Brokken Speculaas (Dutch Spice Cookies)

A family recipe.

1 cup butter (around 8 oz)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp almond essence
pinch of salt
almonds (optional)

Melt butter, put in sugar, put in beaten eggs.
Put in dry ingredients and almond essence. Mix well.
Put in 2 tins, 12" x 8". Decorate with almonds.
Bake for 30 mins, approx 180 deg C.
If the tins are on separate oven shelves,
swap them over and rotate them after 17 minutes.
After baking, transfer from oven trays to racks to cool,
then break into pieces.