5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (2024)

Published: by Caitlyn Erhardt · This post may contain affiliate links. [feast_privacy_disclosure]

Recipe Discuss

This quick and easy Cookie Butter recipe is creamy, smooth and ready in about 5 minutes. Pair this yummy cookie spread with toast, smoothies, fresh fruits and so much more.

This post was first seen onSavory Experimentswhere I am a contributor.

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (1)

Love cookies? Well, meet your next dessert and snack addiction: cookie butter! You may have heard of or even bought Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter Spread in the past, but now you can make it right at home in only 5 minutes.

This cookie spread uses minimal ingredients and you can make it using several different types of cookies. Really, this recipe is so simple even my hubs can make it (and he can barely make toast). This smooth and creamy spread pairs wonderfully with several different desserts and breakfast recipes to enjoy along with some coffee or tea.

What is Cookie Butter?

Cookie butter originated in Europe and is traditionally made with speculoos cookies that are made during the Christmas holiday season. A speculoos cookie is made with a special spice blend and similar to the American style gingersnap cookies. The cookie also grinds down extremely smooth and fine making it perfect for this recipe.

Cookie spread has been popular in Europe for many years but started reaching popularity in the USA recently thanks to Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter. Luckily, we can make this tasty treat very easily at home with a variety of cookies.

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (2)

Kitchen Tools

  • A Blender or Food Processor
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Airtight Storage Container

Ingredients

  • Cookies: Personally, my favorite cookies to use are speculoos cookies or Lotus Biscoff. You can find these cookies at most big grocery stores. If you cannot find this specific brand you can substitute in a generic brand of gingersnap or molasses cookies.
  • Milk: You can use any brand or variety of milk for this homemade cookie spread. Each will yield a slightly different flavor, but the cookie has a strong, bold flavor that the milk type really wont be noticed or have a big impact on the flavor.
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Cinnamon and Sea Salt
5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (3)

Ways to Use

Cookie butter spread is quick and easy to make and has tons of great uses. This is one of my guilty pleasures and I always try to hide it in the back of the fridge to keep it all to myself. This tactic never seems to work as my children hunt it down and devour it by the spoonful. I can't blame them though, this stuff is that delicious!

My favorite ways to eat cookie spread are:

  • With sliced apples, bananas or strawberries
  • Add into overnight oats or oatmeal
  • On toast or an English muffin
  • Spread over a speculoos cookie
  • Just strait out of the bowl with a spoon
  • Spread inside crepes
  • As a topping for waffles or pancakes
  • Add into a brownie recipe
  • In a “Peanut” Butter and Jelly sandwich (this is my son's favorite!)
  • Add to a smoothie or shakes
5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (4)

Pro Tips

Slow & Steady: To ensure that you get the perfect creamy texture for this cookie butter recipe make sure to add additional milk in very slowly. I suggest using the amount of milk the recipe calls for and blend everything together. After that if the cookie butter spread is too thick, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. If you add too much milk the texture will be soupy and not hold together like a butter or spread.

Cookie Options: I suggest using Lotus Biscoff cookies (speculoos cookies) or a generic gingersnap cookie. This will give you the classic Trader Joe’s cookie butter taste. Of course you could use virtually any cookie to make this recipe if you cannot find one of those.

Obviously, using a different cookie will yield a different flavor but there are endless tasty cookie options to explore. Some other great cookies to try making cookie butter spread are shortbread cookies, sugar cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, gooey butter cookies or peanut butter cookies.

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (5)

Common Questions

How should leftovers be stored?

Store leftover cookie butter in the fridge in an airtight container. When stored in the fridge this spread will stay good for 1-2 weeks. Before enjoyed, remove from the fridge and let come to room temperature.

Can this recipe be frozen?

Yes, this cookie spread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store the spread in freezer bags, an freezer safe container or in an ice cube tray. With the ice cube tray method you can pop out a single serving and not defrost the entire thing, which makes like super simple. Let the cookie butter come to room temperature before eating, or add frozen into a smoothie or shake.

