Spekulatius Cookies | Crispy Spiced German Biscuits
These Spekulatius cookies are thin, crispy spiced German biscuits that are popular during Christmas. Ground spices add a warm, cozy flavor in the dough, and fun cookie cutters or molds create festive designs.
Ingredients
- 3¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt, not kosher salt)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix the butter and sugars with a large spoon until it is soft and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture, and mix until it’s well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix with a large spoon until it forms a dense, crumbly dough. (The dough will be dry at first, but just keep mixing until you no longer see dry flour.)
- Dump the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Use your hands to press the cookie dough into a large ball, and wrap it tightly in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If your dough is hard, allow it to soften and warm up at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Shape the cookies with one of the following methods: Cookie Mold: Dust your cookie mold with cornstarch and shake out the excess. Take a small handful of the cookie dough and press it flat into the cookie mold. Turn the mold upside down and whack it on your counter to release the cookie. Transfer the cookie to your baking sheet, and continue with the rest of the cookie dough.Cookie Cutters: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cookie dough to about ¼ inch thick. Optional: Use an embossed rolling pin to imprint a design on the dough. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then transfer the cookies to your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack, then enjoy!
Notes
- Cookie Cutters: If you don’t have a cookie mold or a rolling pin & cookie cutters, you can use the bottom of a drinking glass to imprint a beautiful design on your cookies.
- Cookie Mold: If you're using a cookie mold, use a pastry brush to brush it with cornstarch. I find cornstarch works better than powdered sugar or flour when using cookie molds.
- Storing: Traditionally German Spekulatius are stored in metal tins. I recommend storing your cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 33mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 172IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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