Speculoos Tiramisu With Biscoff Spread

Quick Summary: Speculoos tiramisu is a no-bake twist on the Italian classic, layering coffee-soaked ladyfingers and speculoos cookies with a Biscoff mascarpone cream and a cookie crumble on top. It comes together in about 30 minutes, plus chilling time, and you can make it a day ahead.

What is speculoos tiramisu?

Known as tiramisu aux spéculoos in French, this dessert swaps the cocoa dusting of a classic tiramisu for the warm, caramelized spice of Lotus Biscoff cookies. If you enjoy the brand's flavor, it pairs well with a Lotus Biscoff cake in any speculoos baking lineup.

A Dutch version made with speculaas cookies is sometimes called speculaas tiramisu, while a festive gingerbread tiramisu, made with gingerbread cookies, is popular around Christmas.

Why you'll love this recipe

• No baking needed. This quick no-bake dessert comes together in about 30 minutes, much like a classic Italian tiramisu.
• Make-ahead friendly. Best prepared the night before, so it is handy for parties and gatherings.
• Big Biscoff flavor. The Lotus caramel spice pairs well with other treats, like a Lotus Biscoff cake.
• Easy to adapt. Swap the ladyfingers for these ladyfinger substitutes, and enjoy that it is alcohol-free and egg-free.
• Loved by everyone. Kids and adults both enjoy it, and it pairs well with a fruity strawberry tiramisu in a glass on a dessert table.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Ladyfingers (sometimes spelled lady fingers) or savoiardi biscuits are classic cookies used to make various tiramisu variations. Opt for Italian ladyfingers from Forno Bonomi, Balocco, or Matilde Vicenzi brands. These are crispy, not cake-style cookies.

• Biscoff cookies or speculoos biscuits add a spicy, caramel flavor to this speculoos dessert. Read the recipe variations for alternating layers of ladyfingers and Biscoff biscuits.

• Espresso coffee is the key ingredient of authentic Italian tiramisu. Choose real espresso made with an espresso machine, or pick it up at a local coffee shop. The coffee should be cold before dipping savoiardi biscuits to prevent them from going to mush. If desired, you can sweeten your espresso. For the best tiramisu experience, try to avoid instant coffee.

• Biscoff spread or speculoos cookie butter, with its unique, rich sweetness, is what you need to whip up the Biscoff whipped cream.

• Whipping cream: Choose whipping cream with 30% fat content at maximum. It is enough to pair with mascarpone and Biscoff spread to make a stable whipped cream. Try to avoid heavy cream with a fat content higher than 30%.

• Mascarpone cheese is another key ingredient of classic tiramisu. If you live in the United States, opt for Italian cream cheese from Galbani, Bel Giosi, or Vermont Creamery.

Pro tip: Use extra-fresh eggs and mascarpone (with an extended expiration date).

• Lotus Biscoff crumble (store-bought) tops the dessert. You can crush speculoos cookies instead.

Recipe variations & substitutions

• Use decaf coffee if you want to avoid any caffeine in your tiramisu. Or use fruit juice or milk to dip Lotus and spoon cookies.

• Replace traditional ladyfingers with Italian pavesini biscuits or gluten-free ladyfingers for those who are gluten-intolerant. Swap Lotus cookies for speculaas or gingerbread cookies.

• Alternate tiramisu layers in the way you desire: two ladyfinger layers and a layer of biscuits; two speculoos layers and one of the ladyfingers; three layers of speculoos cookies or two ladyfingers.

• Sprinkle your speculoos tiramisu with Lotus Biscoff crumble. You can also drizzle with warm Biscoff butter if desired. A dusting of cocoa powder is optional.

• You can experiment with tiramisu cups and serve the dessert individually.

How to make speculoos tiramisu with Biscoff

Step 1: Prepare a strong coffee and cool it in the refrigerator. Choose an 8-inch/20 cm porcelain cake pan or another tiramisu dish of your choice.

Pro Tip: To recalculate the amount of ingredients for a dish you have on hand, please use this simple cake pan calculator.

Step 2: To make Biscoff whipped cream, place the cold whipping cream, cold mascarpone, and Biscoff cookie butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat at low speed (photo 1).

Extra Tip: Don't over-whisk the cream; because of the ingredients' high-fat content, it whisks quickly. Watch out for the cream's texture!

Step 3: To assemble speculoos tiramisu, pour the cold espresso into a shallow bowl.

Step 4: Quickly dip the ladyfingers (counting 1, 2, 3) into the coffee and place them in the prepared dish to create a base. Using a serrated knife, cut sponge cookies if necessary. Try to arrange cookies in one direction (photo 2).

Step 5: Top each layer of ladyfingers with ⅓ Biscoff cream, then smooth with the back of a tablespoon or a rubber spatula.

Step 6: Dip speculoos cookies one by one into the cold coffee and arrange the Biscoff layer (cut cookies if necessary) into the pan (photo 3). Cover with another layer of mascarpone cream.

Step 7: Repeat the layer of ladyfingers, then finish with the cream filling. Smooth the surface with a spatula, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Step 8: Before serving, sprinkle the dessert with Biscoff cookie crumbs or crushed speculoos cookies (photo 4).

Expert Tips

• Use an electric mixer instead of a stand mixer.
• Dip one sponge cookie at a time. Count 1, 2, 3 (about 2 seconds) for the best results. You can test the spoon biscuit by dipping it in coffee and bending it in half. The cookie's center must remain somewhat dry. 
• Place the biscuits face down (flat side down) on the bottom of the dish, though it is up to you.
• If you choose to sprinkle your dessert with unsweetened cocoa powder, do this before serving.

How to serve speculoos tiramisu

Serve speculoos tiramisu well chilled, straight from the fridge, with an extra dusting of Biscoff crumbs on top. Scoop it into bowls or slice it from the dish, and pair it with a coffee or an espresso to echo the flavors. For a dinner party, spoon single portions into small glasses ahead of time.

Storing & freezing

Store Biscoff Lotus tiramisu covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. For best results, make it the night before, or at least 4 hours before serving.

Enjoy the dessert within 24-48 hours. To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container and keep them for no longer than 2 days.

Can you freeze speculoos tiramisu? Yes, absolutely. Wrap the dessert (without crumble on top) in cling film twice, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for 2 weeks. To thaw, let it stay in the fridge for at least 2 hours, then sprinkle with crushed cookies.

Recipe FAQ

Should you serve tiramisu cold?
Tiramisu should be served chilled. After serving, return the remaining dessert to the refrigerator to keep it firm.

What goes well with tiramisu?
A cup of espresso perfectly goes with tiramisu. Passito wines also make an ideal pairing for this dessert, such as Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria, Moscato Rosa Schweizer, and Collezione di Famiglia Zibibbo.

Should you cover tiramisu?
Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap or the airtight lid that comes with the dish it is made in.

How long does tiramisu last?
Tiramisu lasts for 24 to 48 hours, depending on the method used to make the dessert (raw eggs or "cooked" eggs).

Can you freeze tiramisu?
You can freeze tiramisu, well wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil, for 2 weeks.

What are speculoos cookies?
Speculoos are thin, crisp Belgian spiced cookies flavored with cinnamon and caramelized sugar. Lotus Biscoff is the best-known brand, and it uses the same dough as Biscoff cookie butter spread.

Is speculoos the same as Biscoff?
Biscoff is a brand of speculoos cookies made by Lotus. So all Biscoff cookies are speculoos, but not every speculoos cookie is branded Biscoff. In this recipe, you can use either.

Love Tiramisu? Try these next!

If you are a fan of the tiramisu dessert, you will want to give authentic Italian tiramisu and other tasty variations:

• Limoncello Tiramisu
• Fig Tiramisu In A Cup
• Tiramisu Torte

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.