Speculoos Tiramisu Cups

Speculoos tiramisu cups are a delicious twist on the classic tiramisu recipe. They feature a layer of velvety mascarpone cream and, in between, the rich, coffee-soaked, and spiced allure of Belgian speculoos (biscoff) cookies. This simple-to-make yet so delightful speculoos treat might easily become one of your favorite desserts.

Delicious tiramisu cups with spiced cookies

Tiramisu, the iconic Italian dessert, was born in the 1960s in Italy’s Veneto region. Its name means “pick me up,” which makes perfect sense for a dessert made with coffee – it really does lift your spirits!

These tiramisu cups bring together the classic creamy layers with the cozy flavor of speculoos cookies. The cookies are lightly soaked in coffee and layered with a rich, velvety cream. The result is a dessert that tastes just like traditional tiramisu, but with that wonderful sweet warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger from the speculoos.

You might wonder if these are the same as biscoff cookies? Well, almost.

In the 1930s, Belgian baker Jan Boone made his own version called Lotus Speculoos, which later became the famous Biscoff cookie. By the 1980s, Biscoff had reached America and quickly became a favorite. While traditional Speculoos is gently spiced, Biscoff has a sweeter, caramelized flavor that makes it so irresistible.

And which ones are better for tiramisu cups? The answer is both!

Why you’ll adore these tiramisu cups

• We tried and tested a recipe for biscoff tiramisu a few times, and this variation proved to be the best. Tiramisu cups will stand firm as a rock—this recipe is foolproof and ensures they won’t fall apart, as they often do.
• They’re easy to make, similar to simple cheesecakes that use cookies as a base, like dandelion cake, chocolate blueberry cake and spruce tip mini cakes, these cups require no baking, and take only about 20 minutes to make.
• They can be prepared in advance; the truth is, the longer they sit in the refrigerator, the tastier they get.
• This recipe will leave exactly two dirty bowls, a blender and one dirty tablespoon behind. That’s it. No messy kitchen, no pile of dirty dishes.
• You can use the same recipe to make tiramisu cups with any cookies.
• You can make them eggless, sugarless or vegan.

The ingredients you’ll need

SPECULOOS COOKIES – Speculoos cookies you can find in any supermarket around the EU. However, if you live in the US or elsewhere, opt for Lotus Biscoff cookies.

The best thing about this recipe is that you can make this tiramisu with practically any kind of cookie. So if you don’t have speculoos cookies at home, don’t run to the shop; use what you’ve got.

MASCARPONE CHEESE – The original tiramisu recipe calls for mascarpone. A good substitute for mascarpone can be cream cheese. Make sure your cheese is cold before mixing it with other ingredients.

EGGS – Eggs are separated into yolk and egg white and combined with mascarpone in the authentic Italian recipe. You can do this with raw or pasteurized eggs.

COFFEE – When choosing coffee for Speculoos tiramisu, avoid instant coffee; opt for quality black coffee or espresso made in an espresso machine.

SUGAR – Sugar in the recipe can be replaced with a sweetener like erythritol or another. In fact, tiramisu with Biscoff cookies won’t require much sugar, since the cookies are already sweet.

COCOA POWDER – Cocoa powder adds a rich, decadent chocolate flavor to the Speculoos tiramisu recipe.

ORANGE ZEST – It’s best to use organic oranges for the best quality. Wash and dry the oranges, then use a microplane zester or a grater to zest the peel. Think of it as a tiny burst of sunshine.

RUM – A tablespoon of Marsala or rum comes from the original Italian recipe; however, if you don’t like alcohol in your tiramisu, it will still taste great if you skip it.

WHIPPING CREAM (optional) – Although the authentic recipe doesn’t call for it, we find that adding some on top isn’t a bad idea. If you don’t want to use raw eggs, whipping cream is a good substitute for egg whites.

Easy speculoos tiramisu cups recipe

COOK THE COFFEE AND PREPARE THE CREAM

STEP 1: Start by brewing your coffee. Once it’s ready, let it cool to room temperature. If you’re using rum, stir it into the coffee now and set it aside.

STEP 2: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks start to form. Gradually add half of the sugar and continue whisking for another two to three minutes, until the mixture becomes firm and glossy.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light, pale, and fluffy.

STEP 3: Add the mascarpone (or cream cheese) to the yolk mixture a spoonful at a time, mixing gently with a whisk or spatula until smooth. Then slowly fold in the whipped egg whites. Be gentle – no electric mixer, just your hand and a light touch.

Finally, stir in the orange zest and a spoonful of rum or Marsala. The alcohol adds a lovely aroma, but if you prefer, you can skip it – the tiramisu will still be delicious.

ASSEMBLE THE TIRAMISU

STEP 4: At this point, you probably think you don’t even need to read further; we all know how to make tiramisu. Now you just dip the cookies into coffee, assemble the tiramisu in a bowl, chill it in the fridge, and that’s it, right? Wrong.

