Speculoos - A Funny Name for a Fabulous Cookie!

Did I say in the blog title that these are fabulous? Well, in all honesty I have to tell you that they are also quite ADDICTIVE! Let me tell you how my friendship with these dangerous cookies began.................

I just returned from a wonderful visit with my daughter and her family in London. I've traveled there five times now in the last eighteen months, since they moved to the UK, and have loved every minute of my time there. Each time it's hard to leave, to say goodbye to this sweet little(?) family, but I must say, the farewell is always bittersweet as I also love my life here in the States and am always excited to get back home to dear family and friends.

One tiny thing that makes the whole process of returning home a bit easier is these delicious cookies! You see, the airline we travel on has a fairly routine menu on both the trip over to England and the return trip. About an hour and a half before landing, the lovely aroma  of herbs, garlic and yeasty bread fills the air and shortly after they serve a yummy (really!) little deep dish pizza. Beside the pizza, you'll always find a package of Speculoos cookies. Now I'm usually not one for packaged cookies, but these are definitely an exception; crispy, spicy, gingery................... just plain old melt-in-your-mouth deliciousy! This time, when the sweet stewardess came past and saw that I had quickly gobbled up my cookies, she offered me seconds. After I told her how how fond I was of them, she came back with a whole pile of them! Now that's what I call customer service! I got off the plane feeling like I had won the lottery! :)

Once I got home, I decided to check out the label on my stash of cookies and found out that they are called Speculoos. Upon doing a bit of internet research, I learned that they're a common Belgian cookie, the type that every Belgian grandmother has in her repertoire. They are served with tea, coffee and are a traditional Belgian holiday treat. I was thrilled to find a recipe for these yummy cookies online and decided to give them a try (I figured it might just be the best way to get over my jet lag :), right?).................Oh my! Take delicious crispy, buttery shortbread and combine it with fragrant, spicy, irresistible gingerbread flavor..............need I say more? I think you just might be shocked at how delicious they are - and you don't even have to get on a airplane!

Speculoos (Belgian Spice Cookies)

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups (packed) dark brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Directions:
1. 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.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (optional, you don't really need this, if just makes clean-up so much easier). Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured work surface to a one quarter inch thickness (don't roll too thin).

3. Using your cookie cutter of choice, cut out as many shapes as you can from the rolled dough and place cookies on prepared pan. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool. Gather leftover dough pieces together and repeat rolling and cutting process. Repeat with remaining refrigerated dough.

Adapted from Epicurious

PRINTABLE RECIPE