Jam Filled Speculaas Cookies

Ingredients

• 260 g plain (all purp) flour ((2 cups / 9.1oz) )
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb) soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 170 g unsalted butter, softened ((1 1/2 sticks / 3/4 cup) )
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar ((135g / 4.8oz))
• 1 tablespoon milk ((notes))
• 2 tablespoons strawberry jam ((notes))

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

2. 2

   Mix together the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and salt and whisk until everything is well incorporated.

3. 3

   Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and creamy. Add the flour mix in three parts, beating until it just comes together adding the milk with the final portion of flour.

4. 4

   Bring the dough together into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

5. 5

   Take the dough out of the fridge 15-20 minutes prior to rolling so that it softens slightly. Lightly flour a clean surface and a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about 5mm thick. Now lightly flour a folk embossed rolling pin and roll over the dough one more time. It should be about 3mm thick now.

6. 6

   Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Then cut a smaller shape out of half of them. Use an offset spatula to help you lift them onto the baking trays. Sit them at least an inch apart so the heat can flow around them. Bake for 12 minutes, turning halfway through.

7. 7

   Let the cookies cool on the trays for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

8. 8

   Once completely cooled, top each of the whole cookies with around 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam, then top it with one of the cookies with the cutout in the centre.