Love and Olive Oil

Speculoos Cookie Sandwiches

Speculoos Cookie Sandwiches

Speculoos!

It sounds like something out of Harry Potter.

And indeed, they could most definitely be described as magical.

You might be more familiar with the name Biscoff. They’re quite the little prom queens of the blogging world right now, these Biscoff cookies, with bloggers using them every which way and elevating them way beyond a boring little biscuit served on airplanes.

Homemade Biscoff Cookies Recipe

Speculoos (also called speculaas or Dutch windmill cookies) are crisp spiced cookies, originating from Belgium and the Netherlands. While they are often thought of as a holiday cookie (think a crunchy gingerbread with more spice and less molasses), I’d argue that any time of year is appropriate to enjoy them.

The inspiration behind the sandwiching-of-the-speculoos came to me during a late night craving. For when one has a late night sugar craving, one is bound to uncover forgotten things in the back of the fridge, such as a container of leftover chocolate buttercream (that, as it turns out, is quite excellent when sandwiched between two cookies).

homemade-biscoff-cookies

The homemade version of the cookie is definitely more crisp than the commercial kind (note to self: figure out how to replicate that texture), with a peppery, spicy kick that lingers on the tongue. Some versions of this recipe contain only cinnamon, others have a combination of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves or nutmeg. This version includes a hearty dose of black pepper as well for just the perfect amount of spice.

Oh, and speculoos! Just say it. How could you not love a cookie with that name?

Speculoos Cookie Sandwiches

Did you make this recipe?

Ingredients:

For Cookies:
1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

For Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted (natural or dutch is fine, I used a mixture)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream, more or less as needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch fine sea salt

Directions:

Place butter cubes in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds or until evenly incorporated. Add vanilla and egg and beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add flour and beat on medium speed until all the dry flour has been incorporated.

Press the dough together into a ball and flatten slightly into a disk shape. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out cookies with desired shape cutter and arrange on parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheets, leaving about an inch of space between cookies. (If using a traditional springerle rolling pin or speculaas cookie mold, roll the dough until 1/2 thick with a regular rolling pin and then shape).

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies just start to darken around the edges (the longer they cook, the crispier they will be). Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cocoa powder and beat until incorporated. Alternate adding 1/2 cup powdered sugar, followed by 1 tablespoon cream, mixing well after each addition. Repeat with more powdered sugar, then cream, then remaining sugar. Add additional cream as needed; this will depend on the room temperature and consistency of your frosting (during hotter months you will need less cream than during the cooler winter months). Add vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and beat on medium high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.

Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Holding the tip close to the surface of the cookie, pipe a thin, even layer of frosting over the entire cookie, leaving about 1/4 inch space around the edge. You can also spread frosting on cookies with an offset spatula. Top with a second cookie and press lightly to adhere. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.

Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

Cookie recipe adapted from Eat the Love.

All images and text © / Love & Olive Oil

Did you make this recipe?

Let us know what you think!
Leave a Comment below or share a photo and tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #loveandoliveoil.

There may be affiliate links in this post. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Leave a Reply to Kelsey Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

55 Comments

  1. I’m salivating these look so good

  2. Could I use dark brown sugar instead of the light brown sugar + white sugar + molasses in the recipe?  Or maybe a mix of white sugar and dark brown?  I live in Korea and it’s hard to find molasses here.

  3. As far as I know the real name of the cookie is speculaas. In the Netherlands speculoos is a brand name, they make various speculaas cookies and also speculaas spread. In my opinion, the speculoos cookies have a more bitter taste than the speculaas cookies that other brands here make.
    I also wanted to say that we actually do eat speculaas al year arround. Though I believe that they are mostly consumed in november and december. We have this holiday here called Sinterklaas, and speculaas is the cookie that we eat then. The most famous version of speculaas eaten during Sinterklaas would probably be the pepernoten (translated as peppernuts, yeah it sounds weird when you think about it..). Peppernoten are just verry little speculaas cookies. They are like little round buttons. Peppernoten are available in different variaties. We have them covered in chocolate, so delicous. Speculaas is also eaten on bread, yes just two slices with butter and two (or more) cookies.
    Oh and if you’re in to real Dutch cookies we also have these cookies called stroopwafels (sugar syrup waffles, or something like that..). I have no idea how to make them but if you find out how, you are in for a real treat!

  4. I am so addicted to Biscoff cookies and cookie butter! These are beautiful and must make the kitchen smell like heaven while they bake! Your filling looks delicious too. :)

  5. Speculoos are so yummy, I love them!

  6. I am obsessed with these photos!

  7. Omgoodness, could these be any more perfect. Love!

  8. It sounds great, I just have to finish a cake I made yesterday. Otherwise I’d make it right now.

  9. These are so cute, I swear I can almost smell them baking. I haven’t had filled cookies in so long. I think a speculoos baking day is in order.

  10. Oh my, these little cookies are perfection! I love them :)

  11. It is rather a fun word, isn’t it? Now I’m imaging Benedict Cumberbatch eating speculoos. What a fantastic group of syllables. I love the idea of pepper in a cookie. It makes me think of chai, which is one of my very favorite flavors. I can’t wait to try these.

