Gingerbread biscuits

Try this delicious and easy-to-make gingerbread biscuit recipe. It's perfect for getting the family involved, by cutting out the shapes or icing them once they're baked, and they're perfect with your favourite cuppa.

30 minutes prep. time
8–10 minutes cooking time
Serves 10–20
Vegetarian & vegan, Family-friendly, Christmas

Gingerbread biscuits on a rack, in angel, Christmas tree, heart and star shapes, drizzled with white icing, — Everyone can have a go at icing these gingerbread biscuits | © National Trust/Lisa Gledhill

350g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
2 tsp ground ginger
125g cold butter, diced
150g soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp stem ginger syrup
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp stem ginger, chopped, plus extra for topping
1 egg

For the icing

125g icing sugar
2 clementines, juiced
2½ tsp stem ginger syrup

Dough storage

Surplus dough can be stored for up to a week in the fridge and baked when needed.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan/gas mark 3). Line enough baking trays for the amount of biscuits you want to bake with greaseproof paper.

Step 2

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and ground ginger into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.

Step 3

Add the sugar, pulse again, and add the golden syrup, ginger syrupstem ginger and egg. Blitz briefly until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth dough.

Step 4

Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Step 5

Roll the dough out to half a centimetre thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use cutters to cut the gingerbread into shapes. You can re-roll the leftover dough after giving it a quick knead.

Step 6

Place the gingerbread shapes on the baking trays, leaving a gap between each one. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

Step 7

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Step 8

For the icing

In a small bowl, stir together the icing sugar and juice. Beat in the syrup until the icing is smooth and glossy.

Step 9

For decorative icing, tip the icing into a small piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off, and pipe your design onto each biscuit. Or simply dip the ends of the biscuits in the icing.