Last Updated: November 10, 2026
Biscoff cookies use cookie butter, the spiced spread made from caramelized speculoos biscuits, in a soft brown sugar cookie dough. The result is a chewy cookie with a caramel-cinnamon flavor and slightly crisp edges. This recipe makes about 24 cookies, and it includes an optional filled version with a spoonful of cookie butter in the center and a crushed biscuit topping.
Why Cookie Butter Works in Dough
Cookie butter is smooth, sweet, and spiced with cinnamon and a hint of caramel. It behaves like a cross between peanut butter and brown sugar in baking: it adds fat, sugar, and flavor, and it makes dough softer. Because it replaces part of the butter, the cookies stay thick and tender. The dough needs a short chill to keep them from spreading.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup smooth cookie butter spread
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping and Filling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 8 to 10 speculoos biscuits, coarsely crushed
- 1/4 cup extra cookie butter, for filling (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, cookie butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy and smooth.
- Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until a soft dough forms. Fold in 1/2 cup of the crushed biscuits.
- Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop dough in 2-tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
- For filled cookies, flatten a ball, press a teaspoon of cookie butter in the center, and seal the dough around it.
- Place balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press a few crushed biscuit pieces into the top of each.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underdone.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Cookies firm up as they cool.
Tips
- Use smooth cookie butter. The crunchy version contains biscuit pieces that change the dough texture.
- Pull them early. Slightly underbaked centers give the chewy middle that sets as they cool.
- Chill the dough. Cookie butter makes a soft dough that otherwise spreads.
- Use a cookie scoop. Even size means even baking.
- Bang the pan. For crinkled, dense cookies, tap the sheet on the counter once when the cookies come out.
Variations
White Chocolate Biscoff
Fold in 3/4 cup white chocolate chips instead of crushed biscuits.
Biscoff Sandwich Cookies
Sandwich two cooled cookies around a spoonful of cookie butter frosting made from 1/2 cup cookie butter, 4 tablespoons butter, and 1 cup powdered sugar.
Biscoff Snickerdoodle
Roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar made from 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon instead of plain sugar.
Drizzled
Warm 2 tablespoons cookie butter for 15 seconds and drizzle it over cooled cookies.
Crunchy Edge
Bake an extra 1 to 2 minutes for a crisper cookie.
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Placing a slice of bread in the container helps keep them soft. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. For dough, scoop and freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray, transfer them to a bag, and bake directly from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
Ingredient Notes
Cookie Butter
Cookie butter is a spread made from ground spiced shortbread-style biscuits, oil, and sugar. It is sold in smooth and crunchy styles. Stir the jar before measuring, since oil can separate. Measure it by spooning it into a cup and leveling, just like peanut butter.
Butter
Because the spread already contains fat, this recipe uses less butter than a standard cookie. Softened butter should be cool to the touch and give slightly when pressed.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar contributes moisture and a caramel note that echoes the flavor of the spread. Packing it into the cup ensures the right measurement.
Egg Yolk
The extra yolk adds richness and gives a chewy center. If you prefer, use just one whole egg, and the cookies will be slightly cakier.
Troubleshooting
- Dough is too sticky to roll: Chill it longer, up to an hour, or dust your hands with a little flour.
- Cookies are too crumbly: The flour was likely packed into the cup. Spoon and level next time.
- Cookies are greasy: The cookie butter may have separated. Stir it well before measuring.
- Filling leaks: Seal the dough tightly around the center and use only a teaspoon.
Serving Ideas
These cookies pair well with coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass of cold milk. For an ice cream sandwich, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cooled cookies, wrap, and freeze for an hour before serving.
Step-by-Step Notes
Creaming
Beat the butter, cookie butter, and sugars until the mixture is pale and creamy. This takes two to three minutes with a mixer. Scrape down the bowl once or twice so no streaks of butter remain.
Mixing in Flour
Add the flour mixture in two batches and stop when the dough just comes together. Overmixing makes the cookies tough and dry.
Shaping
Roll each portion between your palms until smooth. If the dough sticks, chill it for another 10 minutes. Tall balls bake thicker than flat discs.
Baking
Rotate the tray halfway through for even browning. The cookies will look pale and a little puffy when they come out, and they settle as they cool.
Baking for Gifts
These cookies hold their shape well, which makes them suitable for gift tins. Let them cool fully, stack them with parchment between layers, and add a few extra speculoos biscuits on top for decoration. Keep filled cookies in a separate container so the center does not soften neighboring cookies.
FAQ
Can I use crunchy cookie butter?
Yes, but the cookies will have a slightly gritty texture, and spreading may increase. Reduce the crushed biscuits in the dough if you do.
Why are my cookies flat?
The butter may have been too soft or the dough was not chilled. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, and use butter that is soft but still cool.
Can I substitute peanut butter or another nut butter?
You can, but the flavor changes completely. Cookie butter provides a spiced caramel flavor that other spreads do not.
Are speculoos biscuits required?
No. They only add texture and a topping. The cookies are delicious without them.