  12. ” Yes, Is this Lindsay? Please send me 1 dozen of these please and thanks”…click

  13. Hello! These look so delicious- dainty and cute, but chocolatey! That’s just what Biscoff cookies were missing, a creamy chocolate filling! I used the spread to make these, and they were amazing! I hope you get a chance to test it out, b/c the spread is fabulous too!!!

    http://styleandtreats.com/brown-butter-biscoff-honeycomb-treats/

  14. I love your version! Now I want sandwich cookies…

  15. These are gorgeous! Can’t wait to make them!

  16. I’ve been meaning to get the the US to try biscoff, now I have something else to look for… these look yummy

  17. I think this could be the best recipe ever! I love chocolate and speculoos so it’s just perfect for me! I actually discovered speculoos because I tried an amazing speculoos ice cream! Now I just can’t get enough! :)

  18. My hubby LOVES spice cookies. Well, OK, so do I! But seriously, these are stunning (gorgeous pic) and super delicious sounding. Work is a bit overwhelming right now, so I’ve saved these on our Pinterest Board for safekeeping. Oh, and these cookies inspired me to create a COOKIE board: http://pinterest.com/deliciouskarma/cookie-contentment

  19. These are so gorgeous! I looooooove speculoos cookies, more than pretty much anything!

  20. you know I love these!
    I have a bad addiction to cookie butter!
    So jealous of your daytime lighting for the photos.

  21. These are adorable. I have been on cookie overload lately and thought tonight might be a day off. After seeing these there is no way I am going without.

  22. I could totally get down on these cookies!

  23. I’ve never eat any speculoos cookies before, but I love the cookie butter. What if you filled these with cookie butter…

  24. I have yet to try speculoos! I obviously really need to!

  25. Ooooh, I never met a speculoos cookie I didn’t like! These are beautiful, and they look wicked delicious! I love the addition of pepper– how intriguing. And I agree that the cookies would probably taste awesome with all kinds of fillings. Can’t wait to try them out ASAP– yup, those midnight cravings lead to yummy things! :)

  26. I would totally make these….if I had any cookie butter left!!

  27. Maybe replacing the butter with shortening would help, since that seems to make pie crust more tender. Or adding a dash of corn starch to the dry ingredients? Please let me know how your testing goes! These look just SO beautiful!

  28. As today is my day off, I believe I will be making these today!! :D

  29. I thought biscoff and speculoos were interchangeable… saw speculoos spread and almost bought it as a replacement. Now I know better ;) I’d love to try to make these!

  30. i always wondered about those wonderful flavors!!! many thanks!!!

  31. I am soooo into these!! Yum!

  32. Lovely! I am heading to Brussels tomorrow on holiday. Now with this recipe perhaps I don’t need to purchase any speculoos cookies while I am there – I can simply make them when I return!

  33. These are so cute and delicious looking!

  34. These are so cute. They just look delicious!

  35. I love love love speculoos cookies! When I go to Aruba (a Dutch island) and so many of the food products there are from Holland, there is sooo much speculoos and it’s year round, not just xmas, which I love!

    figure out how to replicate that texture = wondering if maybe omitting the baking soda and adding 1 tsp baking powder, give or take, would do the trick; it’ would make them cakier and less crisp, I would think. Just guessing…

    Your cookies are just gorgeous!

    • All the more reason to take a trip to Aruba, I think! :)
      And I was actually thinking using oil instead of butter might help with the texture. While the butter is great flavor wise, it’s not listed as an ingredient in the commercial version. I’ve never replaced butter with oil though so it would require some testing.

  36. Where is my Harry Potter wand – I want to whoosh it all around and make these magically appear and then disappear into my face!

  37. Lindsay, these are gorgeous cookies! And I love the way you added the Speculoos text to the photography!

  38. Those look absolutely magical indeed! I love the flour shape of the sandwiches!

  39. Oooooohhhhh I love speculaas :D Reminds me of the Netherlands :) Miss it (and them :P) Hmmm, maybe I need to make it once as well :D Just to bring a little bit of the Netherlands to Switzerland ;)

  40. Absolutely gorgeous!

  41. Gorgeous cookies! I love Speculoos but have yet to find a great recipe to use it in. Can’t wait to try these!

  42. What a lovely cookie? And the combo of flavors is wonderful!

  43. I love spicy cookies! Never have paired them which chocolate buttercream, however. This sounds terrific!

  44. Hahah it really does sound like something from harry Potter. They certainly are magical. These sandwich cookies sound too good to be safe in my home.

  45. Oooh, yum! I’m allergic to chocolate, though, so I’ll have to come up with a different filling. Maybe a lightly spiced honey buttercream? Hmm. Thinking required. ;)

  46. These cookies are perfect! :-)

  47. So pretty, I love that flower shape!

  48. I need these in my life!

  49. Those are so cute! They look perfect!

  50. Cookie perfection!

Did you make this recipe? Leave a Review »