Five easy but impressive Christmas cookies perfect for teacher gifts

Say thank you to your child's teacher with a tin of homemade biscuits that look far more difficult than they actually are 

A home-baked treat is the best Christmas gift of all.

Gingersnap Christmas cookies

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Nothing says 'Christmas' like warm, gently spiced treacle cookies with plenty of icing to share around the table

Servings

30

Preparation Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 27 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 150g butter, softened

• 120g golden caster sugar

• 80g treacle

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 280g plain flour

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 ½ tsp ground ginger

Method

1. Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.

2. Stir in the beaten egg and treacle until combined.

3. Sieve the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and ginger together. Stir it into the rest of the ingredients until combined and smooth. Wrap the dough in baking parchment and place into the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.

4. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 4 mm in thickness. Cut with your chosen cutter and place onto a lined baking tray. The biscuits will spread a little while baking so leave at least a centimetre between each one.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on the tray for about five minutes then place onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Ice the biscuits if you wish or eat as is.

Christmas ginger biscuits

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Based on the Swedish ‘pepparkakor’, a box of these gently spiced treats make an excellent festive gift and are perfect for kids to bake

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Baking

Cuisine

 Swedish

Ingredients

• 165g butter

• 80g demerara sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling

• 75ml treacle

• 225 wholewheat spelt flour

• 100g rye flour

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground allspice

• pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan together with the treacle and sugar. Stir until theingredients have all amalgamated and then set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix the flours, spices and salt.

2. Pour the wet ingredients slowly into the dry and bring together using your hands to form a firm dough.

3. Roll the dough out to 3mm thick and using a festive cookie cutter, cut around 12 shapes out. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment, sprinkle over the demerara sugar over each biscuit and bake for 10-12 minutes until firm.

4. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack where you can sprinkle them with icing sugar or decorate them whichever way you like.