The Aldi Cookies That Totally Beat An Iconic European Brand

If you've ever been on a Delta flight, you've had the pleasure of sampling scrumptiously spiced Biscoff cookies, short for "biscuits with coffee" because they were originally marketed as the perfect complement to a cup of joe. These crunchy, naturally vegan cookies from Belgium usually retail for under $5 per 8.8 oz package. But at Aldi, you can get the same-sized package of Benton's Speculoos Crunchy Cookies for $2.19. And yes, Speculoos are basically a replica of your favorite in-flight snack.

So, what's the difference between the two? Well, Benton's Speculoos cookies are larger, thicker, and slightly less sweet than the Biscoff version. Our verdict is that this is one of a few Aldi dupes that are even better than the name brand because the caramelized sugar and cinnamon flavors are in perfect, buttery harmony. Plus, the increased size means more cookie to savor, so what's not to love?

It turns out that speculoos is the Belgian name for a generic caramelized cookie (which the Europeans call a biscuit) that dates back to the 17th century, which accounts for the Aldi naming of its cookie. It's just that Biscoff turned the Belgian traditional bite into a global phenomenon.

While these cookies make a great snack directly out of the package, they're also a star ingredient for desserts. You can use Aldi Speculoos to make homemade cookie butter, which is a perfect addition to your coffee. As a pumpkin spiced latte hater, cookie butter lattes are my go-to cold-weather drink. For non-coffee drinkers, make hot speculoos milk, which is basically heated milk minus the espresso, mixed with your homemade Speculoos cookie butter.

Aldi's Speculoos cookies also make for a unique twist as a switch with sponge fingers in tiramisu, and can take your cheesecake and pumpkin pie crusts to the next level. Trader Joe's sells ice cream made with Speculoos cookie butter, so putting these dupe Aldi Speculoos cookies on a sundae either in the form of cookie butter or just crumbled over the top is a no-brainer.