Festive ginger biscuits

• salted butter↗100g g
• dark muscovado sugar↗175g g
• golden syrup↗85g g
• wheat flour↗350g g

  plus extra for dusting

• baking soda↗1 tsp tsp
• ground ginger↗2 tsp tsp
• cinnamon↗½ tsp ground ½ tsp
• large egg1

  beaten

• golden glitter

  and leaf, for decoration (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan until the butter melts. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Sift the flour, baking soda and spices into a bowl, add the sugar‑butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the egg and stir again until you have a soft dough. Wrap and chill for 1½‑2 hours, or until the dough firms up.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5 mm thickness and cut shapes from holly leaves and stars (using 5 cm cutters), re‑rolling the scraps. Bake in four batches for 6‑7 minutes, then let cool on the sheets. If you’re not making them all now, freeze or chill up to three‑quarters of the dough for another time. Sprinkle with golden glitter and gold leaf, if desired, and use to decorate our white‑leafed Christmas tree on the tray. Keeps up to three weeks in an airtight container.