Speculaas gingerbread cookies with a rum butter glaze
Soft, spiced European gingerbread cookies finished with a simple rum and butter glaze.
🍽️ Makes 16
Ingredients
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | ground ginger (spice blend) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | ground cinnamon (spice blend) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | ground cardamom (spice blend) |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | anise seed (spice blend) |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | ground white pepper (spice blend) |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | black pepper (spice blend) |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | nutmeg (spice blend) |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | cloves (spice blend) |
| 85 g | unsalted butter, room temperature | |
| 90 g | packed dark brown sugar | |
| 100 g | blackstrap molasses | |
| 1 | large egg yolk | |
| 235 g | all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | Dutch process cocoa powder |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | baking powder |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | salt |
| 80 g | confectioners (icing) sugar (glaze) | |
| 1/8 tsp | 0.6 ml | ground cinnamon (glaze) |
| 15 g | unsalted butter, melted and warm (glaze) | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | dark rum or lemon juice (glaze) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | warm water (glaze) |
Instructions
- Blend all the spices (cinnamon through cloves) together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the butter, sugar and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment set up. Beat on medium speed till smooth and incorporated.
- Add the egg yolk and continue to beat till fully combined.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, spice blend and salt together in a bowl.
- Turn the speed to low and add the flour mixture to the butter and molasses.
- Once the mixture has come together, tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently.
- Roll out the dough so that it is about 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thick. Don't go any thinner. If the dough seems to crack, this is alright, just press together lightly with your fingers.
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dip the cookie stamp or embossed rolling pin into flour, shake off any excess, and press firmly into the dough to create a deep imprint. Bear in mind that the cookies will rise and puff up slightly, so you want as deep an impression as possible. If using a rolling pin, press firmly but roll slowly or else you will push the dough across and it will be thinner than you need.
- Using a biscuit or cookie cutter just larger than your stamp (if using a stamp) cut out the cookies, surrounding the stamped pattern. If using an embossed rolling pin, feel free to cut out cookies throughout the pattern.
- Transfer the cookies to the baking sheets, leaving 3/4 inch (2 cm) space between each.
- Re-roll the dough and continue till all used up.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time, until firm to the touch. They will continue to firm up as they cool, so don't be tempted to cook them further. Rum Butter Glaze:
- While the cookies are in the oven, create the glaze and have it ready - it needs to be brushed on while the cookies are still warm out of the oven.
- Sift the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Add the melted butter, rum and water and mix till smooth. The glaze will thicken slightly if it sits around, so stir in a little more water when needed. It should have the consistency of runny honey (but not too runny).
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and leave them to cool for 5 minutes.
- Then brush or dab the cookies with the glaze. Let it settle into the crevices.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Recipe Notes: I state that this recipe makes 16. If you are using a larger stamp, you will get less. A minimum of 12 will be achieved for sure. This recipe will totally work if you don't have a stamp or embossed rolling pin. You can use cookie cutters with a press-in pattern (like veins in a leaf) as long as the patterns aren't too small. Or you can even just use a round cutter. The glaze will simply spread out over the finished cookies, but they will still taste amazing! You can totally use the spice blend on its own in other baking, or even in pancakes, etc!