The festive season is all about using a variety of spices and flavours to make warm and sweet treats, like these spiced speculaas buckwheat cookies. Speculaas is a spiced short-crust biscuit, and this version is super healthy and delicious!

MAKES 16 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the spice
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp cloves
¾ tsp white pepper
¾ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
For the buckwheat cookies
½ cup butter, at room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp milk
½ tsp bicarb
¾ cup wholewheat flour
¼ cup buckwheat flour
Pinch salt

METHOD
For the spice
1. Mix the spices together and lightly toast in a dry pan for 30 seconds. Allow to cool.
For the buckwheat cookies
1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a baking tray.
2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the milk and mix until combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients, including the toasted spices, and mix until combined.
4. Roll dough into a ball and wrap it in cling film. Allow to rest in fridge for 30 minutes.
5. After resting, roll the cookie dough out on floured surface to a 1 cm thickness. Using a 6 cm round cookie cutter, cut dough into cookie shapes.
6. Transfer the cookies to tray, leaving a 5 cm space between each. Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes until well browned on the edges.
7. Transfer on to a rack and allow to cool before serving.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Buckwheat is a super versatile grain that you can use to substitute white flour. Why not make these buckwheat blini with herbed cream cheese, avo and vine tomatoes for your next party platter?