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German Pastry Chef, home

Pastries and Cookies

Speculoos-Style Christmas Cookies

by Robert

Spiced speculoos-style Christmas cookies in different cut-out shapes

4.8 (20)out of 5, 20 ratings

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Prep
25 min
Bake
9 min
Total
34 min
Makes
150 pieces (approx.)
This recipe has been in our family for four generations now. These cookies are part of every Christmas, and everyone loves them. This recipe is the reason I started baking in the first place.

Ingredients

Makes 150 pieces (approx.)

  • 4 cups500 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 1 ½ cups300 ggranulated sugar
  • 2 sticks plus 2 tbsp250 gcold unsalted butterGerman butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter (European-style unsalted butter is closest); in the UK, unsalted butter.
  • 1 cup100 gground almondsFinely ground blanched almonds. In the US use blanched almond flour (almond meal with skins gives a darker, coarser crumb); in the UK, ground almonds.
  • 2large eggs
  • 2 tspbaking powder½ packet = a scant 2 tsp (7.5 g). German baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and the UK use regular baking powder (1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet).
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Sugar flavored with real vanilla, sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets from the baking aisle, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 1 tspground cinnamon
  • 2 pinchesground cardamom
  • 2 pinchesground cloves
  • 2 pinchesground nutmeg
  • 2 pinchesground coriander

Method

  1. Mix the flour with the baking powder and sift it onto your work surface. Shape it into a ring with a well in the middle.

  2. Put the eggs and sugar into the middle of the ring and whisk them together.

  3. Cut the butter into cubes and add it to the egg and sugar mixture together with the ground almonds and the spices.

  4. Knead everything into a smooth dough, cover it and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

  5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and cut out cookies with different cookie cutters.

  6. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) convection (fan) for about 9 to 11 minutes.

  7. Once cooled, you can decorate the cookies however you like. They taste great with couverture chocolate (chocolate with a high cocoa butter content that melts smoothly; in the US use good-quality baking chocolate bars or couverture wafers, not chocolate chips; in the UK, couverture chocolate or a good-quality cooking chocolate bar), with a sugar glaze or just plain.