What’s ironic about this tiramisu Speculoos recipe is that I made it three times. The first time I was thinking oh no, these cookies will be too wet if I dip them in the coffee; let’s just skip the coffee, and it will turn out fine.

Well, it did. Somehow. But tiramisu ain’t tiramisu without coffee. You can then call it cookies with cream, but that’s not tiramisu Speculoos.

So the second time, I dipped the cookies into nicely smelling coffee, assembled it as usual when it comes to tiramisu, and there we go.

Wrong again. This is what happened:

A very tasty but very sticky and wet cookie layer mixed with the cream. It was falling down in the middle because it had no solid structure.

The secret came on the third try. Here’s what works best:

Take half of your Speculoos cookies and pulse them in a blender for a few seconds. You don’t want crumbs, just small chunky pieces.

STEP 5: Transfer those crushed cookies to a bowl and mix with four tablespoons of coffee. You’ll get a soft, slightly sticky mixture.

STEP 6: Now blend the remaining cookies the same way (small chunks, not powder) and combine them with the soaked mixture. You’ll end up with the perfect balance: moist, flavorful cookies that still have a bit of crunch.

STEP 7: It’s easiest to assemble this tiramisu in glasses or dessert cups, but you can use a pan if you prefer.

Start with a layer of the cookie mixture, then add a layer of cream. Repeat until you’ve used everything, finishing with a layer of cream on top.

CHILL AND SERVE

STEP 8: Refrigerate the tiramisu for at least 3 hours, or better yet, overnight. The flavors meld beautifully as it chills.

STEP 9: Just before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder and decorate however you like – sprinkle of cookie crumbs or chocolate shavings works perfectly. Enjoy!

Tips for delicious tiramisu cups

• Separate the egg yolks and whites carefully. Make sure there’s no trace of egg yolk in the whites. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. This adds lightness to the tiramisu. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the mascarpone mixture for a fluffy texture.
• When whisking egg yolks and sugar, whisk until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and forms ribbons when lifted. This step is crucial for achieving a smooth and creamy texture.
• If you don’t like the idea of eating raw eggs, you can pasteurize the egg yolk by whisking it with sugar syrup heated to 120 C/248 F. In a smaller pot, bring 2 tbsp of water to a boil and add sugar. Stir to completely dissolve the sugar, and slowly add the mixture to a bowl with egg yolks. Instead of egg whites, you can use whipped cream.
• It is important to fold the mascarpone cheese into the egg yolk mixture gently and in small batches to prevent overmixing and deflating the mixture.
• Tiramisu will taste best if you grind your coffee right before cooking. Make sure the coffee is cold before dipping your cookies in it.
• Tiramisu cups absolutely need to be chilled before serving in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
• Dust cocoa powder on top just before serving to keep it fresh and prevent it from being absorbed into the cream.
• This is a dessert that rewards patience. The longer it chills, the better it tastes. So, plan ahead and give it the time it needs.

Substitutions and variations

• If you cannot find mascarpone cheese, you can use a mixture of cream cheese and heavy whipping cream as a substitute. This substitution may result in a slightly different flavor and texture, but it can work very well.
• If you’re worried about using raw eggs, you can either pasteurize them before making the cream or use pasteurized liquid egg yolks instead. As a substitute for egg whites, whip up some aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), but keep in mind that these substitutions might slightly alter the final texture and flavor.
• If you prefer an alcohol-free version, you can skip the liqueur altogether or use a coffee-flavored extract to maintain the coffee flavor without alcohol.
• Sugar can be replaced entirely with erythritol or sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, but be aware that they may affect the texture and taste.
• Instead of cocoa powder, use grated chocolate or even finely ground nuts like almonds or hazelnuts for a different topping.
• Add flavor variations to the mascarpone cream with vanilla, almond, or other extracts.
• You could also add fruit purees or compotes between layers for a fruity twist of tiramisu Speculoos.
• You can use the same procedure for assembling tiramisu with any cookies. It will look great in glasses and will also stand firm when made in a pan.

How to store them

Tiramisu cup should be stored in the refrigerator all the time, before serving and after. If you leave them at room temperature, the cream might get too liquid and not as tasty as when chilled.

We recommend you keep them covered to prevent refrigerator odors from being absorbed into the dessert. This will also help to retain the freshness.

Tiramisu is best enjoyed within 2-3 days of being made. As time passes, the flavors blend together, and the texture may become more pleasant.

Although tiramisu cups can be frozen, because of their delicate structure, we don’t recommend doing so.

Tiramisu cups FAQs

More easy desserts you might like

• Dandelion cheesecake
• Spruce tip mini cakes
• Blueberry chocolate cheesecake
• Biscottini cookies
• Sweet empanada cookies
• Puff pastry fruit tarts
• Puff pastry cinnamon pinwheels
• Cherry cheese babka

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Did you make these tiramisu cups? Please rate them in the comments below.

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