Speculaas Cookies with Almond Filling

Speculaaskoeken - a dutch classic

Hello and welcome everyone!

Today I’m sharing a dutch classic which you can find in most grocery stores and local bakeries. Speculaaskoek - a gingerbread spiced cookie filled with lemony almond paste.

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Recipe

Speculaas Cookies with Almond Paste Filling

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Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients Speculaas Cookies

• 275 g room temperature unsalted butter

• 300 g soft brown sugar

• 2 g vanilla sugar

• 70 g milk

• 2 g salt

• 540 g all-purpose flour

• 20 g speculaas spice mix (cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom and orange peel)

• 10 g baking powder

• Zest from 2 lemons

Ingredients Almond Filling

• 450 g almond paste (50% almonds)

• 1 egg, about 50 g

• Zest from 1 lemon (You can add more for personal preference)

Extra:

• Egg wash

• Whole Blanched Almonds

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Method

Speculaas Cookies with Almond Filling

1. In a bowl, combine butter, soft brown sugar, vanilla sugar and lemon zest and beat until creamy - about a minute when using a stand mixer.

2. Beat in the milk and mix until combined.

3. Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, speculaas spice mix and salt into the bowl and mix it till a nice brown cookie dough has formed.

4. Cover the dough in plastic foil and let it rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 170°C or 210°C no fan (I know it sounds confusing but I

   tested both ways and both temperatures worked while baking these cookies)

6. For the almond filling: Combine the almond paste, egg and lemon zest until a smooth paste. Transfer the paste into a piping bag.

7. Take the cookie dough out from the fridge and divide in two - place the other dough back in the fridge. Lightly flour your work surface and roll it out quite thinly.

   

8. Use a 9 cm round or flower shaped cookie cutter (I used from the brand de buyer) to cut out each cookie. Transfer delicately each cookie on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

9. Roll out the remaining dough again and repeat the same step.

10. Brush egg wash on each cookie and pipe a circle of almond paste.

11. Cover the cookies with the other half of the remaining dough. Press the sides firmly to make sure it is closed. Brush the top of each cookie with egg wash again and press an almond in the middle of the cookie.

12. Bake the cookies on 170°C for 20-25 min or until golden brown or 210°C for 15 min or until golden brown.

13. Once baked, allow them to fully cool down and keep in an airtight container.

14. Enjoy!