Dutch speculaas {101 Days of Christmas}

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Dutch speculaas are thin, crisp cookies flavored much like German pfeffernüsse. They're typically baked for St. Nicholas' Day on December 5th or 6th and are, traditionally, stamped with images from the life of St. Nicholas on the front.  It turns out that I really like traditional Christmas cookies from this part of Europe, with their strong spices and unique textures! I…

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Austrian kipferl {101 Days of Christmas}

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Ancestor to the croissant, kipferl cookies are fragile crescent-shaped cookies that literally melt in your mouth. They are made from ground almonds and have the slightest hint of almond flavor and a sweet vanilla sugar coating. These cookies are so good that my husband fought over the last cookie of both batches I made. Despite their "fancy"…

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Dulce de leche-filled alfajores {101 Days of Christmas}

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Similar to the French macaron, alfajores are a South American treat. While the specifics vary by region and country, the basic idea is a sandwich cookie with a sweet filling in the middle. This version incorporates a rich dulce de leche between two melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch cookies! The alfajores cookies are easy to make, using just a few…

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Quick & easy springerle cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

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Springerle is a flat, white, crispy cookie traditionally made in Germany, Bavaria, or Austria. The designs are added before baking using a carved springerle rolling pin or flat mold. Traditional springerle are made from just eggs, powdered sugar, and flour and flavored by sprinkling a surface with anise seed and placing the cookies on top…

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