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It isn’t the holidays without a spice cookie. Gingerbread is probably the most common one, but I reserve that for constructing houses. I like the more cinnamon-y flavor profile of speculoos cookies. Every year, I turn to my baking bible, the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook, for the recipe. I added a little ginger and cloves for a bit more punch. For the cut-outs, I was inspired by adorable round reindeer faces found on Pinterest, but I decided to go with a rectangle to resemble their slender frame.
My favorite part about making these cookies is decorating! I was snacking on chocolate from my friends at Kellermanni Chocolate (dark milk is my favorite) and broke off a few chunks from to use for the reindeer’s facial features. To finish, I used red candies for the signature Rudolph nose.
Reindeer Speculoos Cookies
Adapted from Bouchon Bakery Cookbook
Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup + 2 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons clover honey
6.2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ounces K+M dark milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon black cocoa powder (optional)
20 small red candies
Special equipment:
Shortbread cookie cutter
Directions:
For the cookies:
Place the all-purpose flour in a medium bowl and sift in the cake and whole wheat flours. Break up any lumps of flour remaining in the sieve and add them to the bowl. Add the baking soda, spices and salt. Whisk together.
Combine both sugars in a small bowl and whisk to break up any lumps. Using a fork, stir in the honey.
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn to medium-low speed and cream the butter and sugar mixture for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing on low speed for 15 to 30 seconds after each, or until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there.
Mound the dough on the work surface and, using the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper, push it together into a 4-by-6-inch block. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or, preferably, overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
Unwrap the dough and place it between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. With a rolling pin, pound the top of the dough, working from left to right, to begin to flatten it, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat. (This will help prevent the dough from cracking as it is rolled.) Roll out to just under ¼ inch thick. If the dough has softened, slide it (in the parchment) onto the back of a sheet pan and refrigerate until firm enough to cut into cookies.
Using a shortbread cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and arrange them on the prepared sheet pan, leaving about 1 inch between them. With re-rolling, you’ll get about 20 cookies. If the dough softens, return it to the refrigerator until the cookies are firm enough to transfer to the sheet pans.
Bake the cookies until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.
For decorating:
Prepare a small parchment cone and cut a small hole at the tip.
Place the chopped chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler. Set the pan over but not touching barely simmering water in the bottom pan and heat, stirring with a spatula, until the chocolate melts. If you’d like an extra dark color for the antlers, stir in black cocoa powder until it’s dissolved into the chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate into the cone and fold over the top of the parchment to seal.
Pipe the melted chocolate for eyes and antlers. For the nose, pipe a small dot to adhere the red candy to the cookie. If you find the chocolate is a bit too runny, set the piping bag down for about 5 minutes before resuming again. Let the cookies sit for about 1 hour to let the chocolate harden.
Makes 20 cookies.
If you make these cookies, I’d love to see them! Share with me on Instagram @pastrywithjenn.
Recipe adapted from Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2012