History

Jean-Baptiste Dandoy opened a small biscuit shop on Rue du Marche aux Herbes in Brussels in 1829, baking speculoos from a recipe of brown sugar, butter and warming spice. The family business moved to Rue au Beurre in 1858, where it remains today. Speculoos became the canonical Belgian biscuit through the 19th century, spreading across Flemish and Walloon households and eventually inspiring the global biscoff spread in the 1980s.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Makes 30 biscuitsHands-on 20 minTotal 12 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 250g plain flour
  • 200g dark brown sugar
  • 150g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • Half tsp ground nutmeg
  • Quarter tsp salt
  • Half tsp baking powder

Method

  1. Cream butter and sugar together until light, about 3 minutes.
  2. Beat in the egg.
  3. Sift flour, spices, salt and baking powder over the bowl and stir in.
  4. Wrap dough and rest in the fridge overnight; the flavour develops with rest.
  5. Roll out to 4mm thickness on a floured surface.
  6. Cut into rectangles or use a speculoos mould. Lift onto a lined tray.
  7. Bake at 180C for 12 to 14 minutes until golden and firm. Cool on a rack; they crisp as they cool.

Tip from the editors. Rest the dough overnight. Speculoos baked the same day taste flat; the rest is what releases the spice.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat speculoos

Speculoos in Brussels

Maison Dandoy ★ 4.6

Daily 09:30 to 22:00Walk-in onlySpeculoos and Brussels waffles

Maison Dandoy in Brussels has been baking speculoos since Jean-Baptiste Dandoy opened in 1829. The Rue Charles Buls tea room serves Brussels and Liège waffles from the upstairs counter.

Worth the queue: Gaufre de Bruxelles with whipped cream

Rue Charles Buls 14, 1000 Brussels

Maison Dandoy Rue au Beurre ★ 4.5

Daily 10:00 to 19:00Walk-in onlySpeculoos and biscuits

Maison Dandoy on Rue au Beurre in Brussels is the family's 1858 flagship beside the Grand Place. Philippe Dandoy moved the bakery here from Marche aux Herbes; the shop counter still sells the original speculoos.

Worth the queue: Original speculoos biscuit

Rue au Beurre 31, 1000 Brussels

Wittamer ★ 4.5

Tue-Sun 08:00 to 19:00Belgian patisserie and chocolate

Wittamer in Brussels has held the Sablon corner since 1910. The family patisserie supplies the Belgian royal house, with a tea room at number 6 and the original counter at number 12.

Worth the queue: Royal de chocolat

Place du Grand Sablon 12, 1000 Brussels

More cities are in research. Want speculoos covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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