Making homemade Biscoff cookies (biscuits)

[Apocalypso]

... Stay tuned, as thus far all I've done is mix up the dough and wrap it up to chill.

These are those modestly-spiced butter cookies that I know I could get at the supermarket (unlike the international cookie I really miss, the Bahlsen Hit sandwich cookies (the plain biscuits filled with a rich, not-too-sweet chocolate middle) that Publix used to carry all over, but they've been missing for years now.

I found this recipe for the Biscoffs: http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2010/07/biscoff-cookies-from-scratch-recipe.html

And thankfully it has a function which updates the flour, sugars and butter to metric grams, so no need to pack the brown sugar in a scoop.

The dough is softer than I expected, as these are quite a buttery cookie apparently (two full sticks). I found a different recipe but the only change was a full tablespoon of cinnamon instead of two teaspoons. As it was, I decided to add a bit more nutmeg rather than the mere 1/4 teaspoon. The recipe didn't call for chilling the dough before rolling it, which surprised me, but I had always planned on chililng it. It still seems really soft and not likely to create the crisp (though not crumbly) biscuits that come in the packet.

So, I've now stumbled across Stella Parks' recipe on Serious Eats which is QUITE different. https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/06/homemade-biscoff-recipe.html Only 3 ounces of butter, and less flour and sugar overall, though they both say they yield about the same amount of cookies (30-32). Stella's also uses either Belgian brown sugar or her own "toasted sugar" which is dry white sugar slowly roasted to caramelize while remaining crystalline. And the spice profile is different too - cardamom and anise, no ginger.

After rolling out the dough it still felt a little soft, so I decided to form two logs and try making these refrigerator-cookie style, as a slice and bake, once they are well chilled. The dough tastes pretty good, though I might want to increase the spices a little. It'll be easier to tell once they are baked.

I don't have Ceylon cinnamon on hand, nor cardamom nor ground star anise, plus my initial attempt at toasting sugar came out quite blond so I'll have to see if I can get the right result.

I do like the Cupcake Project baker's idea to use the cutter with the imprintable phrase stamped in. I could see that being a fun idea for a little gathering or gift. It'd be cute to stamp a tinful of biscuits with the family name on them as a housewarming gift, or just put random words on them. I'll have to look for a set of letters or add to a future Amazon order.

Has anyone else made these? Either recipe? I don't expect them to be exactly like the store-bought, but I do think the recipe I'm in the midst of is probably a bit too rich and soft to be as crisp and durable a biscuit. And yes, I can always buy them.

 

[Apocalypso]

Update: I decided to freeze the little dough-logs, then took one out and sliced off six little cookies with a sharp paring knife. They do spread a bit, so I'm not sure they'd hold their shape when cut out. The place smells heavenly from the warm spices! And they did crisp up pretty nicely after completely cooling, though they are definitely more buttery than the commercial ones.

As an afterthought, I'm recalling the homemade graham crackers I made with my leaf shaped cutters in the fall. They did taste somewhat similar, though the dough used both honey and brown sugar, and whole wheat flour, and cinnamon was the only spice. I might come up with something of a hybrid of the two, as I really think the whole wheat flour, along with less butter, might give these the texture I was hoping for.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

... Stay tuned, as thus far all I've done is mix up the dough and wrap it up to chill.

These are those modestly-spiced butter cookies that I know I could get at the supermarket (unlike the international cookie I really miss, the Bahlsen Hit sandwich cookies (the plain biscuits filled with a rich, not-too-sweet chocolate middle) that Publix used to carry all over, but they've been missing for years now.

I found this recipe for the Biscoffs: http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2010/07/biscoff-cookies-from-scratch-recipe.html

And thankfully it has a function which updates the flour, sugars and butter to metric grams, so no need to pack the brown sugar in a scoop.

The dough is softer than I expected, as these are quite a buttery cookie apparently (two full sticks). I found a different recipe but the only change was a full tablespoon of cinnamon instead of two teaspoons. As it was, I decided to add a bit more nutmeg rather than the mere 1/4 teaspoon. The recipe didn't call for chilling the dough before rolling it, which surprised me, but I had always planned on chililng it. It still seems really soft and not likely to create the crisp (though not crumbly) biscuits that come in the packet.

So, I've now stumbled across Stella Parks' recipe on Serious Eats which is QUITE different. https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/06/homemade-biscoff-recipe.html Only 3 ounces of butter, and less flour and sugar overall, though they both say they yield about the same amount of cookies (30-32). Stella's also uses either Belgian brown sugar or her own "toasted sugar" which is dry white sugar slowly roasted to caramelize while remaining crystalline. And the spice profile is different too - cardamom and anise, no ginger.

After rolling out the dough it still felt a little soft, so I decided to form two logs and try making these refrigerator-cookie style, as a slice and bake, once they are well chilled. The dough tastes pretty good, though I might want to increase the spices a little. It'll be easier to tell once they are baked.

I don't have Ceylon cinnamon on hand, nor cardamom nor ground star anise, plus my initial attempt at toasting sugar came out quite blond so I'll have to see if I can get the right result.

