Original Karamelgebäck Creme Cupcakes
Enjoy a taste of Belgium with these Original Karamelgebäck Creme (aka Cookie Butter, Speculoos and Biscoff) Cupcakes made from the creamy, rich caramel spread from the Lotus Bakery! You've heard of Cookie Butter, right? Trader Joes sells it. It's also been called Speculoos, Biscoff or Karamelgebäck Creme. Well, that Cookie Butter is a knock-off of the...
Enjoy a taste of Belgium with these Original Karamelgebäck Creme (aka Cookie Butter, Speculoos and Biscoff) Cupcakes made from the creamy, rich caramel spread from the Lotus Bakery!
You've heard of Cookie Butter, right? Trader Joes sells it. It's also been called Speculoos, Biscoff or Karamelgebäck Creme. Well, that Cookie Butter is a knock-off of the creamy, caramel cookie spread made by The Lotus Bakery from Belgium! The Original Karamelgebäck Creme is a spread made from their popular Lotus Bakeries caramel cookie (often called a Biscoff cookie) that is commonly served in restaurants and hotels in Europe with coffee. It's similar to peanut butter or Nutella in it's uses, but the flavor is so distinct.
I've had a few jars of in my pantry for a few weeks now. Before then, the only time I could get this delicious cookie spread was when the cute lttle old man from Belgium would come to the PX on post and set up a booth to sell his beers, cheeses and the Speculoos.... at €8 a jar. So, when the local grocery store was selling them for €3, I picked up a few jars. And, I was lucky enough to get a Choco Speculoos too!
Back in the USA, this spread is known as Cookie Butter and can be found at stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. But, I've heard stories from a few of my readers that it's a hot commodity and is even rationed in some places and VERY expensive. So if you can get your hands on a jar... savor EVERY BITE, because it's unlike anything you've ever had before!
With this spread, I made Original Karamelgebäck Creme Cupcakes. The base of the cupcake is dense, moist and full of the sweet caramel flavor of the Biscoff cookie. The frosting is made with the Choco Speculoos and is so light and fluffy. I could have eaten this frosting by the spoonful. Oh, who I am kidding. I totally did eat it by the spoonful. Topping this cupcake is crushed Biscoff cookies, which I think adds the perfect little crunch to the cupcake!
It's like a Belgian explosion in my mouth with each bite of this cupcake. SO GOOD!
Don't worry though, if you can't find Original Karamelgebäck Creme in any stores in the USA, just run to Trader Joes and try to find cookie butter. And the Choco Speculoos... you probably won't find that in the USA either, but you could use Nutella or more Original Karamelgebäck Creme and add some cocoa powder.
Enjoy!
If you like these cupcakes, check out the Chocolate cupcakes with Biscoff Milka Cream Cheese Frosting I made last year!
Original Karamelgebäck Creme Cupcakes
Ingredients
Original Karamelgebäck Creme Cupcakes
- ¾ cups flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup Original Karamelgebäck Creme (aka Biscoff, Cookie Butter or Speculoos)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs
Choco Speculoos Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup Choco Speculoos (any chocolate spread could be substituted)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Karamelgebäck cookies (Speculoos cookies), crushed - for garnish
Instructions
Original Karamelgebäck Creme Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar on low speed.
- Add the butter, peanut butter, milk and vanilla and mix on medium high speed until the batter is smooth - about 30 seconds.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. Scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl the ensure everything is combined. NOTE: The batter may appear to have lumps of butter in it... no worries, they will melt and bake into the cupcakes perfectly!
- Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Choco Speculoos Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and Choco Speculoos until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
- Mix in the salt.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add ¼ cup of the heavy whipping cream and beat until smooth. Check the consistency, if you want it looser, add more cream. Once it's the consistency you want, beat on high for 2 minutes or until the color lightens.
Assembly
- Using a Wilton 1M closed star tip fitted on a piping bag, pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake.
- Garnish the top of the frosting with crushed Karamelgebäck cookies.
