Dutch Speculaas Recipe

Dutch Speculaas Recipe photo by Taste of Home Trace template onto waxed paper; cut out. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, molasses and orange peel. Combine the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger and cardamom. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until easy to handle.

On a parchment paper-lined surface, roll a small amount of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Trace around template or cut with floured 3-in. holiday-shaped cookie cutters, leaving 1 in. between cookies. Remove excess dough and reroll scraps if desired.

Slide a baking sheet under the parchment paper and dough. If using template, trace decorative details with a toothpick. Brush cookies with milk and sprinkle with chopped almonds as desired. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

To Make Ahead: Dough can be made 2 days in advance. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling out. Cookies can be baked 1 week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature or frozen for up to 1 month.