Speculatius Cookies for Holiday Tea Parties

 I have this cookie press that I just love.  When I bought it I imagined making lots of stamped cookies, putting them in tins and serving them to guests that dropped in for a visit.  Reality is a cookie stamp sitting in the cupboard, neglected. When Donovan asked to bake cookies last week I thought, "Hooray!  I'll get out the cookie stamp!"  I chose a recipe to adapt from Joy of Cooking 1975.  Speculatius cookies are my favorite seasonal treat from ALDI Stores in our area.  They are a spicy, old world cookie perfect for coffee, tea or milk.  The version in this recipe came out soft and chewy but the cookies from ALDI are crispy.  If you substitute oil or shortening for the butter I think they may be more like that but I have yet to try it.

 Speculatius Cookies  makes 2-4 dozen depending on size.
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cardamom      
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

 I cut the butter into quarters to make it easier to blend in the flour when the time comes.

 

 First cream the sugar eggs together in the mixer until they are smooth and creamy.

 

It's important to scrape the bottom of the mixer to be sure that the mixture is well blended.

Next, use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles corn meal.

Then combine the spices and salt with the flour mixture and add that to the butter, sugar mixture.

 Spread the dough thin on a baking sheet.  I lined mine with parchment paper to make it easier to get the cookies off later.  

To smooth the top I used a wet spatula and patience.

At this point the dough has to rest and get cold enough to stamp. Cover with wax paper and place in the fridge for 6-10 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
Donovan Painted a picture:

 

Autumn Flag by Donovan age 4.

This might require some patience.  It did for me.
Now, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
The next step is to stamp the cookie.  If you don't have a stamp you could lightly press a design into it with kitchen utensils:)  

 Then, cut into squares.  This dough could also be rolled in waxed paper and cut into circles after it was thoroughly chilled.

I should have lifted each cookie and placed it on a separate baking sheet at this point.  But I baked them right on the pan.  I lost the crinkled edging that I cut into them :(  Bake 10 minutes or until done.  

 Enjoy your cookies!  
I've pictured them here with my 
Pumpkin spiced Heart Shaped Sugar Cubes and 
Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Shaped Sugar Cubes 
but I would choose a Turbinado Sugar Star Shaped Sugar Cube to serve with the tea the next time.  The spice was a little much for a spicy cookie.

Now enjoy some "window shopping" on Etsy from some of my favorite shops:

'Have you seen my teddy bear?' by Wishingwellportraits

Can you find the teddy?

Purse in Burgundy V... JulieMeyer $58.00	Mini mixed penny ba... Moerkey $45.00	Pumpkin Soap Bar - ... soap $5.75	Bud Vase Bowl Set o... blueroompotter... $112.00
4 Leather Sandalwoo... pebblecreekcan... $12.00	Crochet teddy bear ... TheStitchAndFo... $14.00	rust angora sweater... DOTTO $20.00	Rocking Chair Fine ... AldariArt $25.00
Moss Planter Sterli... Nafsika $60.00	3 Pure Vanilla Scen... pebblecreekcan... $14.00	Vintage Handmade Ru... Modred12 $75.00	Fox brooch lacravatteduch... $12.00
Mans Rosary Bracele... julieharrison $35.00	Vintage Valet - Bra... BrisNanaJoy $18.95	Heart Mini Envelope... pinkdotsetc $3.00	MULLED CIDER Soy Wa... gracenotegifts $3.50

Treasury tool supported by the dog house