Have you tried your hand at the lovely spiced cookies, Speculaas? I love the Springerle recipe from King Arthur Flour. I just use 1 1/2 times the spices they call for for a really flavorful cookie. My adapted version is below.

There are several ways to get your Springerle design done. A Springerle rolling pin is much easier, but the design is much less pronounced. Springerle cookie molds have a deeper design, but are much fussier. We tried both. My husband and I strongly prefer the pin. You roll out the dough to 1/4″ with a regular pin and then roll it to about 1/8″ with a design pin. The result is a wonderfully crisp cookie, and the flavor seems more pronounced with a higher surface area ratio to wake up those spices. Our kids preferred the soft cookie with the defined design in the deep molds. Either way, be sure to flour your pin or mold well!

Speculaas Spiced Springerle

– Adapted from King Arthur Flour

PREP – 30 mins. to 40 mins.  BAKE 15 mins. to 20 mins.  TOTAL 3 hrs 15 mins. to 3 hrs 30 mins.  YIELD 2 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on size

1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup toasted almond flour, or almond flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons + ¾ teaspoon speculaas spice
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OR
1 Tablespoon + 2 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/8 teaspoon clove
3/16 teaspoon ginger
3/16 teaspoon white pepper
3/16 teaspoon aniseed powder
3/16 teaspoon cardamom
****
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg

In a small bowl, combine the flours and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, vanilla, spice, and salt. Add the egg and mix until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture.

Form the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick.

To cut out cookies: Use any shape cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
To shape cookies using a springerle mold: Brush a light coating of flour onto the dough and your springerle mold. Press the mold firmly into the dough, then remove and cut around the design with a knife or pastry wheel.
To shape cookies using a springerle pin: Brush a light coating of flour onto the dough and your springerle pin. Slowly roll the springerle pin over the dough, pressing down hard enough to leave a good impression. Cut the cookies apart on the lines.

 

Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets and freeze for at least 30 minutes (DON’T be tempted to skip this step!); this helps the cookies retain their shape while baking.

Fifteen minutes before baking the cookies, preheat the oven to 300°F.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re light gold around the edges. Remove them from the oven, and cool them right on the pan.