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Thin, crisp, richly spiced Dutch Speculaas cookies are the perfect addition to this year’s holiday baking festivities! They’re easy to make, keep well for weeks, and taste like Christmas.
I love discovering a festive new cookie to add to my holiday baking repertoire. Who else gets excited about this?!
If you like thin, crispy spice cookies, this cookie will be your new favorite.
Speculaas cookies (aka biscuits) contain a spice blend that adds depth and complexity. They also have notes of butter, brown sugar (from molasses), vanilla, and toasted almonds. They’re a shortcrust cookie, so they’re thin and crisp with a satisfying crunch, similar to shortbread.
Speculaas are absolutely perfect paired with a cup of hot tea or coffee. And of course they’re gorgeous as part of a holiday cookie tray.
Here’s What You’ll Love About These Dutch Christmas Cookies
- They’re easy to make. Making the dough, rolling it out, and baking the cookies is a very straight-forward process. However, fair warning, please read the whole recipe before you start because there are a couple of different chill periods for the dough.
- These cookies are absolutely delicious – and festive! With butter, spices, and caramel-y notes of molasses and vanilla, these cookies smell and taste like Christmas.
- Speculaas stay fresh for weeks. Because of their crisp texture, they will last for up to three weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Speculaas Cookies Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Almond flour – Toasted almond flour adds a lovely nutty base flavor to these cookies.
- All-purpose flour – The base of this cookie dough.
- Baking powder – A leavening agent; baking powder helps us achieve the perfect texture.
- Salt – To season the dough so the cookies aren’t bland.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, white pepper, and cardamom – This spice blend is pretty classic in these traditional Dutch cookies. Spices and their amounts vary by recipe; some recipes call for the addition of unique spices like mace, aniseed, and/or coriander!
- Unsalted butter – Adds rich flavor and helps create a crisp, short texture.
- Sugar – Use granulated white sugar.
- Blackstrap molasses – Adds complexity with bittersweet smoky notes and rich caramel color.
- Egg yolk – Adds richness and acts as a binder.
- Milk – To achieve the right texture.
- Vanilla extract – Contributes to the overall flavor and aroma of the cookies.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Speculaas
To see how this recipe is made, watch the video in the recipe card below.
- Toast the almond flour. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper, evenly spread out the almond flour, and bake until it’s light golden and smells toasted, about 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool.
- Make the dough. Whisk together the toasted almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Add the butter, sugar, molasses, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla to a large bowl, and beat with a handheld electric mixer to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and beat with the mixer until it forms dough.
- Chill the dough. Divide the dough into 2 portions, roll each into a ball, and slightly flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days).
- Get ready to bake the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350F; line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- Roll out the dough and stamp out the cookies. Lay a piece of parchment paper out on a flat work surface. Flour the paper, place a disk of dough on top, and flour the top of the dough. Place a second piece of parchment paper on top. Roll out the dough until it’s about 1/8-inch thick (3 to 4 millimeters). (I use a round 6-centimeter cookie cutter and get about 40 cookies.) Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking trays (about 20 cookies per tray). (TIP: If you want to add sliced almonds on top, do it now.)
- Chill the shaped cookies. Transfer the cookie trays to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
- Bake. They’re done when they’re set and an even golden color, about 14 to 16 minutes at 350F, rotating the trays once halfway through.
- Cool. Let them cool completely on the trays before removing. (TIP: Don’t over-bake; the cookies will crisp more as they cool. If you want to glaze the cookies, do it after they’re cool.)
Storage Tips
These cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Variations
- Almonds on top. Once the unbaked cookies are arranged on the trays, before you refrigerate them, gently press 3 almond slices into the top of each cookie.
- Glazed cookies. Skip the sliced almonds on top. Once the cookies are completely cooled, mix together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of water in a shallow bowl. Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze, let the excess run off, and place the glazed cookies on a wire rack. Let the glaze set before serving.
- Use a special rolling pin. There are some really beautiful engraved rolling pins that you can use to make embossed cookies. You can even find a variety of them on Amazon, like this gorgeous paisley rolling pin.
- Or use a special mold. There are actually special molds you can use to make Dutch windmill cookies. Just push the dough into the mold and tap it out!
Tips For the Best Homemade Speculaas Cookies
- Don’t skip toasting the almond flour. The recipe will still work if you don’t, but it adds a subtle toasted nut flavor component to these cookies.
- Be patient with the chill time. These cookies actually have two rounds of chilling, but they’re both necessary. Chill 1: The dough needs to be fully chilled before you roll it out (at least 4 hours in the fridge). This will make it a LOT easier to roll out the dough. Chill 2: Once the dough is rolled out and the cookies are stamped, just 15 minutes in the fridge before baking is all these cookies need! This second chill ensures that they stay as flat and crisp as possible.
- Don’t overbake these. It can be a little tricky because these cookies aren’t crisp when they first come out of the oven, but they crisp more as they cool. They’re done when they’re set and an even golden (not dark brown) color.
Frequently Asked Questions
Speculaas is a crisp, brown, richly spiced, thin shortcrust cookie from the Netherlands. This cookie is traditionally made to celebrate St. Nicholas’ Day (also called the Feast of Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas), which is on December 6. Speculaas typically contain the following spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and white pepper.
You will find slight variations of Speculaas cookies in different European countries, including Germany (Spekulatius), Austria, and Belgium (Speculoos).
Speculoos cookies are from Belgium, and are a variation of Speculaas. Belgian Speculoos typically only include cinnamon instead of the variety of spices that Dutch Speculaas contain. The predominant flavors in Speculoos are caramelized sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Dutch windmill cookies are a popular type of Speculoos cookie.
