20 Best Ways To Use Cookie Butter
Our love of cookie butter has taken over. Brands like Trader Joe's Speculoos and Lotus Biscoff are popular choices among consumers and feature crumbled, spiced cookies that have been blended into a thick paste with oil and sugar. Some home cooks also venture to make homemade Speculoos cookie butter, although we think that buying it by the container is much more convenient and ensures your schmear has a spreadable consistency.
Cookie butter has notes of Belgian Speculoos cookies, which are spiced with cinnamon and brown sugar, along with a creaminess that sticks on the back of your tongue like natural peanut butter. While this spread does have its merits, consumers (including ourselves) still have to rack our brains with how to use this sugar-laden spread outside of a midnight snack (its great straight from the jar). We've collected some of our favorite ways to use cookie butter to improve a variety of dishes.
Swirl it into your iced coffee
We love to start every morning out with an iced coffee. And what's better than a crisp, sweet beverage than one infused with cookie butter?
To smoothly incorporate cookie spreads into iced coffee, you'll want to first dissolve the spread in a hot cup of coffee. If you added it straight to your iced or cold brew beverage, the cookie spread would stodge up and not mix in easily. But with hot drinks, the cinnamon flavor and the sweetness easily dissolve into the cup with a quick stir. From there, you can add it to a glass with ice cubes and complement it with a creamer or milk. To go all-out with your beverage, add a dollop of whipped cream and crushed cookie pieces.
Schmear it on your s'mores
Cookie butter is an ingredient guaranteed to transform your s'mores. Instead of going with the basic combination of a crisp, crunchy graham cracker, melted marshmallow, and chocolate square, switch things up with a schmear of cookie butter. This ingredient is packed with cinnamon sugar sweetness, which will sharpen the flavor of your graham crackers.
To add this sticky spread to your s'mores, coat the inside of each graham cracker with a schmear of it straight from the jar. Besides adding a sublime flavor to this summertime treat, the cookie butter is also a glue to help your sweet sandwich stick together. Plus, the flavor of the cookie butter pairs well with the chocolate and the marshmallows and could be made even better by swapping the graham crackers for Lotus cookies or gingersnaps.
Add it to your homemade cake
Funfetti is out, and cookie butter is in. It's an essential component of this 4-ingredient cake and will quickly become a staple dessert at your next party or celebration. Start with a box of yellow cake mix, eggs, butter, water, and, of course, the cookie butter. Cream the cookie butter with the softened butter, which will help whip air into the batter and seamlessly integrate the cookie spread into your confection. Then, mix in the eggs, water, and the dry mix and bake until the cake comes out solid yet deliciously moist.
Our favorite part about using cookie butter instead of peanut butter for this recipe is that the flavor won't dominate the entire cake. It will make it taste delightfully warm and spiced, but not take the reins. Although our recipe is made with a plain yellow mix, you could also substitute spice cake mix instead for even more flavor.
Swap it for peanut butter in your puppy chow
The taste of peanut-butter-covered Chex cereal tossed in a coating of chocolate and finger-lickin'-good powdered sugar is not only nostalgic but also easy to make at home. For a nut-free puppy chow, consider swapping out your peanut butter for a scoop of cookie butter. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves pair well with the relatively bland taste of the cereal and help elevate this snack to one that you'll want to include at sophisticated dinners and sleepovers with your friends alike.
Swap equal amounts of cookie butter for peanut butter in your recipe. To make your cookie butter flow more easily and completely coat your cereal, you can also heat it with melted butter. It's guaranteed to make the mixture easier to pour. You can also add a sprinkle of cinnamon to your bag, along with the powdered sugar.
Flavor your favorite cookie recipe
You won't think about using peanut butter in your cookies ever again after you try adding cookie butter instead. The spread gives the cookie the soft kiss of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves without being too overwhelming.
There are several ways to add cookie butter to your cookies. You can go crazy with the cookie butter and supplement it with chopped bits of Biscoff cookies, which renders a soft cookie accented with crunchy cookie pieces. Or, you can add a schmear of cookie butter to your standard chocolate chip cookie recipe to amplify the flavors and textures. Like using cookie butter to bake a cake, you should start by creaming the butter with the cookie butter to create an airy, whipped spread before adding in the rest of your wet ingredients.
Amp up your favorite brownie recipe
We're always looking for ways to elevate our next batch of brownies, and cookie butter is just one way to take brownie mix from boring to better. The mild spice of the cookie butter is an easy way to complement the chocolate, while the creamy, thick texture is perfect for keeping your recipe moist and soft.
There are several different ways to add this cookie butter to your recipe. Add it with the rest of your wet ingredients, mixing well until smooth, or swirl it into the batter right before you pop it into the pan. Cookie butter plays well with other brownie additions, too, like chocolate chips, caramel, and nuts. It's the spicy, creamy spread that you didn't know your boxed (or homemade) brownie batch needed.
