A fresh batch of windmill cookies is the BEST way to fill your house with the smell of Christmas. They’re crispy, crunchy, and packed with all the best baking spices.
There are a million different ways to make windmill cookies, but I’ve landed on the best recipe for maximum spice, crunch, and beauty.
These thin spice cookies are sure to become a go-to recipe your family and friends will beg for year after year.
what are windmill cookies?
Windmill cookies are thin, crunchy spice cookies that originated in the Netherlands. They are typically stamped with an ornate design, though they can also be rolled out and decorated with sliced almonds.
Windmill cookie is the American name for speculaas (Dutch name) or speculoos (Belgian name). Basically, this is a recipe to make your own delicious and customizable Biscoff cookies!
what flavor are windmill cookies?
Windmill cookies are made with a rich blend of spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, clove), a touch of almond, and caramelized brown sugar. They’re crunchy, crisp, and perfect for the holidays!
what kind of nuts are in windmill cookies?
Almonds! I prefer the simplicity of almond flour (no grinding necessary). It also gives a super smooth dough that stamps and holds the shape well.
ingredients for windmill cookies
- flour
- almond flour
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- ginger
- cardamom
- nutmeg
- cloves
- butter
- sugar
- brown sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
how to make windmill cookies
- Whisk together flour, almond flour and spices.
- Cream butter, both sugars, and salt until fluffy.
- Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix in dry ingredients.
- Chill at least 2 hours.
- Roll out ⅛ inch thick.
- Stamp and/ or cut into shapes.
- Freeze 30 minutes.
- Bake 24-26 minutes at 325°F.
- Enjoy!
all about cookie stamping:
Arguably the best part about making windmill cookies is the stamping. It’s optional, but so fun. Make sure to flour your stamps or springerle molds and use chilled dough for the best results.
- If you’re lucky enough to have some hand-carved wooden cookie molds on your hands, this dough will work well with those. You can also find some gorgeous stamps on Etsy (search Springerle molds).
- In the photos, I’ve used cookie stamps from Nordic Ware-- these are also beautiful and reliable!
- Another fun stamping option is the embossed rolling pin. Roll the dough out to ⅛-inch thick with a standard rolling pin, then roll the dough one time with the embossed rolling pin using medium pressure. Cut out cookies and bake.
tips to make the best windmill cookies:
- Thoroughly chill the dough before rolling and stamping. If it starts to stick or feel too soft to transfer, just pop it in the freezer for 5- 10 minutes to firm up.
- Generously flour your stamps! The more intricate the stamp or cookie mold, the more carefully you have to flour it to make sure the dough comes out.
- Freeze the stamped cookies until firm to make sure all of the details are preserved when baking.
- Stamp the rolled-out dough and use a cookie cutter or a knife to cut around the stamp shape.
- Make sure to roll out the dough to ⅛-inch or thinner and bake at 325°F for crunchy, crispy cookies.
- For the cleanest design with stamped speculaas, reduce the baking soda to ⅛ teaspoon. I prefer the texture with ¼ teaspoon baking soda-- the cookies are crunchier (but not hard), a touch lighter, and have a wonderful crumble to them. But they will puff a bit and the surface design won't be as sharp. You chose!
windmill cookie variations:
- Roll out cookie dough, cut into shapes with a cookie cutter, and press sliced almonds into the dough.
- Filled speculaas cookies: Stuff a thin piece of marzipan between two layers of rolled cookie dough and seal the edges.
- Roll balls of dough and press flat with the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar or sliced almonds.
more Christmas cookie recipes to try!
PrintDutch windmill cookies (speculaas)
These crispy, crunchy Dutch windmill cookies are filled with warm spices and notes of almond and caramel. They’re a classic Christmas cookie!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Mixer
- Cuisine: Dutch
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Shape dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out dough to ⅛-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, and transfer to prepared pans. Alternatively, lightly flour a springerle mold or cookie stamp and press it firmly into the dough. Cut around the design with a knife and transfer to prepared pans.
- Chill unbaked cookies in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F.
- Bake for 24- 26 minutes until firm and lightly browned around the edges. Cool for a few minutes on the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 9.7g
- Sodium: 53mg
- Fat: 7.1g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2.3g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
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