One of my outings as a young newly married expat in a small German village, was to walk in to the town to the small store where they had bins of butter cookies in the shapes of crescent moons and stars, that were delicious in their simplicity. A win-win: walk to buy cookies and the cookies to reward my efforts!
Speculoos lay claim to several origins, Belgian (speculoos), Dutch (speculaas), German (spekulatius), in English (spiced shortbread cookies). The first time I saw speculoos boards was in Germany and I was enchanted with the hand-carved molds for cookies and over the years I purchased a few, And later on, discovering them in the shops in the Alsace Region of France, I bought them as well as carved rolling
pins for my daughters. I rarely use the molds for more than decoration. And I rarely make the cookies. But when I do I have such fun molding them and savor the simple delicious flavor of the butter coming through gentle warm spices in an uncomplicated cookie.
Similar to gingerbread - minus the ginger and molasses - the spices shyly shine as they meld mildly in your mouth. This is a recipe to make for the fun of it! I'm just sorry you don't have a charming village to walk to, to buy them!
Speculoos
1 1/2 cups room temperature butter
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
milk (as needed)
-Cream butter and sugar together in mixer until smooth and well-blended. Stir in baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla extract.
-Gently stir in flour until tell just blended and dough comes together, adding a tablespoon milk or more as needed to moisten all the ingredients.
-Press dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours to allow flavors to develop.
-Set dough out on counter, covered for 30 minutes, to soften. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch. Cut dough out with cookies cutters, or roll dough with well-floured carved rolling pin, and cut into printed shapes. Or if using a mold board, flour well and firmly press dough into carving on board, leveling dough off to a uniform thickness, about 3/8 inch thick.
-Place cookies on greased cookie sheet or sheet covered with a silpad or parchment paper. Bake in
350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes, until cookies have darkened slightly and appear set.
German cookie presses and rolling pins.
Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
Rolling pin cookie molds
cookie molds.
Place molded cookies on cookie sheet.
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