Speculoos Brown Butter Cupcakes
These Biscoff brown butter cupcakes take about 25 minutes to prep and 18 minutes to bake, with a nutty brown butter base, Biscoff cookie crumb, and caramelized Biscoff frosting.
Last updated: July 14, 2025
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, for browning (cupcake batter)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup Biscoff cookie spread (smooth)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup crushed Biscoff cookies (about 8 cookies), divided
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, for browning (frosting)
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup Biscoff cookie spread (smooth)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt (frosting)
Instructions
Brown the batter butter: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Cook until the foam subsides and golden bits form on the bottom, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Make the batter: Whisk granulated sugar and brown sugar into the cooled brown butter. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Mix in 1/3 cup Biscoff spread and vanilla until smooth.
Add dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a separate bowl. Add half the flour mix to the butter mixture and stir gently. Pour in the milk, stir, then add the remaining flour mix. Stir until just combined. Fold in 1/4 cup of the crushed Biscoff cookies.
Fill and bake: Divide batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Brown the frosting butter: Repeat the browning process with the second 1/2 cup of butter. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes until it is solid but still soft, similar to room-temperature butter.
Make the frosting: Beat the chilled brown butter with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup Biscoff spread and beat to combine. Add powdered sugar in two additions, mixing on low first, then medium. Add heavy cream and salt, then beat on high for 1 minute until fluffy.
Frost and finish: Pipe or spread frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Press a pinch of the remaining crushed Biscoff cookies onto the top of each one. Serve at room temperature.
Pro Tips
- • Use a light-colored pan for browning butter. It is the only way to see the color of the milk solids clearly and stop the butter before it burns.
- • Do not skip cooling the brown butter before mixing the batter. Hot butter will scramble the eggs and make the batter greasy.
- • If your frosting feels too soft after mixing, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before piping. Brown butter frosting is more temperature-sensitive than standard buttercream.
- • Crush the Biscoff cookies by hand into coarse crumbs, not fine dust. You want visible pieces in the batter and on top for texture.
Recipe Details
Timing
About the Author
Home baker sharing tested cupcake recipes, techniques, and troubleshooting tips.
Nutrition (per cupcake)
When to Enjoy
Recipe Highlights
Final Thoughts
These Biscoff brown butter cupcakes are worth every step of the browning process. The nutty butter base and caramelized cookie spread work together in a way that plain melted butter simply cannot match. Make them once and you will understand why brown butter and speculoos belong together. Share your bake on Instagram and tag incr-ediblecupcakes. com so I can see how they turned out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Biscoff cookie butter and Biscoff spread interchangeably in this recipe?
Yes, they are the same product. Biscoff cookie spread and speculoos cookie butter refer to the smooth jarred paste. Use the smooth version, not the crunchy one, so the batter and frosting stay even in texture.
Why does my brown butter frosting look greasy or separated?
This usually means the brown butter was still too warm when you started beating it. It needs to be chilled until solid but soft, like room-temperature butter. If it separates, refrigerate the bowl for 10 minutes and beat again.
Can I make these cupcakes a day ahead?
Yes. Bake and cool the cupcakes, then store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature overnight. Make the frosting the next day and frost just before serving for the best texture on the cookie crumb topping.
What can I use instead of whole milk in the batter?
Full-fat oat milk or 2 percent milk both work well here. Avoid skim milk because the lower fat content can make the crumb slightly dry. Buttermilk also works and adds a mild tang that pairs nicely with the caramelized Biscoff flavor.
