Aldi Spekulatius Cookies (Winternacht) Review
Unequal to the hype. As are we all.
By the time I finally bought these Spekulatius spiced cookies from Aldi, they had already been hyped far and wide across the great expanse of the internet. I was, therefore, a bit disappointed to discover they don’t quite live up to the hype. But no one does. Right?
Anyway. I believe my biggest disappointment is that the “spice” taste is very minimal. I previously reviewed some other holiday spiced cookies from Aldi, including the Pfeffernüsse and Lebkuchen, and both varieties had an absolutely fabulous spiced flavor (and aroma!). I raved about it. Not so with these Spekulatius. Cruel, cruel world.
Well, let’s back up, shall we? What exactly is a Spekulatius cookie? Traditionally, these are molded shortcrust cookies spiced with “speculaas” spice mixture — ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, anise, cardamon, and black pepper (and possibly coriander). These are some of my favorite spices, so I was awash with greedy anticipation.
Unfortunately, the taste just wasn’t there.
Although thin, these cookies are wonderfully crisp and crunchy. Bland, but cronchy. They are only lightly sweet. In fact, these are probably the “least sweet” Aldi cookies I have tried so far. Even without the spice flavor, I hoped they might have a rich molasses or brown sugary taste. But no. They’re just not flavorful in any direction. Alas. Not even a buttery taste. They taste like flour and sugar, mainly.
(Did I get a bad bag? Is that even possible? That doesn’t seem possible! It can’t be.)
There are four different patterns in the bag. One of them is a windmill. I have no idea what the other three might represent. It’s like trying to see pictures in the clouds. Ok, maybe not that bad, but they are fairly vague. One of them might be a dude carrying a bag — is it Saint Nick, or a homeless backpacker? Florida Man? If you know what these are, send me a message so I can stop wallowing in my ignorance.
My cookies definitely tasted fresh (but not spicy) and they were crisp and unbroken. The bag doesn’t have inner compartments, so I don’t expect that crispness to last very long here in soggy Florida. Crispy cookies come here to die a humid death. I stored mine in an additional ziplock bag to delay the inevitable. If Aldi wanted to absolutely thrill the Floridians, I suggest packing these cookies into 2-4 smaller, plastic-sealed bundles inside the printed bag. It would make our little muggy hearts go pitter-pat.
Ingredients in Aldi Winternacht Spekulatius Cookies
This is one of the most beautifully simple and clean ingredient lists I have seen on mass produced cookies in quite a while. Well done, Aldi!
Here are the ingredients:
- Wheat Flour
- Sugar
- Vegetable Oil (Palm)
- Caramelized Sugar Syrup
- Spices
- Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate)
- Salt
The only thing that might make me happier is seeing butter on the ingredient list, instead of palm oil. I still prefer palm oil over unsaturated vegetable oils like Soybean, Cottonseed, or Canola, however.
These Spekulatius cookies are imported from Germany.
Nutrition Facts in Aldi Winternacht Spekulatius Cookies
A serving of 3 cookies has a modest 150 calories and only 8 grams of sugar. There’s a decent 6 grams of fat, and a token 2 grams of protein.
Price and Shelf-life of Aldi Winternacht Spekulatius Cookies
My 21.16 ounce bag cost $3.49 at my local Aldi. There are 20 servings per bag of 3 cookies each, so each serving costs a frugal 17 cents. I found these cookies in stock around November and December.
The expiration date on my bag allowed me approximately 6 months to consume.
Bonus Serving Ideas
If you get tired of eating these cookies as-is (or you just don’t like them very much), you can dip them in white, dark, or milk chocolate and decorate with toppings.
I used chopped dried cranberries, raisins, pecans, star-shaped fruit snacks, chocolate sprinkles, crushed peppermint candy, etc.
The End.
Update: it turns out my sister loves these cookies (although she didn’t try any from this bag), and she has ordered me to recant my heresies, or else face serious consequences. I shan’t.
More Reviews of Holiday Foods You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other reviews of Holiday foods I’ve recently written:
- Cracker Barrel Thanksgiving Turkey Feast
- Costco Pumpkin Cheesecake
- The Fresh Market Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Costco Pumpkin Spice Loaf Cake
- Aldi Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cheesecake
- Costco Pumpkin Pie
- Aldi Soft Gingerbread (Winternacht)
- Costco Pecan Pie
Author’s note: I have no affiliation with Aldi, and I was not compensated in any way for this review.