Make your banana bread extra decadent
Banana bread is one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to use up the speckly bananas that have been sitting on your counter for just a little bit too long. This recipe for cookie butter banana bread will ensure your leftover fruit is put to good use and gives you a great loaf to serve with coffee or toast in a pan with a bit of butter.
For the best texture, always cream the butter and sugar before adding eggs, mashed bananas, and cookie butter. You'll need about ¾ cup of cookie butter for every three bananas; both the creamy and the chunky spreads are great options depending on the texture you desire. While this recipe only contains cookie butter for special flavor, you can also up the ante with chopped nuts or chocolate chips, too.
Whip it up into a frosting
Cookie butter's soft, creamy consistency makes it a perfect addition to homemade frosting. For a Speculoos cookie sheet cake, you can infuse both the cake and the frosting with cookie butter for extra flavor. After your cake has cooled sufficiently, add your room-temperature butter (trust us here, it makes it so much easier to whip) to a stand mixer with the cookie butter and whip until smooth. Then, add powdered sugar to thicken the buttercream to the desired consistency and flavor with additional salt and vanilla extract. Besides sheet cakes, this buttercream is also an excellent addition to cupcakes.
If you want a more subdued icing, you can also add cookie butter to your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe. The tangy dairy product will subdue the sweetness and give you a more balanced frosting, which is perfect for your next carrot cake.
Make DIY cookie butter cups
We never said anything was wrong with Reese's peanut butter cups, but we will gladly try these homemade cookie butter cups instead. Moreover, getting the familiar shape of the Reese's Cup at home is easier than you'd think. The trick is to use trimmed-down grease-proof or silicon muffin tin liners to line the bottom of your tins.
Then, mix the cookie butter with some powdered sugar in a bowl and chill it before placing it in the melted chocolate. This will help the cookie butter keep its disc shape and ensure that it doesn't swirl with the melted chocolate. Be sure to always use tempered chocolate to make these candies at home because you could risk it seizing up. After your molds are shaped and filled, chill them before eating.
Flavor your homemade fudge recipe
Since we doubt your local confection shop offers cookie butter fudge, you'll have to learn to make the recipe for yourself at home. If you're making a quick fudge like the variety made with evaporated milk, sugar, and occasionally marshmallow creme, you can add the cookie butter to the mixture after everything else has been well-mixed and cooked. Like all fudge, you'll need to allocate enough time for the confection to sit and solidify before slicing it and diving in.
The trick to making perfect cookie butter fudge is to know when to pull it off the heat. You should only boil it after adding your cookie butter and remove it from the heat if you notice a film forming or when the texture resembles thickened caramel.
Infuse flavor into your cheesecake
Plain cheesecake is out, and cookie butter cheesecake is in. This ingredient can singlehandedly improve your favorite cheesecake recipe forever and give your dessert an edge at your next family gathering. The secret to making this cheesecake is to go all-out with the Lotus cookies — which includes grinding up the whole cookies and mixing them with melted butter to make a crust. It adds a crunchy texture to smooth cheesecakes and makes for a multi-dimensional, flavorful base for your cheese filling.
The cream cheese component is where the cookie butter comes in. Cookie butter can be used for both easy no-bake cheesecake recipes, as well as ones that require you to bake them in a bain marie. Start by mixing the cream cheese filling with the cookie butter until smooth. After you've completed your dessert, finish the sides of your cheesecake with crumbled cookies, and garnish the top with extra ones.
Blend it into a milkshake
Cookie butter's thick consistency makes it a star addition to milkshakes. We recommend starting with a basic vanilla ice cream because it will let the flavors of the spread take center stage. Combine the ice cream, cookie butter, and a splash of milk to thin it out in a blender and pulse until well combined. Then, add a few whole cookies and pulse for a few seconds before pouring your milkshakes into glasses and serving right away.
The trick to adding cookie butter to your milkshakes is always adding the ice cream first (so it's closest to the blade) before scooping in your sticky cookie spread. This will prevent your blender blades from getting gunked up and ensure your beverage blends smoothly.
Use it as a filling for your cinnamon rolls
You've probably never had a cinnamon roll like this one. The warm, spiced notes of ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon in the cookie butter pair so well with the flavors of a cinnamon roll — and make it a staple dish in our baking repertoire.
Once you've rolled out your cinnamon roll dough, it's time to get cracking on the filling. Layer the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon onto a sheet before topping each with a drizzle of melted cookie butter. After your cinnamon rolls have adequately baked and cooled, top them with a classic or cream cheese glaze, a drizzle of melted cookie butter, and a sprinkle of chopped Biscoff cookies. It's so decadent that we must think twice about calling it breakfast food.
