Biscoff Cookies and Spreadable Speculaa

Photo: CN Digital StudioBy Lauren Salkeld, Epicurious.com

When I was a kid I was obsessed with the Biscoff cookies that several airlines gave out on flights. I hoarded the ones I got and I continue to look for them when flying.

See also: Our Ultimate Grilling and Barbecue Guide

Now that I'm older and wiser and have eaten more cookies, I realize Biscoffs are really just speculaa cookies, the lightly spiced, buttery biscuits long popular in Europe. According to the Biscoff Web site, since being discovered by an airline food supplier on a trip to Belgium in 1984, Biscoffs have gained international popularity and are enjoyed on most domestic and international airlines.

While I've never done it, you can order the cookies on Amazon or the Biscoff Web site. It's a rather civilized approach, but I prefer to keep these as my in-flight treat--there's something extra special about a sweet that's not that easy to get your hands on. That was the plan anyway and then I spotted a jar of Biscoff Spread at my local market.

See also: Healthy Veggie Burger Recipes and Tips

This sweet, creamy spread contains 57 percent Biscoff cookies so it tastes pretty much exactly like them. Despite not having any nuts or chocolate, I was immediately reminded of both peanut butter and Nutella so obviously I started spreading it on toast and chocolate, two very good partners it turns out. Next I want to try baking with it and perhaps checking out some of the recipes on this Biscoff blog.

There are other speculaa spreads on the market here and in Europe. In fact, as documented earlier this year in The New York Times, there's been a bit of a fuss over who has the rights to make the stuff.

Do you love Biscoff or speculaa cookies as much as I do? What about the spreadable form?

More from Epicurious:

• Taste Test: Salsa
• The Top 10 Must-Have Gadgets
• The World's Most Influential Chefs
• The Next Martha Stewart