Description
Spiced Star Cookies, also known as Speculaas, are traditional Dutch spiced biscuits made with a fragrant blend of warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and mace. These crisp, buttery cookies are typically cut into festive shapes and decorated with a simple, sweet icing drizzle, perfect for holiday celebrations or everyday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (159g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon mace (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup (48g) King Arthur Almond Flour, toasted almond flour preferred
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 to 4 tablespoons (28g to 57g) milk, not nonfat
Icing
- 1/2 cup (57g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 to 4 teaspoons milk or water
Instructions
- Mix wet ingredients and spices: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cardamom, cloves, mace, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Add dry ingredients and milk: Stir in the all-purpose flour, toasted almond flour, and baking powder. Gradually add 2 to 4 tablespoons of milk to the mixture, enough to form a stiff dough.
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two disks, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or more to allow the dough to firm up for easier rolling.
- Prepare baking sheets and oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Lightly grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Roll and cut the dough: Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8″ to 1/4″ thickness. Use star-shaped or desired cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then transfer the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. The cookies will harden as they cool.
- Make the icing: In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners’ sugar and 3 to 4 teaspoons of milk or water until a thick but drizzle-able consistency is achieved.
- Decorate the cookies: Drizzle the icing decoratively over the cooled cookies using a spoon or piping method.
- Store the cookies: Store leftover Speculaas well wrapped at room temperature for several days or freeze for longer storage to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Use toasted almond flour for enhanced flavor in the dough.
- Adjust the milk quantity gradually to achieve the right dough consistency—stiff but pliable.
- The cookies are quite soft when warm but will harden to a crisp texture as they cool completely.
- The icing should be thick enough to drizzle but not too runny, so adjust liquid quantities carefully.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh and crisp.
- These cookies are traditionally made for the holiday season and pair wonderfully with tea or coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dutch
Keywords: Speculaas, Spiced Star Cookies, Dutch Cookies, Cinnamon Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Almond Flour Cookies, Spiced Biscuits
