This incredibly decadent Baked Speculoos Cheesecake is the perfect dessert to make for a special occasion - or when you just want to treat yourself! With this recipe, you will get both the caramelised spiced flavour of traditional Speculoos cookies and the dense creaminess from a classic baked cheesecake.
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Why we love this recipe
This Speculoos Cheesecake is very close to my heart as it is one of the few classic dessert from my home country, Belgium, where Speculoos Cookies originate from. But more than a nostalgic dessert, this recipe is all about the incredibly comforting spiced, caramelised flavours and typical crunch of Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies.
With a crunchy Biscoff Cookie Crust, a Cheesecake batter made with Biscoff Spread and a thick layer of Biscoff Spread and Crushed Cookies to finish it, this cheesecake is seriously decadent and a must try if you are a Speculoos lover like me. And why not try these Mini Biscoff Cheesecakes for a mini version or No Bake Biscoff Cheesecake?!
And the crushed Speculoos Cookies also used for the crust of my Passion Fruit and Raspberry Cheesecake bring so much flavour and texture to this dessert... It is fair to say it is my favourite type of cookie crust ever!
What are Speculoos or Biscoff Cookies
You may have only heard of Lotus Biscoff Cookies, but the original name for these biscuits are Speculoos (or Speculaas). They are are classic Belgian and Dutch Spiced Shortbread Cookies that are traditionally eaten around Christmas Time (or St Nicholas Day in Belgium and the Netherlands).
These Cookies have a delicious caramelised brown sugar (or beet sugar) and spiced flavour that can be compared to gingerbread. They are often given original shapes or patterns like a windmill or the figure of St Nicholas with special rolling pins or cookie stamps.
Different Spices are used to make these traditional cookies depending on the brand and country of origin (Belgium or Netherlands), but they usually are a mix of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and/or Cardamom.
You can read more about the origin of Speculoos here.
Ingredients
This biscoff cheesecake recipe is made out of 7 ingredients only, a few of them used multiple times in different layers of the cake:
- Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies: different brands will have different size of cookies so I recommend using the measurement in weight here, but otherwise I used about 25 Speculoos Cookies.
- Butter: unsalted and melted
- Cream Cheese: your regular Cheesecake Cream Cheese that comes in a block - not a cream cheese spread. Only use full fat cream cheese, a light cream cheese will not give you good results. Also make sure it is at room temperature.
- Greek Yogurt: many cheesecakes use Sour Cream in addition to Cream Cheese, but I personally prefer to use Yogurt instead. I find it gives the cake a much lighter texture! Sour Cream or Natural Yogurt can be used instead if needed.
- Sugar: I used a simple Caster Sugar (Fine White Sugar). The Biscoff Spread is quite sweet on its own, so you don't need to add much sugar here.
- Eggs: medium size, at room temperature
- Speculoos Spread: also sometimes called Lotus Biscoff Spread or Cookie Butter Spread. I used it both inside the cheesecake batter and as a topping.
You could also add a little bit of Vanilla Extract to the cheesecake mixture if you want.
How to make Biscoff Cheesecake step by step
There are three steps in this recipe: make the cheesecake crust with Biscoff Cookies, prepare the Speculoos Spread Cheesecake Batter and finish it with a thick layer of Biscoff Spread and Crushed Speculoos Cookies!
Speculoos Crust
The crust is very simply made out of two ingredients, like many other cheesecakes: crushed cookies and melted butter. You can crush the cookies in a food processor like I did, or simply by hands. You will get a more even crumb with a food processor though.
- Photo 1: First, crush your Speculoos / Lotus Biscoff Biscuits into a very fine crumb. You can keep larger crumb for more texture if you want, but it will hold together better when crushed finely.
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- Photo 2: Add the Melted Butter and pulse until it gets a thick wet sand consistency.
- Photo 3: Transfer the biscoff cookie crumbs inside a 24 cm / 9 inch Springform Pan that has been lined with baking paper both on the bottom and the sides (or very well greased).
