Belgium's spiced caramelised biscuit: a thin crisp cookie made with brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, traditionally pressed in carved wooden moulds depicting saints, windmills or scenes from the harvest.

Speculoos originated in the Low Countries in the medieval period as a Saint Nicholas Day biscuit (December 5 and 6), pressed in elaborate wooden moulds called speculaasplanken. The Dutch sister biscuit speculaas became the international name, but the Belgian Bruges and Antwerp versions developed a distinct caramel-forward profile with darker browning. The 19th century saw Maison Dandoy in Brussels (founded 1829) industrialise the form, and Lotus Bakeries in Lembeke commercialised the global biscoff version in 1932. In Bruges the biscuit is sold by Chocolaterie Sukerbuyc and Dumon Chocolatier.

4 editor picks for Speculoos in Bruges, ranked by editorial score. All Bruges signature dishes · Speculoos across every city.

Also in: Brussels.