Belgian Cinnamon Cookies Recipes

BELGIAN SPICE COOKIES (SPECULOOS)

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Add turbinado sugar to food processor fitted with steel blade. Process for 30 seconds to break down sugar crystals. (See Tip 4)
• Add the chilled butter to the food processor. Process until butter is incorporated with the sugar, about 30 seconds. Add the egg. Process until incorporated, about 10 seconds.
• Add the dry ingredients to the sugar/butter mixture in the food processor. Process until flour is well incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer cookie dough to gallon Ziploc bag. Leaving the top open, roll the dough into an even layer that fills the bag. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so that it doesn't cause creases. Seal the bag, and place in freezer for at least 30 minutes. See (Tips 5 and 6)
• Preheat oven to 300°F
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Put the ziploc bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough onto a parchment lined board or counter; discard the bag. Trim the four sides of the dough with a fluted pastry wheel cutter. Using a ruler as a guide and a fluted pastry cutter wheel, cut the dough into 32 1-1/4 inch rectangles. (See Tip 7)
• Bake at 300°F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 20 minutes.
• Yield: 32 Belgian Spice Cookies. (See Tip 8)

BELGIAN CINNAMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar well. Add the water, egg and honey.
• Sieve the flour, salt and cinnamon. Then add to the butter mixture. Mix to a homogenous dough.
• Leave to rest in a cold place for up to 5 hours.
• Divide the dough into 30 portions.
• Roll and flatten to about 1.5 centimeters.
• Put them on a baking tray, lined with baking paper.
• Press an almond in each cookie.
• Brush with egg or milk and bake in a preheated oven (170°C) for about 15 minutes.

HOMEMADE BISCOFF (BELGIAN SPECULOOS COOKIES) RECIPE

Steps:

• While creaming on medium speed, slowly splash in the water a little at a time. Once it disappears into the fluffy butter/sugar mix, reduce speed to low and add the flour all at once. Continue mixing until the dough begins to gather around the paddle.
• Turn the dough onto a clean surface, and knead gently to form a ball. Pat into a rectangular shape, then dust with flour, above and below. Roll to a thickness of 3/16-inch, using a ruler for guidance. Slide an offset spatula beneath the dough to loosen, and brush away the excess flour.
• With a fluted pastry wheel, cut the dough into 3/4-inch strips, then cut crossways to form 2-inch rectangles. With the offset spatula, transfer the cutouts and scraps to a parchment-lined half sheet pan, leaving an inch between each piece to account for spread.
• Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if needed to ensure even browning. Cool to room temperature directly on the baking sheet; the cookies will not crisp until fully cool. Enjoy with coffee, and store leftovers in an airtight container up to 1 month at room temperature; the scraps can be ground to use for crumbs and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

CINNAMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixer bowl, cream together sugar and butter; beat in egg and vanilla.
• Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
• Add to butter mixture.
• Blend well.
• Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or till firm enough to roll into balls.
• Shape dough into small balls about 3/4-inch in diameter.
• Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.
• Set cookies 1-inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or till the edges are lightly browned.
• Cool slightly on pans, then remove to racks to cool completely.

SPECULOOS (BELGIAN SPICE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients to mixer, a few spoonfuls at a time, mixing on low speed until combined.
• Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 60 minutes.
• Place dough on Silpat or parchment. Roll dough out to about 1/4" thickness - about the size of the Silpat. Use bench flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Transfer Silpat to a cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Cut into 3x2" rectangles with a pizza wheel.
• Transfer Silpat to a cooling rack until room temperature. Store in a tightly sealed container.

BELGIAN SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until light. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into rectangle. Wrap with plastic; chill 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured work surface to 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Trim edges to form 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 4x1-inch rectangles. Lightly press miniature cookie cutter into each rectangle to make imprints (do not cut through dough). Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until edges begin to darken, about 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining dough piece.
• Working with 1 cookie at a time, brush imprints with melted white chocolate. Sprinkle colored sugar generously over chocolate. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 2 hours. Shake off excess colored sugar. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)