Vegan Belgian speculoos cookies guide
Hailing from Belgium, speculoos cookies are a classic spiced shortcrust biscuit, traditionally savored during the winter holiday season. Boasting a unique flavor profile with warming notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, these cookies have captured hearts (and taste buds!) globally. Our vegan recipe means everyone can indulge in this sweet delight without missing out on the authentic taste or texture. Let's get cooking!
Gather the following ingredients
To prepare these vegan Belgian speculoos cookies, gather one cup of all-purpose flour, half a teaspoon of baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of ground cinnamon, half a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and cloves, one teaspoon of ground ginger, half a cup of brown sugar (packed), one-third cup of unsalted vegan butter (softened), and two tablespoons of almond milk.
Combine dry ingredients
Begin by combining the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a large mixing bowl. Whisk these ingredients together until well combined. This step is important, as it ensures the distinctive speculoos flavor is evenly distributed throughout your cookies. This mixture will form the base of your cookie dough.
Cream butter and sugar
In a separate bowl, beat the softened vegan butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer or do it the old-fashioned way with a sturdy spoon and some elbow grease. This step is important because it beats air into the butter, which ultimately makes your cookies lighter in texture. After it is well creamed, add the almond milk and mix until smooth.
Form cookie dough
Slowly incorporate your dry ingredient mixture into your wet ingredients, stirring constantly until a cohesive dough forms. If it's too crumbly, you can add an additional tablespoon of almond milk, but be careful not to make it too wet. Once it's shaped into a dough, wrap it in cling film and let it chill in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.
Roll out and bake
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Roll out your dough to a quarter-inch thickness, cut out your favorite shapes, and transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets. Pop them in the oven for 10-12 minutes until they're golden brown. Let them cool on wire racks. Serve them with chai, or as a Christmas delicacy.