How much cookie butter does this recipe yield?

You will get about 1 cup of cookie butter, but could be a bit more or less depending on the type of cookie you use.

Can you make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the entire Speculoos Spread ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge. The recipe stay good for weeks, so this is a great edible gift to make around the holidays.

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (6)

More Easy Desserts

Dunkaroo DipS'mores Trail MixPopcorn Mix with CandyPumpkin Dessert DipChocolate Candy Bark

I hope you love this easy cookie butter spread recipe, and find tons of tasty uses for it. If you loved and made this recipe, let me know in the comments down below!

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (7)

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe

Caitlyn Erhardt

This easy cookie butter recipe is a copycat of the classic Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter. A great quick and easy snack and ready in only 5 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, European

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 127 kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 Oz Gingersnap Cookies Preferably Lotus Biscoff
  • ¼ Cup Milk
  • 2 tablespoon Powdered Sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions

  • Combine all recipe ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend on high until a smooth paste forms. You may need to add a bit more milk depending on the cookie you use. You want to consistency to be similar to a nut butter so it is easy to spread, but not too runny.

  • Once you have the cookie butter to your desired consistency, enjoy immediately or store leftovers. Enjoy!

Notes

Cookie Suggestions: My favorite cookies to use are speculoos or Lotus Biscoff cookies. These cookies work perfectly and I recommend using them if you can find them. If you cannot find them you can use any gingersnap or molasses cookie.

Consistency Note: You may need to add a bit more milk or adjust the spices to your personal taste. I like to start out with the recipe above, blend, then adjust if needed. Depending on the cookie you use you may need a bit more or less milk.

Tried this recipe?Mention @erhardtseat!

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 12.7gProtein: 1.1gFat: 4.5gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 101mgPotassium: 4mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 7.1gCalcium: 12mgIron: 0mg

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5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (12)

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (13)

I'm Caitlyn, I love creating simple and delicious recipes for my entire family to enjoy! I hope you find some new go-to recipes and favorites for your own family and friends to enjoy! Find Out More!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Tell Me What You Think!

  1. Candice

    5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (14)
    What an easy and delicious recipe! I thought it tasted better than store-bought. Thanks for sharing. I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but followed the recipe exactly.

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      YUM! Glad this one worked well for you!

      Reply

5-Minute Cookie Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for cookie butter? ›

A few substitutes for cookie butter include peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini or cashew butter. To approximate the sweetness of cookie butter, you can experiment with mixing your preferred nut butter with honey and ground warming spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and/or ginger.

What is cookie butter made out of? ›

Simply process crumbled cookies into a fine powder, then add boiling water. This dissolves the sugar and turns the crumbs into a smooth paste. Coconut oil or butter make it spreadable and creamy, and a little honey helps perk up the flavor.

What do you put on cookie butter? ›

50 Ways To Use Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter
  1. Spread it on toast.
  2. Eat it with apple slices.
  3. Top off a fruit, granola, and yogurt breakfast parfait.
  4. Top waffles and pancakes.
  5. Mix it into homemade scones.
  6. Blend it into a milkshake.
  7. Add it to homemade Rice Krispie treats.
Apr 24, 2023

Did Trader Joe's discontinued cookie butter? ›

cookie butter was discontinued. It was one of my. favorites.

What if I don't have enough butter for cookie recipe? ›

Read on to understand how the following 15 ingredients can act as butter substitutes for different recipes and dishes.
  1. MARGARINE. Margarine is a fat that is made mostly from vegetable oil that's flavored to taste like butter. ...
  2. SHORTENING. ...
  3. OLIVE OIL & VEGETABLE OIL. ...
  4. COCONUT OIL. ...
  5. PUMPKIN PURÉE. ...
  6. APPLESAUCE. ...
  7. GREEK YOGURT. ...
  8. BANANAS.

