Five easy but impressive Christmas cookies perfect for teacher gifts
A home-baked treat is the best Christmas gift of all.
Gingersnap Christmas cookies
Nothing says 'Christmas' like warm, gently spiced treacle cookies with plenty of icing to share around the table
Servings
30Preparation Time
1 hours 15 minsCooking Time
12 minsTotal Time
1 hours 27 minsCourse
BakingIngredients
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
Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
Stir in the beaten egg and treacle until combined.
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.
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.
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.
Ice the biscuits if you wish or eat as is.
Christmas ginger biscuits
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
12Preparation Time
15 minsCooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
25 minsCourse
BakingCuisine
SwedishIngredients
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
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.
Pour the wet ingredients slowly into the dry and bring together using your hands to form a firm dough.
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.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack where you can sprinkle them with icing sugar or decorate them whichever way you like.
Cheesy Christmas biscuits
Festive cheddar biscuits are a delicious treat, made with a hint of mustard for a burst of flavour
Servings
12Preparation Time
1 hours 15 minsCooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
1 hours 25 minsCourse
BakingIngredients
120g cheddar cheese, grated
120g cold butter, cubed
120g plain flour
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp freshly-cracked black pepper
Method
Beat all of the ingredients together until combined. Wrap the ball of dough in some parchment and place it into the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat your oven to 170°C and line two large flat baking trays with parchment.
Roll the dough to about 4 mm in thickness and cut the biscuits into whatever shape you wish. Place the cut biscuits into the fridge for about 10 minutes to cool them down again — this will ensure a crumblier result.
Place onto the trays with a bit of room between each. Bake for between 10 and 15 minutes until golden. You can top with nuts or more cheese if you wish by adding these just before baking.
Dark chocolate and sea salt crackle biscuits
Whip these melt-in-the-mouth cookies up in minutes
Servings
30Preparation Time
30 minsCooking Time
15 minsTotal Time
45 minsCourse
BakingIngredients
125g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
155g plain flour
65g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp finely ground sea salt
65g butter, softened
190g light brown sugar
1 egg
40ml milk
110g white sugar
110g icing sugar
Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of boiling water. Be careful not to let any steam from the water into the chocolate or it will not melt to the correct consistency. Set it aside to cool down a little.
In the meantime sieve the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
Mix the butter and brown sugar in a mixer until pale and fluffy.
Mix in eggs then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed and mix in flour in two batches alternating with the milk.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate until it is firm.
Divide it into about 30 balls about one inch in diameter. Roll in the granulated sugar to coat, then also in icing sugar. Space the balls two inches apart on baking tray lined with baking parchment.
Bake until the surfaces crack, about 15 minutes or so.
Slice and bake chocolate chip cookies
Easy to make and filled with rich, dark chocolate chips, these soft, slightly chewy cookies are perfect to share with a pot of tea
Servings
18Preparation Time
40 minsCooking Time
8 minsTotal Time
48 minsCourse
BakingCuisine
AmericanIngredients
150g butter, softened
70g sugar
80g muscovado sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, sieved
225g plain flour, sieved
150g dark chocolate chips
Method
Beat the butter and both of the sugars until light and fluffy. Stir the vanilla into the egg and add these gradually to the butter mixture.
Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda until combined. The mixture may seem a little stiff but do not worry. Add in the chocolate. Roll the mixture into a fat sausage shape. Wrap in baking parchment and place into the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180°C and line two large flat baking trays with parchment.
Slice the cookie dough into about 18 discs with a warm knife. Place apart on the baking trays.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Allow to rest on the tray until they are cool enough to handle, then place onto a wire rack.
