If you like speculaas/speculoos or cookie butter, you are going to LOVE these cookies. These cookies are basically exactly that, but we’re calling them spiced cookies because they’re a different shape and the cookie stamps we used, while beautiful, are not the same as the one’s you would traditionally use.
I made these cookies weeks ago because I’ve been all kinds of busy and have been waiting for just the right moment to post the recipe. A spiced cookie seems perfect for the autumn months, right?
As I was editing these pictures, I laughed to myself a little. I’ve been to two weddings over the last three weeks for some of my dearest friends. Did I take any pictures at either wedding? NOPE. I had no problem taking almost 200 pictures of these cookies though. Clearly I know where my priorities lie.
I had to take a picture when I got home from the last wedding, just so my coworkers could sort of see what dress I wore.
Seriously, my camera is almost exclusively pictures of food and my dog. With the occasional picture of flowers. What can I say, I know what I’m good at taking pictures of! I maybe don’t need to take quite as many pictures of the same thing though. I mean, 200 pictures? The angles for most of them aren’t even that different and they definitely don’t all make an appearance on here.
Maybe for my next recipe I’ll try and cut that number in half.
Maybe.
Anyway, you’re really here to read all about the cookies, right?! These cookies include some of my favourite spices, autumn baking season or otherwise: cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. YUM.
We’ve also got unsalted butter (duh), brown sugar because we want these to be a lovely brown colour, vanilla, salt, AP flour, almond flour, baking powder, and milk. I mean, barring the almond flour, these are pretty basic ingredients. If you don’t have almond flour, that’s fine, just use regular AP flour. It’ll slightly change the taste, but they’ll still be delicious!
You can cut these cookies into any shape you want. I chose a simple circle because I wanted to stamp them. Stamping is also totally optional, I just think it looks nice. No need to go out and buy cookie stamps if you don’t have them though.
Quick confession: I basically have an entire room in my house that is home to all of my baking/cooking gear. I’m 100% aware that I have a problem. I just can’t help it!
So we make the dough, then put it in the fridge for a while. When it’s ready, or you run out of patience, roll it out, cut your shapes, stamp (optional), and bake! I’ve found that if you’re stamping the cookies you should refrigerate or freeze the stamped cookies for a little while so they don’t lose their shape when baking.
Once they’re done baking, take them out of the oven and let them cool. The smell alone will have you reaching for one almost the second they come out of the oven, but resist. We don’t want any burnt tongues, ok?
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. cloves
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2-4 tbsp. milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, spices, and salt.
- Stir in the flour, almond flour, and baking powder until just combined, then add in just enough milk to make a stiff dough (I used 3 tbsp).
- Divide dough in half and form into two disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll dough to 1/8-1/4" thick and use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. I used a cookie stamp too, but this is optional. Transfer cookies to baking sheets.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned on the edges. Remove from pans and place on wire rack to cool. They'll get harder and crispier as they cool.