You can read more about the differences between Speculaas and Speculoos on The Speculaas Spice Company.
Speculaas and gingerbread are similar, and they contain several of the same spices. However, these cookies contain different ratios of spices, sweeteners, and fat. As a result, gingerbread typically has a more peppery bite as well as more sweetener (typically brown sugar and/or molasses) than Speculaas. Additionally, Speculaas are thin and crispy, and gingerbread’s texture can vary.
Traditional Speculaas usually have an image from the traditional stories of St. Nicholas on the front, and are flat on the back. The well-known Dutch windmill cookies are usually made of Speculoos (not Speculaas) cookie dough.
Try These If You Like Gingerbread Flavored Treats
- Gingerbread Caramel Candy – Soft, chewy, and impressive, but so easy.
- Easy Gingerbread Syrup – For homemade gingerbread lattes, waffles, pancakes, and more!
- Gingerbread Cake Roll – Like a Swiss cake roll, but with festive gingerbread cake and maple cream.
- Ginger Spice Cake – With apple to keep it moist, and cream cheese frosting to make it decadent. Swoon.
More Sweet Holiday Recipes to Make
- Pumpkin Cheesecake – You’d never guess it’s low carb.
- Florentine Cookies – Deliciously crisp, delicate, and nutty.
- Christmas Eve Scones – Perfect for a festive brunch or afternoon tea or coffee pick-me-up.
- Russian Tea Cakes (aka Snowball Cookies) – A Christmas cookie classic!
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Dutch Speculaas Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour plus more for rolling out the dough
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter slightly softened
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
- 1 large egg yolk
- 4 teaspoons milk (I use whole milk, but any kind will work)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make and Chill the Dough:
- Toast the almond flour. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper, evenly spread out the almond flour, and bake until it’s light golden and smells toasted, about 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool.
- Make the dough. Whisk together the toasted almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Add the butter, sugar, molasses, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla to a large bowl, and beat with a handheld electric mixer to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and beat with the mixer until it forms dough.
- Chill the dough (at least 4 hours or up to 3 days). Divide the dough into 2 portions, roll each into a ball, and slightly flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days).
Roll Out the Dough, Stamp Out the Cookies, and Chill the Shaped Cookies:
- Get ready to bake the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350F; line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- Roll out the dough and stamp out the cookies. Lay a piece of parchment paper out on a flat work surface. Flour the paper, place a disk of dough on top, and flour the top of the dough. Place a second piece of parchment paper on top. Roll out the dough until it’s about 1/8-inch thick (3 to 4 millimeters). (I use a round 6-centimeter cookie cutter and get about 40 cookies.) Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking trays (about 20 cookies per tray). (TIP: If you want to add sliced almonds on top, do it now.)
- Chill the shaped cookies (15 minutes). Transfer the cookie trays to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
Bake and Cool:
- Bake. They’re done when they’re set and an even golden color, about 14 to 16 minutes at 350F, rotating the trays once halfway through.
- Cool. Let them cool completely on the trays before removing. (TIP: Don’t over-bake; the cookies will crisp more as they cool. If you want to glaze the cookies, do it after they're cool.)
Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 40 cookies if you use a round cookie cutter about 6 centimeter (2.36 inches) in diameter to stamp them out. The nutrition information given is for 1 cookie.
- Storage: These cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- If You Want Almonds on Top: Once the unbaked cookies are arranged on the trays, before you refrigerate them, gently press 3 almond slices into the top of each cookie.
- If You Want to Glaze the Cookies: Skip the sliced almonds on top. Once the cookies are completely cooled, mix together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of water in a shallow bowl. Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze, let the excess run off, and place the glazed cookies on a wire rack. Let the glaze set before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on December 7, 2021 and updated on December 16, 2025.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Hi there! So far, so good! The dough is chilling in the refrigerator and I’ll finish tomorrow. I’m making these for a Dutch friend as a surprise.
Anyhow, how big of a cookie cutter to use? You say 20 fit in a tray. 😨
I’m gonna wing it, but that part should be added. Thanks for the recipe!
Richard, I hope you and your friend enjoy the cookies! :) The main thing with these cookies is to roll the dough out to the right thickness so that they bake up crisp; once they’re rolled out, you can stamp them into any shapes you like, or even cut them into squares if you don’t have a cookie cutter. I used a round cookie cutter/biscuit cutter with a diameter of 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) and I got about 40 cookies. But really any size or shape cookie cutter will work, and your yield will vary depending on your cookie cutter. I hope this helps!
I’m researching the Web to try to find a truly authentic speculaas recipe. Some use almond flour, some don’t. The spices and ratios of spices differ widely. Martha Stewart has a couple of recipes for them, and they’re very different from each other (one uses egg, one doesn’t). Some of the cookies look pale, some dark. Some are thick and chewy, some are thin and crisp. I’m frustrated because I just want to make some speculaas cookies and I’m stymied by the differences–and everyone says their recipe is the most authentic, of course. Who is right??
One thing I noticed about your recipe is that you say to roll the dough out to roughly 1/8 inch thick, but then you say that the metric equivalent is 3 to 4 cm. Did you mean 1/8 inch is equal to 3 to 4 millimeters maybe, instead of centimeters? I’m guessing yes, because the pictured cookies are thin.
I do like your tip about toasting the almond flour. If I end up using almond flour, I’ll try to remember to do that.
Thank you,
Laurel <
Hi Laurel, Thank you for your comment. Yes, that was a typo and it has been changed to millimeters. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
My fiancee is Dutch. What a nice surprise this will be for him.