Gingerbread Cookies {recipe}

I bake trays and trays of gingerbread cookies through autumn and winter. These are perfectly spiced cookies with a good balance between crunchiness and chewiness. They make the perfect base for decorating with royal icing and are particularly good for both Halloween and Christmas cookies.

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Makes about 2 dozen cookies (depending on thickness and size of cutters)

Ingredients:

350g plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 Tbsp ginger
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
100g stork margarine / butter (room temp)
175g soft dark brown sugar
4 Tbsp golden syrup
1 large egg, beaten

Method:

Mix flour, bicarb, ginger, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl. Add marg/butter and rub it in with your fingers until it resembles crumbs. Add sugar, syrup and egg and mix well until a firm, evenly mixed dough forms. Don't over work. Form into ball and wrap in cling film. Leave in fridge over night if possible, otherwise for at least an hour.

Set oven to 180C

Roll dough out to about 1/4" (6mm) thick on top of a piece of floured greaseproof paper. Cut with cookie cutter and place on a baking tray that is either lightly greased or lined with greaseproof paper or a silpat mat. There should be at least 1/2" between cookies.

Bake for 9-12 minutes, until you can see the edges have become a nice golden brown. The darker you let them get, the more crunchy they will be, and less chewy.

Remove from baking tray and place on cooling racks as soon as they come out of the oven. Once they are cool, decorate as you please.

Here are some more Halloween cookies I have made:

Happy Halloween!