Speculaas

Speculaas (speculaas, spéculoos,, Spekulatius) is a type of spiced shortcrust biscuit baked with speculaas spices originated from the County of Flanders territory in present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Speculaas biscuits are usually flat and are often moulded to carry certain traditional images (see image on the right). They are particularly popular around the feast of St. Nicholas (Dutch: Sinterklaas). The oldest sources on speculaas also mention weddings and fairs. In recent decades, however, it has become normal to eat speculaas all year round, especially with coffee or tea, or with ice cream.

Speculaas is primarily made and consumed in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, as well as in Luxembourg and the German regions of Westphalia and Rhineland. It is also highly popular in the former Yugoslav countries, where it is manufactured by the Croatian food company Koestlin. The cookie can also be found in Indonesia where it is known as spekulaas or spekulaaskoekjes, and usually served at Christmas or on other special occasions.