- Photo 4: Using the back of a spoon or a cup, very firmly pack the crumbs to create an even layer. Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
If making the crust by hands, you can crush the cookies by placing them in a plastic ziplock or freezing bag and using a rolling pin to smash the cookies. Transfer into a mixing bowl, add the melted butter and use a spatula to mix it together until you get the desired consistency.
Biscoff Cheesecake Filling
While the crust is chilling, start preparing the cookie butter cheesecake.
- Preheat your oven on 150'C / 300'F.
- Photo 5: Place the Cream Cheese, Greek Yogurt and Speculoos/Biscoff/Cookie Butter Spread in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your mixer). It is very important for all of those ingredients to be at room temperature to avoid lumps (*)
- Photo 6: Using a hand mixer (or in your stand mixer), whisk together the ingredients on medium speed until completely smooth, fluffy and no lumps remain. Try to over-mix it as you don't want to add too much air into the batter.
- Photo 7 & 8: Add the Caster Sugar and mix until combined.
(*) The spread can be melted for a few seconds in the microwave to be more fluid if needed.
- Photo 9 & 10: Add the Eggs, one at the time, mixing well between each eggs. The cheesecake batter should be smooth and fluid.
- Photo 11 & 12: Pour the speculoos cheesecake batter over the chilled crust, then use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to spread it out and smooth out the top.
- Tap the Springform Pan against a hard surface or your kitchen counter a few times. This is to pop any large air bubbles that might be trapped into the batter that could make the cheesecake crack or collapse in the oven.
- Place on the lowest rack of your oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cheesecake has set. To check if it is set, gently move the pan back and forth in the oven; the cheesecake shouldn't jiggle in the centre.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside the oven to cool down naturally for about an hour. Then take out of the oven and leave to fully cool down at room temperature. When cool, transfer the cheesecake to the fridge. This is to avoid cracking or collapsing that can be caused by a sudden change of temperature. Leave to set for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
- If you want to finish the lotus biscoff cheesecake like mine, leave it to chill in the fridge for about an hour. Then melt more Biscoff Spread in the microwave (it needs to be very liquid/fluid) and pour it over the cheesecake. Use a small offset spatula to push the spread towards the edges and create a drip effect. Finish with some crushed Speculoos Cookies.
You could also make some whipped cream (either plain or with vanilla flavorings for example) for an even more decadent speculoos cheesecake - if that's possible!
Tips to make the perfect baked cheesecake without a water bath
- All the ingredients need to be at room temperature - especially the Cream Cheese, Spread and Eggs. This is the best way to insure all the ingredients get mixed evenly without any lumps.
- Don't over-whisk the cheesecake batter. As opposed to a no-bake cheesecake that needs to be airy, you don't want to add too much air into a baked cheesecake as it could make it collapse or crack in the oven - or get large holes inside the cake.
- Tap your cheesecake over a hard surface to pop any large air bubbles before baking it. Again, this is to help get a perfect crack-free and smooth cheesecake. You can also use a small skewer to pop any air bubbles that could come out to the surface after tapping it.
- Bake it low and slow. This is simply the best way to get a great cheesecake texture and avoid any cracks. Always bake your cheesecake on the lowest rack of your oven and at low temperature.
- Leave the cheesecake to cool down in the turned off oven for about an hour instead of at room temperature. Any sudden change of temperature will make your cheesecake potentially collapse. Once the cheesecake temperature has dropped, take it out of the oven to finish cooling down at room temperature then transfer into the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Basically, yes. Biscoff is the branded name given to Speculoos Cookies by the Belgian company Lotus when they started to commercialise their traditional Speculoos Cookies outside of Europe.
The proper (traditional) name is Speculoos or Speculaas, and Biscoff is a Lotus branded name for these types of cookies.
Biscoff Cookies - or Speculoos / Speculaas Cookies combine a special kind of caramelised dark brown sugar made from beets ("vergeoise brune") and a mix of spices that can vary based on the region. The spice mix usually contains Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and/or Cardamom.
Speculoos Cookies are sometimes compared to gingerbread, although they have a deeper caramelised flavour that is more intensely spiced.
