Speculoos

It's the third Monday in November, and by now I'm sure you know what that means!  It's reveal day for the Secret Recipe Club!  This is my fifth month participating now and each month I have so much fun browsing through a new (to me) blog and making a list of delicious looking recipes to try. 

This month, my "short-list" of recipes ideas consisted of 10 fabulous looking recipes from Chris' blog, The Café Sucré Farine. Be sure to visit her blog to read the story behind her blog name, get a quote for your weekly inspiration, take in the beauty of her husband's food photography, and of course drool over her delicious recipes!

I grew up eating what we always referred to as "Windmill cookies", so when I saw Chris had a recipe on her site, I knew I'd have to make it. These were always one of my Mom's favorites and, being from a Dutch family, I remember many tea times that we enjoyed the "Windmill cookies". Mike also loves "Windmill cookies" and quite often packs them in his lunch.

I grew up with the Dutch version of these "Windmill cookies", actually called Speculaas. But when I saw on Chris' blog that they are Belgian and called Speculoos, I was intrigued at the difference. I decided to dig a little deeper and found that most recipes for both Speculaas and Speculoos are quite similar and in fact, they are the same cookie, just with a different name from each country! So whether you want to eat Speculaas or Speculoos, this is a cookie any one will enjoy!

Speculoos

Makes 2 dozen cookies

You will need:
2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar (I used regular brown sugar since it's what I had on hand)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
sugar, for sprinkling

1.  In a medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking powder, and salt.

2.  In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer until light. Add egg and beat until fluffy.



3.  Gradually add in dry ingredients and beat until just combined.

4.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5.  Divide the dough in half and roll it out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.

6.  Use a cookie cutter of your choice to cut as many shapes as possible and place cut cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

7.  Repeat with the other half of the dough, gathering scraps and cutting out as many cookies as possible.

8.  Lightly sprinkle cookies with sugar.

9.  Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.

Enjoy the Dutch way--with a cup of hot tea, or my way--with hot chocolate!