Vegan Gluten-Free Biscoff Cookies

If there is one type of cookie that I love, it is speculoos, also called Biscoff cookies.

My favorite ones were from a small Belgian company that has been making speculoos since 1829! Unfortunately, since they contain butter, I cannot have them anymore. So here is my take on gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free Biscoff cookies!

My speculoos are perfectly crispy, have a caramelized cookie flavor, and are infused with plenty of cinnamon!

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

Crispy and buttery.

If you are familiar with the Biscoff brand, be aware that my cookies are a little bit more crunchy, as I wanted to reproduce the texture of original speculoos cookies from Belgium. As opposed to many cookies, these do not have a shortbread texture. Instead, they are perfectly crispy all the way through!

They taste just like the original.

The distinctive aroma of Speculoos (or Biscoff cookies) comes from the combination of caramelized sugar and a hint of cinnamon. I relied on a few very specific ingredients to achieve such a flavor. Needless to say, my cookies taste as good as the originals, minus the gluten!

A reader’s favorite.

I have served these cookies to many guests over the years, and they always tell me right away that they taste EXACTLY like Biscoff cookies! Now, if you are looking for unbiased reviews, take a look at these coming from readers:

Sara said: “Delicious with a perfect texture. It was finished almost immediately.”

Ayesha said: “This was exactly what I was looking for! My family recently discovered the Biscoff cookies and were devouring them. Feeling left out, I stumbled upon this recipe and tried it immediately. Needless to say, the cookies were finished just as quickly as they were made. Thank you so much!”

📘 What Are Biscoff Cookies

Biscoff cookies, or Speculoos, are a type of crispy cookie that first appeared in Belgium in the 17th century. Although they are now served year-round, they used to be a holiday cookie, generally gifted and enjoyed during Saint Nicholas Day.

They are typically made with flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Depending on the area, some bakers may also add cardamom or cloves to flavor the dough.

🥥 Ingredient Notes

Coconut sugar

Traditionally, Speculoos cookies are made with a type of brown sugar (called “vergeoise” in French). This type of sugar not only gives the cookies a brown color but also creates a wonderful caramel flavor during baking. To keep this recipe on the healthier side, I picked coconut sugar, which works just as well!

Substitute: If you don’t have coconut sugar, brown sugar might work, but I haven’t personally tested this recipe with it yet. Please report back if you do!

Coconut oil

While butter is generally used to make these cookies, I choose to rely on coconut oil here for one reason. Through testing, I discovered that depending on the brand of butter used, the results may vary in terms of texture.

Note: While you can use regular coconut oil, I suggest picking deodorized coconut oil to let the caramel and cinnamon flavors shine.

Rice flour + cornstarch

To replace all-purpose flour, I went with a mix of white rice flour, brown rice flour, and cornstarch. The rice flour is responsible for the crispiness, while the cornstarch helps the dough hold together a bit better.

Xanthan gum

Since this recipe is gluten-free, it needs a gum to prevent the dough from falling apart. The addition of xanthan gum keeps the dough from being too crumbly – the dough is easier to roll out and slice.

Substitute: You can replace the xanthan gum with guar gum. In that case, double the amount, as it is less powerful than xanthan gum.

Cinnamon

There is no good Speculoos without cinnamon. To be honest, I’m a big cinnamon fan and I use it in many of my favorite Fall desserts, such as this apple crisp, cinnamon cereals, and self-saucing banana pudding!

Recommendation: Although you might read that Ceylan cinnamon is superior, it’s not the best for these cookies. Use the classic cinnamon you have in your pantry (usually, it’s the Cassia variety, which has a stronger flavor).

Baking soda

Baking soda is an essential ingredient here. It not only makes the cookies extra crunchy, but, more importantly, it helps the sugar caramelize, giving the cookies their characteristic flavor.

Note: There is no substitute for the baking soda. I have tried using baking powder, and the cookies didn’t have that “Biscoff” flavor.

Salt

Finally, I like to add a generous pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Cream the sugar. Cream the coconut sugar and coconut oil in a mixing bowl until smooth and fluffy. Then, add the water and mix again until fully combined. Note: you can use a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment to speed up this step.

2. Add the dry ingredients. Add the brown rice flour, white rice flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and mix until it forms a dough. It should have the texture of cookie dough. If the dough appears too crumbly, add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches a good consistency.

3. Flatten the dough. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a 1/4-inch thickness. Optional: At this point, you can refrigerate the flattened dough for 2-3 hours to make it easier to cut and handle.
4. Cut out cookies. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into about 18 rectangles. You can use a cookie cutter or cut them into the shape you want. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Note: The cookies will be very soft, so be careful not to break them when transferring them to the baking sheet.
5. Bake. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until golden brown. The cookies might be a bit soft but will harden once cooled.

🍫 Variations

These Speculoos can be customized to your liking by playing with the add-ins. Here are a few ideas:

• Top with slivered almonds. Slightly press slivered almonds on top of the cookies before baking for extra texture and delicate nuttiness.
• Incorporate chocolate chips. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips into the dough.
• Add vanilla. For a floral and more gourmand aroma, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough.
• Dip in melted chocolate. Once cookies are baked and completely cool, you can either spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on one side or dip half of each cookie into a bowl of melted chocolate.

🍰 How to Use Them

While you can simply enjoy these cookies as a snack or with your daily coffee, you can also use them to make other recipes! You can, for example, replace ladyfingers with these cookies to make tiramisu, use them as a crust for cheesecake, or blend them with milk and coconut oil or butter to make Biscoff spread.

💬 FAQ

Just like the original Speculoos from Belgium, my cookies are super crispy and have an addicting caramelized flavor! They are delicious on their own but can also be dipped in your afternoon coffee or tea or used in recipes! You will never guess these are both gluten-free and refined sugar-free!

🍪 More Vegan Cookies

Vegan Spritz Cookies

Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Shortbread Cookies (5 Flavors)

Chocolate Coconut Cookie Thins

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in December 2018 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in September 2024.