Again, basically yes - it all comes down to the traditional Belgian/Dutch name (Speculoos /Speculaas Spread) vs a branded or internationalised name. But they overall all refer to a similar type of spiced spread made from crushed Speculoos cookies.
Biscoff Spread is the specific name for the Lotus product, Cookie Butter is more widely used by other international/american brands and Speculoos Spread is the name given in most parts of Europe.
I have tried both method for this recipe (in a water bath and on its own) and found the texture to be much much nicer without the water bath. I personally do not recommend baking it in a water bath.
Storing & Freezing
This Speculoos Cheesecake will last for up to 3 days in the fridge. Make sure to cover it with wrap or foil to avoid absorbing any odours from the fridge.
I do not recommend freezing this biscoff cheesecake.
Recipe
Speculoos Cheesecake (Baked Biscoff Cheesecake)
Ingredients
Speculoos / Biscoff Crust
- 250 gr Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies, about 25 cookies
- 100 gr Unsalted Butter, melted
Speculoos / Biscoff Cheesecake Batter
- 500 gr Cream Cheese, at room temperature
- 200 gr Greek Yogurt, at room temperature
- 150 gr Speculoos / Biscoff Spread, or Cookie Butter Spread
- 50 gr Brown Sugar, or fine white sugar
- 2 large Eggs, at room temperature
Toppings
- 150 gr Speculoos / Biscoff Spread, or Cookie Butter Spread
- 4 Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies, lightly crushed
Instructions
Speculoos / Biscoff Crust
- Grease and Line a 24 cm / 9 inch Springform Pan with Baking Paper on both the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Finely crush the Speculoos/Biscoff Cookies in your food processor (see note 1 to make by hands) until you get thin crumbs. Add the melted Butter and pulse to combine. It should ressemble thick wet sand.
- Transfer the crumbs inside the Springform pan and very firmly pack them using the back of a spoon or a cup. Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Speculoos / Biscoff Cheesecake Batter
- Preheat your oven on 150'C/300'F.
- Place the Cream Cheese, Greek Yogurt and Biscoff Spread in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined and no lumps remain using an electric or stand mixer (see note 2).
- Add the Brown Sugar and whisk until combined.
- Mix in the Eggs, one at the time, until smooth and lump-free. Do not over-mix.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the chilled crust and use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
- Bake on the lowest rack of your oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until set (see note 3). Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool down inside the oven for about an hour. Remove from the oven and leave to finish cooling down at room temperature, then transfer in the fridge (see note 4).
Toppings
- Once the cheesecake is completely cool (at least 1 hour in the fridge), melt the Speculoos / Biscoff Spread in the microwave for a few seconds to get it very liquid/fluid. Pour it over the cheesecake and use a small offset spatula to push the spread towards the edges of the cheesecake and drip over.
- Coarsly crush the Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies and sprinkle around the edges of the cake.
- Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Notes
- Different brands of Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies will have a different size cookie - so I recommend weighting them for more accuracy.
- All ingredients for the cheesecake batter need to be at room temperature to easily mix.
- The Greek Yogurt can be replaced by Natural Yogurt or Sour Cream if required, although I highly recommend using Yogurt for a lighter cake texture.
- The crust can be made by hands as well. Place the cookies in a ziplock or freezing bag and use a rolling pin to crush them finely. Transfer into a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter with a spatula.
- If needed, melt the Spread in the microwave for a few seconds so it is fluid. Do not over-whisk the ingredients, we do not want to add to much air into the batter. Stop mixing as soon as no lumps remain and the batter is fluffy and fluid.
- To know the cheesecake is set, gently move the pan back and forth in the oven and see if the centre jiggles. If not, the cheesecake is ready. Try avoid opening the oven door too many times as it could make the cheesecake collapse. If the cheesecake seem to be browning or burning quickly, lower the oven temperature slightly.
- All these steps are to avoid any cracks or collapse of the cheesecake once it is baked. In most cases, cheesecake collapse or crack because of a sudden temperature change, so you want to let it cool down very slowly.
Nutrition (per serving)
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