How have I never heard of cookie butter???!!! Thank you introducing me to it! I clearly need it in my life - it looks delicious 🙂
Oh yes. You definitely need it in your life. We all do. tee hee hee 😀
WOWSER! I love the original cookies! I remember not long ago the only place to find these sweet bites was on an airplane! They were always served as a snack if my memory is correct?!?!?! I would always ask for seconds and thirds, saving at least one package for later. Sooooo glad I will NOW be able to enjoy cookies in a CUPCAKE! I am having some peeps over for dinner this week and now I know what is for dessert! THANKS.
Sweet! 🙂 Take pictures and let me know how they turn out for you Jacqui!! <3
SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!!!
These look amazing! Sooo yummy. 🙂 And such pretty piping!
Our Kaiser's had Speculoospasta for about 6 weeks and then discontinued it. I think that was in April or so. They said it was a one time deal. We're thinking it didn't sell that well and so they got rid of it. Can you still find it? The label was written all in German so they must be selling it somewhere! I would have bought it all if I knew they were going to do this. Boo. 🙁
Our local EDEKA sells it now... and when the guy from Belgium comes to the PX, he has it too. BUT, Edeka has it for €2.99 a jar and the Belgium guy sells it for €8.99 a jar. LOL I buy it at EDEKA. 🙂
Thanks for the answer! Our Edekas don't have it so my German husband called around and found out that Real has it. Yay! Thanks so much. 🙂
Fantastic! I'm so glad you were able to find it! I can send you some too if you need more... APO to APO is FREE! <3
I recently managed to get a bottle of this... been looking for the perfect recipe to try it out on, I only get one or two chances tops! This is perfect, thanks!
Let me know how the recipe works out for you!! xoxo Take pictures of your cupcakes!
Wow- I just published a post on cookie butter frosting right before seeing this! How funny. I loove cookie butter 🙂
Cookie Butter = AMAZING
These pieces of heaven are AMAZING!!! They are off the charts DELISH!!! I made mini cupcakes, mini bundt cakes and with the little bit of frosting that i had left over, I made FROSTING SHOTS!!!
Oh sweet!! I'm so glad you love the recipe!! Did you take pictures? I'd love to see the mini bundts!!
<3 Betsy
The cookies and the spread are readily available on my grocery shelf and they give it out for free at the registration for marathons here. I have several jars and can't wait to try this recipe.
Just FYI, you can get BIscoff spread at Wal-Mart and Albertson's here in Louisiana. If you want to pay a couple bucks more you can get it at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. 😉
Great info, Angie! Thank you! <3
I made this recipe and I loved it, but I have a question .. in the recipe the amount of flour is correct?.'s Mine deflated when out of the oven and thought it was lead by as little flour .
Hi Wale - Did you check the temperature of your oven? Maybe the temp was too low? Also, did you happen to overmix the batter? Over-mixing can cause the cupcakes to deflate. Check those two things and try again... let me know if you get a different outcome! 🙂
This is by far the best cookie butter recipe I've tried! Thank you so much, they are amazing!!!
Yay, Bridgette! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe... that makes me so happy! <3 Happy Baking!
Oh my gosh! This takes me back home, Hanau Germany. My Oma used to make something like this and I always wanted know she done it, and you got it! I love this recipe! Thanks for taking me home.
That sounds delicious! You even could add a small hint (1 tablespoon) of very dark coffee to the buttercream. Promise you, this will stun you.
They (the factory) even has some ideas for savory usage of their products:
In Belgian shops (lucky me 🙂 their products can be found in all supermarkets.
Mine just came out of the oven! I have a question though, the recipe calls for quite a bit of liquid and my batter was way too runny, and I was thinking if it's supposed to be in that consistency? Because of that, the texture actually came out a little weird ): Still taste good nonetheless! (:
How do you mean the texture was weird? Can you elaborate more please?
I just made these and they are Fabulous!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!