Scrumptious Saint Nicholas Spice Cookies

Scrumptious Saint Nicholas Spice Cookies

With Christmas around the corner and the smell of delicious baked treats wafting through the air, sometimes it is good to step away from the ordinary offerings. Saint Nicholas spice cookies or speculoos cookies as they are often called are a staple in the Netherlands, Belgium and some parts of Germany around the holidays. For those feeling less adventurous without a taste test first, give Spectacular Speculoos a try. The cookies themselves are thin, crispy, and nutty and evenly browned having a similar taste to gingerbread but with its own unique spiced flavor. The yummy spiced dough is stiffer and easily shaped into whichever fun holiday shapes strike your fancy.

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter

¾ cup of brown sugar, soften if needed

2 cups of plain flour

1 ½ tsp of baking powder

2 tsp of ground cinnamon

1-2 oz almonds, finely chopped (optional)

1/2 tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp milk

Parchment Paper

Instructions:

First things first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream your butter and sugar together until it is well blended, light and fluffy then add in your milk.

Sift in all dry ingredients and nuts, mixing well. Do not worry that your dough is slightly crumbly as that is intended. If it is too crumbly add in a little extra milk. Flatten your ball of dough and chill for one hour in a covered container. Perhaps use the moment to learn about more International Christmas cookies.

Remove dough from the refrigerator after it has chilled and place it on a floured surface. Top it with parchment paper or flour your rolling pin and roll out to a thin level.

Here is where you can get creative with your cookies. Use cookie cutters if you have them to create a variety of fun Christmas shapes. I personally draw my desired shape on paper, place it on the dough and cut around it, no need to go out and buy new cookie shapes. Stars are the most popular at my house lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar after the cookies are done. Santa’s with lightly frosted beards is another option, the stiffer dough makes intricate designs easy with little more than a toothpick.

Once your cookies are all in their desired shapes and of equal thickness, place on parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake until golden brown, about 13-15 minutes. Allow cookies to cook and then finish with any last minute additions such as icings or powdered sugar. Now with the kids finally in bed, what would make the night perfect? A plate full of Saint Nicholas Cookies and a sparkling red wine I assure you, Saint Nick would approve.