Speculaas (German Spice Cookies) are considered the traditional St. Nicholas Cookie. 

Ingredients

• 3                      cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2                tsp ground cinnamon
• 1                      tsp ground cloves
• 1                      tsp ground ginger
• 1/8                   tsp baking powder
•                         pinch salt
• 1                      cup butter
• 1 1/4                cup light brown sugar
• 1                      egg
• 1/2                   cup sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves,  ginger, baking powder and salt onto wax paper.
2. In a large bowl, of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg. 
3. With a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour mixture, then beat in rest of the mixture and the almonds, mixing with hands if necessary.
4. Refrigerate, dough covered, several hours.  
5. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Lightly grease several cookie sheets.  Remove one fourth of the dough at a time from refrigerate. 
6. Roll out dough, one quarter at a time, on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut cookies with a cookie cutter. (Any size and shape you want).
7. Place cookies 1” apart on a prepared cookie sheets.  Repeat with remaining dough.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are light brown around edges.
9. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks.  Cool completely.

You can use a cookie mold, to shape the cookies.

To Store:

Keep in a tightly covered glass jar or cookie tin in a cool dry place several weeks.