I do like the Cupcake Project baker's idea to use the cutter with the imprintable phrase stamped in. I could see that being a fun idea for a little gathering or gift. It'd be cute to stamp a tinful of biscuits with the family name on them as a housewarming gift, or just put random words on them. I'll have to look for a set of letters or add to a future Amazon order.

Has anyone else made these? Either recipe? I don't expect them to be exactly like the store-bought, but I do think the recipe I'm in the midst of is probably a bit too rich and soft to be as crisp and durable a biscuit. And yes, I can always buy them.

I’ve never eaten a Biscoff. They always reminded me of the bland dry teething biscuits I used to give my son when he was a baby. But looking at the recipe ingredients they do sound delicious. I didn’t realize it was a spice cookie. Which is one of my favorites.

Have you tried the Biscoff cookie butter? My son and his friends are addicted to that stuff. “Spreadable” cookies seems an odd concept to me. But my son and his friends by multiple jars of that stuff at a time.

I love that cookie-cutter she used. I need to buy!

 

[Apocalypso]

Have you tried the Biscoff cookie butter? My son and his friends are addicted to that stuff. “Spreadable” cookies seems an odd concept to me. But my son and his friends by multiple jars of that stuff at a time.

No, I've heard about it but haven't been tempted. Oddly, while searching for a recipe for the biscuits themselves, I found some people make some sort of drop type cookie out of the cookie-butter... talk about reverse engineering something.

The homemade ones are butterier than the store bought, but the real McCoy are not bland, they're a moderately spiced cookie, but seem a bit richer than the usual gingerbread. They are fantastic dipped in coffee!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

No, I've heard about it but haven't been tempted. Oddly, while searching for a recipe for the biscuits themselves, I found some people make some sort of drop type cookie out of the cookie-butter... talk about reverse engineering something.

The homemade ones are butterier than the store bought, but the real McCoy are not bland, they're a moderately spiced cookie, but seem a bit richer than the usual gingerbread. They are fantastic dipped in coffee!

Lol. That’s funny that some people are using the cookie butter to make cookies —it comes full circle. I read somewhere that the cookie butter was actually invented by a customer who had been making it for her children. She was using it in sandwiches for children. I’m not sure how the company found out about it but apparently they liked it and made a deal with her to produce it.

 

[Becky]

I've never made Biscoff cookies/biscuits before, but I love them - especially with a cup of coffee. We've had the spread too - I now avoid buying it in because of the temptation to just eat it with a spoon!! It's great marbled through ice-cream

When it comes to flavour, I absolutely adore cardamom in sweet treats. I'm less keen on anise though, so if I were making them I'd probably substitute vanilla for that.

Which recipe was your favourite of the two?

 

[Apocalypso]

When it comes to flavour, I absolutely adore cardamom in sweet treats. I'm less keen on anise though, so if I were making them I'd probably substitute vanilla for that.

Which recipe was your favourite of the two?

Hi, Becky! Yes, the idea of anise doesn't really suit me. So far I've only made the first dough, and I probably won't make the second as written, but would alter the spices. I bought some Ceylon cinnamon and some cardamom seeds the other day. But I doubt I'll make the second dough before I finish up the first, half of which is still in the freezer in a log-shape, wrapped in parchment.

I realized, I know nothing about cardamom, and the Spice and Tea Exchange had whole green pods, brown pods, and a small packet of the seeds. I bought the seeds.

Meanwhile, the Biscoffs were on sale at Publix supermarket, and my boyfriend and I were out shopping to make something for dinner Saturday, so we each got a package. We had them with a small scoop of ice cream for dessert... so good!

I'm also interested in seeing what substituting some whole wheat flour for the regular would do to the texture and taste. Since I made a Graham Cracker recipe using whole wheat, I think it suited the lightly spiced dough and gave it a little nuttier flavor.

 

[Becky]

Good idea re getting cardamom seeds instead of pods - I can only ever find pods (which is usually fine because I use them in savoury cooking) but when I need just the seeds it's tricky getting everything separated. I use a pestle and mortar to crush the pods, but then have to spend ages picking out the bits of papery stuff from inside! Worth it for such a lovely flavour though

 

[Apocalypso]

I went through my DVR and found I had episodes of Martha Bakes!, Martha Stewart's PBS baking program, sitting unwatched. One was on European style cookies/biscuits, and she did a "Swedish spice cookie" (
Muskotsnittar). This seems right up my alley, in that it highlights nutmeg and also contains cinnamon and ginger. In fact, with two sticks of butter and two cups of all-purpose flour, it seems very similar to the Biscoff recipe #1. But it's unusual in that it's formed in four logs, which are flattened with a rolling pin, scored across the top with a fork, then cut on the bias after they are baked. They look quite crisp. There is less sugar, and it's dark brown. She also mentioned while mixing it that she recommends a salted European-style butter, and I'll try it with the Plugra or Kerrygold. That will at least cut the moisture. There's no cardamom in this recipe, but I may take each log of dough and alter the spice profile just a little bit and do a taste test. https://www.marthastewart.com/1525331/swedish-spice-cookies-muskotsnittar

 

[Becky]

I've not heard of those before, they look really unusual. I love sweet things from Scandanavia, they do it really well. In Sweden they have a thing called 'Fika' which is coffee with something sweet. I think I could happily live there if it wasn't quite so cold and expensive!