies)
A Dutch Recipe
From the Kitchen of: Koala

I remember Grandma having these cookies for us to eat. To this day we all call them Windmill cookies.

1 cup Margarine or Butter
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsps Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Egg
2 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Blanced Almonds, finely chopped (optional)
Blanced Whole Almonds (optional)

Beat margarine or butter with a mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds or by hand. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Beat in egg and flour. Add chopped almonds if using. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured board and cut into shapes (windmills and Sinterklaas/Santa shapes are traditional but can also cut them into the children's initials). Decorate with whole almonds if using. Place on inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake in 350 degree F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool l minute; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 4 to 6 dozen (depending on size).