What is a substitute for 1 cup of butter in cookies? ›

So for 1 cup of salted butter, trade 1 cup margarine or 1 cup shortening plus ½ teaspoon salt; ⅞ cup vegetable oil plus ½ teaspoon salt; or ⅞ cup lard plus ½ teaspoon salt.

What the heck is cookie butter? ›

Cookie butter (Dutch: speculoospasta, Danish: trøffelmasse) is a food paste made primarily from speculoos cookie crumbs, fat (such as vegetable oil, condensed milk or butter), flour, and sugar. The ingredients are mixed until it becomes spreadable on a sandwich.

What is the original cookie butter? ›

Lotus brand produced the original jars of cookie butter, and it's probably the most well-known maker of speculoos cookies in the United States, too. This Belgian company started baking cookies in 1932, marketing its product as a perfect companion for coffee.

What makes cookie butter flavor? ›

Cookie butter is a spread made from blending Belgian speculoos cookies, vegetable oil, cane sugar, and flour. The spread (and the cookies from which it is made) is known for its heavily spiced flavor, which comes from a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, clove, anise seed, ginger, white pepper, and cardamom.

Does cookie butter go bad? ›

When does cookie butter expire? Unopened cookie butter can last up to a year in your pantry, so long as it is stored in a cool, dry place. Once you crack the jar open, cookie butter is generally good for about two to three months. Be sure to check the manufacturer's label as it can vary.

What is Trader Joe's cookie butter? ›

It's basically a cookie, but in spreadable form.

Cookie butter is made from Speculoos cookies, which are crunchy, shortbread spice biscuits from the Netherlands and Belgium that taste faintly like gingerbread.

Is Trader Joe's cookie butter the same as Biscoff cookie butter? ›

It's true that Biscoff's and TJ's versions are not identical. TJ's spread, which topped the store's 2012 list of most popular products, has a slightly granular texture and more of a gingerbread flavor, while the Biscoff spread has a sweeter, richer taste.

What cookie did Nabisco discontinue? ›

We found another worthy substitute for your pie crusts and cheesecakes. Earlier this year, Nabisco discontinued its Famous Chocolate Wafers, one year short of the cookie's 100th anniversary.

What's in Biscoff cookie butter? ›

Ingredients. Biscoff cookies (Wheat flour, Sugar, Vegetable oils [contains one or more of soybean oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, palm oil], Brown sugar syrup, Sodium bicarbonate [leavening], Soy flour, Salt, Cinnamon], Canola oil, Sugar, Soy lecithin, Citric acid.

What can I substitute for butter in chocolate chip cookies? ›

Consider these common butter substitutes so you can keep on baking.
  1. Margarine. nitrub/Getty Images. ...
  2. Shortening. Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images. ...
  3. Olive and Vegetable Oil. Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Image. ...
  4. Coconut Oil. Inna Dodor/Getty Images. ...
  5. Vegan Butter. YelenaYemchuk/Getty Image. ...
  6. Mayonnaise. ...
  7. Pumpkin Puree. ...
  8. Applesauce.
Apr 6, 2021

Can you use regular butter for cookies? ›

You can use salted butter instead of unsalted butter if that's all you've got — especially if you're making something simple like cookies where the chemistry of adding salt in a specific amount and at a certain time won't have a meaningful impact on the outcome (as it would with yeasted bread).

Can you substitute peanut butter for cookie butter? ›

That being said: if you really like peanut butter and you're making this for yourself: go for it: the texture is about the same. I would add a bit of honey or jam to the peanut butter as well as cookie butter is a bit sweeter then peanut butter.

What is the best butter for homemade cookies? ›

Butter is also a flavor powerhouse

While The Good Batch's Anna Gordon does have a preference for European-style butter in most cases, she does say, "For cookies and cakes, where so many other ingredients are competing for flavor, I find generic American, unsalted butter, to work just fine."

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