Isn’t it great to receive an unexpected gift?! I think it’s amazing!
My dear friend from “The View from Great Island” has sent me a beautiful Windmill Cookie mold made by HOBI Cookie Molds. It is hand carved from cherry wood and came with a booklet full of recipes, one of which I would love to share with you. Every Christmas I bake cookies from all over the world – it is my family tradition to try different sweets baked with old recipes. Today we have cookies from Holland. The individual windmill cookies are called speculaasjes. The Dutch word “speculaas” comes from speculum (mirror). The cookies are associated with the Dutch feast of Sinterklaas and are a favorite German and Dutch cookie at Christmas. They are honey sweet, full of spices, crispy and deliciously eye pleasing. You can send them as a gift to your loved ones and if they would like to bake the same by themselves, you may include the mold as well. I was so happy to receive a gift like that. Thank you, Sue Moran!
Honey-Ginger Windmill Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) honey, I used dark buckwheat honey
- 1 Tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- about 4 1/2 cups (630g) all-purpose flour (I used a little less, about 4 1/4 cup)
Instructions
In a large bowl whisk an egg, until fully mixed. Stir in the honey, milk and almond extract and mix well. Slowly pour the melted butter, mix until all combined. Add the flour, half of the cup at the time, until the mixture is solid enough to knead. Knead the dough for couple of minutes. If you need add more flour. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until firm but still flexible.
Originally, the cookies are thin and crisp, my cookies are thick and crisp. So, roll out the dough as thin as you like and cut out the cookies or use a cookie mold to make them very ornamental. Preheat the oven to 350F. Refrigerate the baking sheet with cookies while you preheat the oven. Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are slightly browned at the edges. Glaze them when they are warm. But is is completely optional.-))
Notes
Dust the mold cavity with flour every time you press the cookie mold into a chilled dough.
For more tips about the cookies and molds, please visit here.
9 Comments
Rosa's Yummy Yums
December 1, 2015 at 8:56 amSo pretty! A great mould.
I love unexpected gifts…
Cheers,
Rosa
handmade by amalia
December 1, 2015 at 9:11 amWhat a wonderful mold, Yelena, and the recipe looks wonderful. It's nice to have friends 🙂
Amalia
xo
Sayantani
December 1, 2015 at 9:54 amThese look so awesome. loe the molds and the cookies
Medeja
December 1, 2015 at 1:40 pmThese cookies look like pieces of art.. 🙂
Angie Schneider
December 1, 2015 at 4:36 pmThey look awesome and the mould looks really beautiful.
La Table De Nana
December 1, 2015 at 10:16 pmYou did a great job..I must save this recipe..I have a similar mold..never thought to leave the mold whole..always removed just the windmill..this is better!
melangery
December 2, 2015 at 2:11 amMonique, I baked my cookies with whole mold, and then I found out that's is not how it should be. But I lobed it how they are-)) So big and beautiful!!
Sue/the view from great island
December 2, 2015 at 2:23 amThis is so amazing, now I won't be happy until I get myself a windmill mold — the cookies looks so incredible Yelena, I'll share them on facebook tomorrow!
Dominique Allmon
December 4, 2015 at 10:24 amAh! Getting ready for the Holiday Season, Yelena? These cookies are beautiful! I will definitely try your recipe.