What spiced Dutch cookie is traditionally eaten on St. Nicholas Day?

The spiced Dutch cookie traditionally eaten on St. Nicholas Day is speculaas.

Speculaas is a crisp biscuit from the Low Countries, especially the Netherlands and Belgium. Traditional Dutch speculaas is flavored with a spice blend that commonly includes cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and white pepper. Bakers often press the dough into carved wooden molds, producing flat cookies shaped like people, animals, windmills, or figures associated with Saint Nicholas.

The cookies have a strong connection with Sinterklaas, the Dutch celebration of Saint Nicholas, whose feast is observed on December 6. Historically, speculaas was particularly popular around that early-December festival, although it is now eaten throughout the year, often with coffee or tea. The Netherlands also has small, hard treats called kruidnoten made from related speculaas dough.

Speculaas is often confused with speculoos, and the distinction varies by region. In common usage, speculaas usually means the traditionally spiced version, while Belgian speculoos often emphasizes caramelized sugar and may omit the classic spice mixture. German Spekulatius is a related regional biscuit, but “spiced Dutch cookie” points most directly to speculaas.