Speculoos Ribbon Ice Cream

I first fell in love with speculaas while living in The Netherlands—those crisp, caramelized cookies scented with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove were unlike anything I’d tasted before. Though the rest of our family has only visited, our Dutch and German ancestry, and our holiday traditions, have long reflected this heritage. Each Christmas, we bake homemade speculaas as part of our celebration, their aroma filling the house with warm spice and nostalgia. This ice cream captures that same spirit in a creamy, elegant dessert: a smooth vanilla–buttermilk base swirled with ribbons of cookie butter and flecked with crushed speculaas for texture and depth.

Ingredients

Ice Cream Base

• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup buttermilk (added after cooking)
• ½ cup sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch table salt
• ⅛ tsp cinnamon (optional)
• pinch nutmeg (optional)

Mix-Ins

• ⅔ cup Speculoos or Biscoff cookie butter
• ½ cup crushed speculaas or Biscoff cookies (for layering and garnish)

Directions

Make the Custard Base

In a saucepan, warm the milk, cream, sugar, salt, and optional spices over medium heat until steaming and the sugar dissolves.

Temper the Yolks

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale. Slowly temper with ½ cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly, then return all to the saucepan.

Cook the Custard

Cook gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil.

Finish & Chill

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the buttermilk. Chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Churn & Layer

Churn the chilled base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Warm the cookie butter just until pourable. As you transfer the churned ice cream to its container, alternate layers of ice cream, drizzled cookie butter, and crushed cookies. Swirl gently with a butter knife without overmixing. Freeze until firm.

Notes

Preparation

• The buttermilk brightens the flavor and balances the sweetness of the cookie butter.
• Use whole milk instead of buttermilk for a richer, sweeter ice cream.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon, clove, or ginger for extra “speculaas” aroma.
• Reserve some crushed cookies for topping—they soften over time in the ice cream.

Serving Suggestions

• Top with freshly crushed speculaas for added crunch.
• Serve with warm caramel sauce or cinnamon whipped cream.
• Excellent alongside apple pie, poached pears, or Dutch-style oliebollen.

Variations

• Cookie Butter Crunch: Toss crushed cookies with a little melted butter and freeze before layering.
• Swirl Boost: Melt an additional ¼ cup cookie butter and drizzle through the top third before freezing.
• Speculoos Latte: Add 1 tsp espresso powder to the warm custard base.

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Refrigerate the unchurned custard for up to 2 days.
• Store churned ice cream airtight for up to 1 week.
• Let soften at room temperature 5–10 minutes before serving.