Speculaas

I believe another name for Windmill Cookies is Speculaas. The spices "speculaaskruiden" make this cookie so distinctive and were imported centuries ago from the far east.

• Calories: 368 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.125 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.5 cup sliced almonds
• 0.125 teaspoon baking powder
• 1.25 cups packed brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour with spices, baking powder and salt.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and mix well.

Step 3

Stir in by hand half the flour mixture, then add the remaining flour and almonds. Mix with a wooden spoon or knead with hands.

Step 4

Divide dough into four parts, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours. (If you are using a mold, chill it as well.)

Step 5

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and grease two cookie sheets.

Step 6

Remove one quarter of the dough from the refrigerator and flatten it with your hands. Oil your mold and lightly flour it. Using your fingers, press dough firmly into the mold. Trim any excess dough from the mold with a knife.

Step 7

Transfer the cookies onto greased cookie sheets with a spatula, spacing about one inch apart.

Step 8

Refrigerate dough trimming to be rerolled later. Lightly flour but do not re-oil cookie mold.

Step 9

Repeat process with remaining dough. When cookie sheets are full, bake cookies for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Store in a covered tin.