Speculaas Spiced Springerle

Speculaas Spiced Springerle

Speculaas are traditional cookies from the Netherlands, Belgium and Holland. I did a lot of reading before baking speculaas back in 2015 when I first made this recipe. Speculaas (Dutch), Speculoos (French) or Spekulatius (German) are more commonly known as Dutch Windmill Cookies or Biscoff Cookies. Speculaas are traditionally baked around the time of the feast of Sinterklaas (December 5) in Holland, and in the western and southern parts of Germany around Christmas. Speculaas derives its name from the wooden molds used to make the cookies called speculaasplank or speculaas. Traditional recipes involve many steps, but I found a great recipe from King Arthur Baking Company that maintains the integrity of the traditional cookie, and bought a modern Springerle rolling pin (a rolling pin with designs carved into it). The word Springerle is from an old German dialect meaning "little knight" and traced as far back as the 14th century. You can also use any Christmas cookie cutter shape you have. This cookie is the perfect combination of spices for the holidays. These aromatic spices are pure bliss and the combined spices are cookie perfection. The cookies are crisp when you bite into them and tender inside. The cookies are the perfect accompaniment with coffee, tea, hot chocolate and eggnog. The trick to making these cookies is keeping the dough cold before you make the impressions. If you use individual molds or a Springerle rolling pin, be sure to flour well. If the dough reaches room temperature, it will stick. 

Yield: 3 dozen cookies depending on size.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 

1/2 cup Almond Flour

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cup Vanilla Sugar (or Granulated Sugar)

1/2 cup, 1 stick Unsalted Butter, softened

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Large Egg

Speculaas Spiced Springerle

Speculaas Spice Mixture:

3 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon Ground Clove

1/8 teaspoon Ground Anise Seed

1/8 teaspoon Ground Cardamom

1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/8 teaspoon Ground White Pepper

Speculaas Spiced Springerle

Speculaas Spiced Springerle

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the Speculaas Spice Mixture; set aside.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Using a stand or hand held mixer with paddle attachment cream butter and vanilla sugar until incorporated; 1 to 2 minutes.

Add vanilla extract and spice mixture, and mix just until incorporated.

Add egg and mix until incorporated.

Turn off mixer. Add the flour mixture, and cover mixer with kitchen towel, and turn mixer on low speed and incorporate. 

The dough is ready when it begins to clump around paddle attachment.

Close-up view

Love the designs

Form into a disk shape and cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1-3 hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 375𐩑F.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut dough in half keeping the remaining half covered in the fridge until ready to use.

Place dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to desired thickness and length with a rolling pin. Remove top sheet of parchment paper.

Sprinkle a little flour over the dough and flour molds or Springerle rolling pin. Press hard into the dough to make impression, then remove and cut around the design with a sharp knife, pizza or pastry cutter.

Speculaas Spiced Springerle

If dough goes to room temperature and it is sticking to the mold or Springerle rolling pin, cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 10 minutes and then repeat step above.

Place cookies on baking sheets and freeze for 20-30 minutes. This will ensure the cookies hold their shape and design while they bake.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 12 minutes, or until slightly brown around the edges. 

After removing from oven, leave cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely; about 1 hour.

For the Speculaas Spiced Springerle recipe, visit King Arthur Baking Company:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/speculaas-spiced-springerle-recipe

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys