Dutch Gevulde Speculaas Bars are a sassy spicy cookie filled with tender almond paste. Perfect for the holidays or, you know, when you want to escape to Holland for the afternoon.
Note: The speculaas dough needs to be refrigerated for 12-24 hours. The longer the better (that’s what she said) so be sure to fit the extra time into your planning.
Dutch Gevulde Speculaas Bars
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons speclaaskruiden
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Zest of one orange
- 3 cups flour
- 1 recipe almond paste (or 2 packages of 7 ounces each)
- 1 cup whole almonds
- 1 egg, beaten
Cream together brown sugar and butter until light & fluffy. Add salt, milk, speculaaskruiden, baking powder, and orange zest and mix well.
Add flour and mix just until combined with other ingredients. Place a lid or plastic wrap over dough and refrigerate overnight (or for 12-24 hours) to allow the spices to do their magic. Don’t skip this step!
Remove cookie dough and almond paste from the refrigerator and allow to sit out for about an hour to warm up a bit. Set the almond paste aside. Break cookie dough apart a bit and place it back on the mixer to mix for a couple of minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Roll out half of the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out a little bit larger than 9” X 13”, trim the sides so they are neat down to 9” X 13”, and place it into the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking pan. Spread the almond paste in an even layer over the cookie dough in the baking pan. Roll out the second half of the dough and trim it in the same way as the first and place it over the almond paste. Place almonds in a pretty pattern f your choice over the top layer of cookie dough. Brush the top of the cookies with the egg for a shiny topping.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Allow cookies to come to room temperature then cut into bars. Makes about 12-15 if serving for the main dessert or 24 – 30 smaller pieces if you’re taking them to a potluck.
Be sure to soak in the gorgeous layers of the Gevulde Speculaas for they are beautiful, indeed.