Copycat Biscoff Speculoos Cookies Recipe

Are you a Biscoff cookie lover who's never considered making your own? Introducing copycat Biscoff speculoos cookies, which share the iconic spiced flavor and delicate crunch of the store-bought version and can be easily whipped up in the comfort of your own kitchen. "These cookies have become a true favorite in my home! I generally have all the basic ingredients on hand, so I can quickly bake a batch whenever I feel like a sweet treat," says recipe developer Tanika Douglas. "Plus, they're budget-friendly and are just so moreish."

This cookie dough is straight-forward to prepare, with the spiced flour mixture made first and then combined with the wet ingredients into a moist, buttery dough. After an important period of resting, the dough is then rolled out, cut into small fluted rectangles, and baked until perfectly dark golden brown. In addition to being a brilliant morning tea snack, these copycat Biscoff speculoos cookies make a thoughtful present. "I love packaging a batch of cookies into a beautiful tin and gifting them to a loved one or neighbor. It's such an easy present, and people adore the homemade touch," Douglas shares.

To create these copycat Biscoff speculoos cookies, you'll need baking staples such as all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, an egg, and milk. From there, check your pantry for spices to flavor the dough. While Lotus-brand Biscoff cookies only use cinnamon, this recipe incorporates the blend of spices — including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom — used in traditional speculoos cookies. 

"I like to think of these as the grown-up, more gourmet version of Biscoff cookies," Douglas explains. "They have the most wonderful balance of sweetness, with a more complex flavor from the different spices." For a subtler flavor, omit the cloves and cardamom, or feel free to replace all of the other spices with equal parts cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 360 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 1 ¼ cups flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. Set aside.

Add softened butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment and beat until creamed.

Beat in the egg and milk to combine.

Add flour mixture and mix until very well incorporated.

Shape dough into a thick disc, then wrap in plastic wrap and place into the fridge to rest for 4 hours.

Once the dough has chilled, use half of the remaining 1 tablespoon flour to dust a clean countertop. Place the dough on top, then sprinkle on the rest of the flour.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough ¼ inch thick.

Using a 2 ½ x 1 ½ inch fluted rectangular cookie cutter, cut approximately 18 cookies.

Space out the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.

Once cool, serve or store in an airtight container.

The terms "Biscoff" and "speculoos" are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Biscoff, a combination of the words "biscuit" and "coffee," is a creation by the Belgian brand Lotus, which gained worldwide popularity for its caramelized spiced cookies and has since created cookie by-products including spreads, sauces, and chocolate. "Biscoff has really been a flavor of the moment over the last few years, and I have been seeing it regularly on dessert menus. I particularly loved using the cookies and spread in my indulgent Biscoff 'cookie butter' cheesecake recipe," Douglas says. 

Speculoos, on the other hand, is a broader term referring to spiced cookies that have a long history in European cooking. Originating in the Netherlands and Belgium, speculoos are traditionally baked around the holiday season, often with intricate molds to create decorative shapes. 

In terms of flavor differences, Biscoff cookies often have a milder, sweeter taste, with cinnamon being the only spice used in the recipe. Traditional speculoos cookies have the same crisp texture but are more aromatic with a heavier dose of spices, as is the case in this recipe.

Preparing the dough for these copycat Biscoff speculoos cookies in advance is a great time-saving strategy that allows you to freshly bake the cookies when you please. To make the cookie dough ahead of time, follow the recipe up to Step 7, when the dough is shaped into a thick disc and wrapped in plastic wrap. Instead of chilling the dough for the minimum 4 hours, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.

Alternatively, freezing cookie dough is another, longer lasting option. Simply store the plastic-wrapped dough disc in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, let the dough thaw and proceed with the rolling, cutting, and baking steps. In addition to these refrigerating and freezing methods, leftover baked cookies can be cooled and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.