Speculoos (Belgian Spiced Biscuits)
Why this recipe works
- Thin, snappy texture: Rolling the dough thin and baking until deeply golden gives the biscuits their characteristic crisp finish.
- Warm spice depth: Cinnamon, speculaas spice and dark brown sugar create a fragrant, caramel-like flavour without needing a long dough rest.
- Keeps well: Once fully cooled, the biscuits stay crisp in an airtight container and can also be frozen after baking.
Get the most out of this recipe
Texture tips
- Roll evenly and thinly: An even thin sheet of dough helps the biscuits bake at the same rate and gives the cleanest snap once cooled.
- Bake to a rich colour: Look for deeply golden edges rather than pale biscuits; the darker bake develops both crispness and caramel flavour.
- Cool completely before storing: Any trapped warmth can soften the biscuits, so let them cool fully on a rack before sealing them in a container.
Ingredient notes
- Speculaas spice matters: Speculaas spice mix gives the biscuits their distinctive aromatic profile. Mixed spice can work, but the flavour will be simpler.
- Use dark brown sugar for depth: Dark brown sugar brings deeper caramel notes and a darker biscuit; light brown sugar makes a paler, milder version.
- Keep the butter cold: Cold butter rubs into the flour cleanly and helps the dough stay manageable when rolled and cut.
Timing notes
- The snap develops as they cool: The biscuits firm up after baking, so move them carefully at first and judge the final texture only once they are completely cool.
- Best after cooling: Serve once fully crisp rather than warm from the tray, when the texture is more delicate and less defined.
Make-ahead tips
- Bake ahead for easy serving: These biscuits are well suited to advance baking because they keep their texture when stored airtight at room temperature.
- Freeze baked biscuits: Freeze the cooled biscuits in a sealed container, then thaw uncovered at room temperature to help restore their crispness.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a baking tray, and set a cooling rack nearby.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon and speculaas spice mix. Break up any lumps so the spices are evenly distributed.
- Add the dark brown sugar and cold unsalted butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Beat in the egg, then add the whole milk a little at a time until the dough comes together. Knead briefly just until smooth; do not overwork it.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick. Cut into biscuits and arrange on the tray with a little space between them.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until deeply golden at the edges and fragrant. For extra snap, aim for a rich colour without letting them burn.
- Leave the biscuits on the tray for 2 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely until crisp and snappy.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the thinnest, crispest biscuits, roll the dough evenly and keep it moving so it does not stick; add only a light dusting of plain flour as needed.
- If the dough feels soft or sticky, chill it for 10 minutes, then roll and cut; colder dough gives cleaner edges and more defined shapes.
- If serving to young children, break the biscuits into smaller pieces as they are very crisp once cooled.
Substitutions
- Replace whole milk with lactose-free milk for a similar richness.
- Replace dark brown sugar with light brown sugar for a lighter caramel flavour and paler biscuits.
- Replace speculaas spice mix with mixed spice for a simpler, less complex spice profile.
Storage
- Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days to keep them crisp. Freeze baked biscuits in a sealed container for up to 2 months; thaw uncovered at room temperature to restore their snap.
Ratings & reviews
Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.
Tried this recipe?
Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.
Stay inspired
Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.
Recipe overview
- Servings: 18 pieces
- Yield: speculoos biscuits
- Total time: 1h (20min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Belgian
-
Allergens:
Eggs Gluten Milk Wheat
Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.
Add to meal plannerEquipment you'll need
Got ingredients left?
Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.
Find recipes with these ingredients →
Mantecados (Spanish Lard Biscuits)
Crumbly Spanish lard biscuits with cinnamon, lemon and icing sugar
Amaretti Morbidi (Soft Almond Macaroons)
Soft almond macaroons with a crisp icing sugar crust
Melomakarona (Greek Honey Christmas Biscuits)
Greek honey-soaked biscuits with orange, spices and walnuts
Gevulde Koek (Dutch Almond-Filled Cookie)
Buttery Dutch cookies with a thick almond paste filling
Scottish Tablet (Crumbly Butter Sweets)
Crumbly Scottish tablet made with butter and condensed milk
Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Giant skillet cookie with dark chocolate chips and vanilla
Picarones (Fried Squash and Sweet Potato Doughnuts)
Fried squash and sweet potato ring doughnuts with cinnamon orange syrup
Bolo Rei (King’s Cake)
Portuguese sweet ring bread with candied peel and raisins
Churros con Chocolate (Fried Dough with Hot Chocolate)
Crisp cinnamon sugar churros with thick dark hot chocolate
Polvorones (Spanish Crumbly Almond Biscuits)
Crumbly almond biscuits with cinnamon, lemon zest and icing sugar
Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian Rye Pies with Rice Porridge and Egg Butter)
Rye pastries filled with rice porridge and served with egg butter
Gevulde Koek (Dutch Almond-Filled Cookie)
Buttery Dutch cookies with a thick almond paste filling
Speculaasjes (Dutch Spiced Biscuits)
Crisp Dutch spiced biscuits with cinnamon and mixed spice
Ontbijtkoek (Dutch Spiced Breakfast Loaf)
Moist spiced loaf cake made with brown sugar and milk
Pepernoten (Dutch Spiced Cookies)
Small Dutch spiced cookies baked until crisp
Saint-Nicolas Cookies (Belgian Spiced Biscuits)
Crisp Belgian spiced biscuits with warm baking spices
Sonhos de Natal (Christmas Doughnuts)
Portuguese Christmas doughnuts rolled in warm cinnamon sugar
Buñuelos (Crispy Fried Pastry Discs)
Crispy fried pastry discs dusted with cinnamon sugar
You might also like
Kassler mit Sauerkraut (Pork with Braised Sauerkraut)
Smoked pork loin with braised sauerkraut, onion and caraway
German-Style Barley Grain Bowl with Mustard Dressing and Gherkins
Pearl barley bowl with roasted roots, gherkins and dill
Aligot de l’Aubrac (Stretchy Potato and Cheese Purée)
Stretchy potato purée beaten with Tomme cheese and crème fraîche
Tarta de Manzana Española (Spanish Apple Tart)
Spanish apple tart with custard and apricot glaze
American-Style Beef Stroganoff (Creamy Mushroom Sauce)
Beef and mushrooms in a creamy sour cream sauce over noodles
Gratin de Fruits (Warm Fruit Gratin with Vanilla Custard)
Warm fruit gratin topped with vanilla custard and grilled golden
Make this recipe easier next time
AdvertisementThese tools help you get better results with less effort.
KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Non-slip base
- Stainless steel
- Not microwave safe
Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids
- Microwave safe
- BPA-free lids
- Glass is heavier
OXO Good Grips Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
- Non-slip base
- Comfort grip
- Higher price
Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?
Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.
Add JustRecipes to GoogleEvery recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.
