Gingerbread Biscuits

Name: Gingerbread Biscuits
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 2 - 3 tbsp Plain flour for dusting; ½ tsp Ground cinnamon; 2 tsp Ground ginger; 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda; 365 g Plain white flour; 115 g Golden syrup; 60 g Caster sugar (normal or golden); 65 g Soft brown sugar**; 150 g Unsalted butter***

Love Baking Over a year ago 1,245 views

Cook: 12 mins

Ingredients

2 - 3 tbsp Plain flour for dusting
½ tsp Ground cinnamon
2 tsp Ground ginger
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
365 g Plain white flour
115 g Golden syrup
60 g Caster sugar (normal or golden)
65 g Soft brown sugar**
150 g Unsalted butter***

Accompaniment

Description

Tasty and easy. My favourite gingerbread biscuit recipe. Perfect for Gingerbread 'men' (etc.) but also great for Halloween and Christmas biscuits, or other shapes at any time.

Method

1
Line 1 or 2 baking trays with baking paper (depending on the size of cutters used, the full amount will need 2 - 3 baking trays - can be baked in separate batches).
Put the butter, both sugars and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low to medium heat and melt together, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger and cinnamon into a mixing bowl.
Pour in the mixture from the saucepan and mix together, either in a mixer with the paddle attachment, or by hand with a wooden spoon until it forms a soft dough. Tip out onto a large sheet of cling film then wrap up and flatten slightly (to about 2cm thick). Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the biscuit dough from the fridge, dust the work surface with a little flour and roll the dough out to about 4 mm thick, using 2 wooden sticks as a guide if you have them****.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C about 10 minutes before you are ready to bake them.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place on the lined baking tray(s).
Chill for 20 minutes if you have time (not essential but it helps them keep their shape perfectly), then cook in the oven for 8-12 minutes (depending on the size of the biscuits), until they have dried out, firmed up and darkened a little. If you like them dark and crunchy, leave them in the oven for a couple of minutes more.
Leave the cooked biscuits on the trays for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef's Tips

* About 24 biscuits, depending on size of course.
**Dark or light brown sugar, as preferred.
***Or use salted butter, as preferred.
****Alternatively, to avoid adding more flour, roll between two sheets of cling film, or on a silicone mat with cling film or a little flour on top if needed.

Easily doubled for a large batch. Uncooked dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, and rolled and baked as required.

Eat plain, or decorate with a simple icing made with a few tbsp of icing sugar (plain or royal) and 2-3 teaspoons of water or lemon juice and sweets (e.g. Smarties for buttons on a gingerbread man), dried fruit, sprinkles etc.

Once baked, they will keep well in an airtight tin for over a week.