Upgrade your hot chocolate recipe
There have been stranger things added to hot chocolate than cookie butter. Adding Biscoff spread to hot chocolate deepens its flavor and makes for a thicker, creamier beverage. With every sip, you'll be able to taste the caramelized, subtly spicy notes of the cookie butter paired with the nostalgic mouthfeel of hot chocolate. Compared to the sweeter Trader Joe's generic cookie butter, the Biscoff brand will give you the most full-bodied flavor. You should also go with the creamy variety since the crunchy one will leave you with soggy pieces floating around.
Add cookie butter to the hot beverage and enjoy with a sprinkle of marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream. You can also add caramel sauce and spices to make this seasonal beverage uniquely your own.
Add it to homemade ice cream
Numerous brands offer cookie butter ice cream, including Baskin-Robbins and Trader Joe's. The spiced, sugary spread makes for the perfect addition to vanilla ice cream, while crumbled cookies take the texture up a notch. You can also integrate the cookie butter into your ice cream at home by swirling it in after you've mixed together the basic ingredients (like the sugar, cream, and milk) and before you chill it to frozen perfection.
You can also turn Biscoff spread into a glorious ice cream topping by mixing it with melted coconut oil and pouring it on your favorite flavor of ice cream. The result is a nostalgic magic shell that cracks when you lightly tap it with a spoon.
Make it into a dip for fruit and crackers
Cookie butter has the perfect blend of sweetness and warming spices that will make it the star of your next fruit dip. While you can just dunk apple slices or pretzels into the jar, you can also use the spread to make a creamy dip. Cream a block of cream cheese with cookie butter, crumbled cookies, and heavy cream as needed to get a dense, thick dip perfect for serving for dessert at your next gathering. To add more texture, you can also top your dip with chocolate chips and toffee pieces.
The serving potentials for this fruit dip are endless. Stick with basic fruit, like strawberries, apples, and bananas, or go crunchy with graham crackers, Oreos, and wafer cookies. You might even just have some leftover Lotus cookies hanging around for dunking.
Schmear it on a sandwich or toast
While we will always be big proponents of unapologetically eating cookie butter straight from the jar, schmearing it onto a sandwich or toast can tone down its sweetness and act as a vehicle for other flavors. One of the best ways is to take a riff on the classic PB&J and substitute cookie butter for the nutty spread. Although grape jelly might be a go-to option for this sandwich, raspberry jam will be a much better flavor pairing. We also recommend going with sturdy bread, like a brioche, that can hold up to spreading and schmearing the thick cookie butter without tearing. You can also upgrade your fluffernutter sandwich with cookie butter.
Cookie butter can also act as a flavor boost for bland rice cakes. Add sliced banana on top, and you have a slightly sweet, fiber-packed breakfast to start your day out right.
Use it as a glaze for your baked goods
Glazes are a great way to add a tinge of flavor to your baked goods without obliterating the main elements of the dessert. You can use your cookie butter glaze for topping yeasted donuts, cookies, apple crisps, bread pudding, monkey bread, crumb cake ... the list goes on.
To make your glaze at home, add the cookie butter to a mixer with powdered sugar. Gradually add milk to help thin the mixture until it reaches a drizzling consistency. You can also tweak the flavor of the glaze by adding extra vanilla extract or salt while mixing. From there, you can pour the glaze onto your adequately cooled baked goods and wait for the glaze to set before diving in.
Swirl it into your morning bowl of oatmeal
Many folks add peanut butter to their bowl of oatmeal in the morning but fail to recognize that it always produces a claggy texture and rarely mixes into the rest of the bowl without furious stirring. Instead of adding this nutty spread, add the more mildly flavored and easily mixable cookie butter to your bowl. The cinnamon brown sugar notes of the spread are already a classic pairing for the oatmeal, and it will eliminate the need to add extra sweeteners to your dish.
Cookie butter plays well with other flavors in the oatmeal, including chopped pecans, walnuts, and seeds. While it may not be the healthiest way to start your morning off, the infusion of cookie butter in your bowl will be sure to boost your mood and give it more of a confectionary undertone.
Add it to your waffles, pancakes, and French toast
Are you on team pancakes, waffles, or French toast? Regardless of how you stand in this breakfast food rivalry, all of these staples share one thing in common: they can get a leg up from cookie butter. The easiest way to add Speculoos flavor to these dishes is to melt it down slightly and drizzle it on top. Or, dissolve the cookie butter into the wet ingredients for waffles and pancakes before stirring in your flour and leaving agents.
If you love the unadulterated flavor of cookie butter, you can also stuff your breakfast food with it. Make a French toast sandwich with cookie butter and cream cheese in the middle before dipping it in custard and pan-frying until golden brown. Don't forget to top the plate with cinnamon and an extra drizzle of cookie butter, of course.