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One Dough, Eight Delights

A magical master dough that serves as a buttery, versatile base for eight distinct cookie varieties—from spiced Speculoos to zesty Lemon Spitzbuben.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Dough Chill Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 60 (depending on size/variation)

Ingredients
  

The Master Base Dough

  • 500 g soft unsalted butter
  • 220 g granulated sugar
  • 2 packets vanilla sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 800 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • The Eight Variations Additions per 200g dough portion
  • Speculoos: 2 tsp Speculoos spice + powdered sugar for dusting.
  • Black Forest: 2 tbsp cocoa 1 tsp cookie spice, white chocolate (swirl), cherry jam (dot), dark chocolate/shavings (topping).
  • Coffee: 2 tbsp cappuccino powder + espresso/powdered sugar glaze + chocolate coffee beans.
  • Cinnamon: 1 tbsp melted butter 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon.
  • Poppy Seed: 1 tbsp poppy seeds 1 tsp orange zest + raspberry jam + white chocolate drizzle.
  • Spitzbuben: 1 tsp lemon zest + apricot jam + powdered sugar.
  • Nougat: 2 tbsp ground hazelnuts 1 tsp cookie spice + creamy nougat + melted chocolate/pearls.
  • Hazelnut: 2 tbsp hazelnut cream 1 tsp cookie spice + pralines.

Instructions
 

  • Make Master Dough: Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs and beat until combined. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until a smooth dough forms.
  • Chill: Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30–40 minutes (or overnight).
  • Divide & Flavor: Divide the dough into portions (approx. 200g each). Knead the specific variation ingredients into each portion until fully incorporated.
  • Shape & Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F) or 160°C (320°F) convection. Roll out dough on a floured surface (3–5mm thickness). Cut into desired shapes and bake on a lined tray for 8–12 minutes until set.
  • Assemble & Decorate: Allow cookies to cool completely. For sandwich varieties (Nougat, Spitzbuben, Poppy Seed), fill with jams or creams. Apply glazes, chocolate drizzles, or sugar dustings as required for each delight.

Notes

  • Consistency: If adding dry powders (like cocoa) makes a dough portion too crumbly, knead in 1 tsp of soft butter.
  • Uniformity: Use the same thickness for all cookies to ensure they bake evenly across different shapes.
  • Storage: Store jam-filled cookies separately from dry cookies to maintain crispness. Most varieties last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.