Homemade Biscoff

Ingredients

• 5 1/4 ounces light brown candi sugar, such as Brewer's Best, or deeply toasted sugar
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, soft but cool, about 70°F
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kinako, such as Shirakiku, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• Shy 1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
• Shy 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/16 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/16 teaspoon ground anise
• 1/2 ounce tap water
• 5 1/2 ounces ounces all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Set a rack in the lower middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F. Add the candi or toasted sugar, butter, baking soda, cinnamon, kinako, nutmeg, salt, cloves, cardamom, and anise to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached. Beat on medium speed for about 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down both the bowl and paddle as necessary, especially if the sugar packs itself into the bottom. The mixture should look light, soft, and fluffy.
2. With the mixer still running on medium speed, drizzle in the water gradually. When it has blended fully into the butter and sugar mixture, turn the mixer to low and add the flour in one addition. Mix just until the dough starts to clump around the paddle.
3. Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead it lightly into a ball. Press it into a rectangle, then flour the top and underside. Roll the dough to 3/16-inch thick, using a ruler to keep yourself honest. Run an offset spatula under the dough to release it from the counter, then sweep off any extra flour.
4. Use a fluted pastry wheel to slice the dough into 3/4-inch strips, then cut across those strips to make 2-inch rectangles. Move the pieces, along with the scraps, to a parchment-lined half sheet pan with an offset spatula, spacing them an inch apart so they have room to spread.
5. Bake for about 16 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown, turning the pan midway through baking if that helps them color evenly. Leave them on the baking sheet until they reach room temperature; they will crisp only after they have cooled completely. Enjoy with coffee, and keep any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 month at room temperature. The scraps can be ground into crumbs and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.