Gingernut Biscuits

Gingernut Biscuits

There is a book shop in Zurich which has a large section filled with English books, and a curiously large section filled with American and British food for the expats.

I use the term “food” loosely because it is really only snack food (or, rather, junk food) on offer, but I suppose these are the sorts of things you miss when you move to another country.

Ginger Snap Cookies

The other week, my son eyed a packet of gingernut biscuits and desperately demanded that I buy a packet, even though he had never tried anything like it before.

I had my doubts that he would like the spicy, peppery taste of ginger biscuits. But he surprised me. Not only did he love the gingernut biscuits, he declared them to be the “yummiest biscuits ever”.

Not wanting to be beaten by a packet of shop-bought biscuits, I thought it was time to bake a batch of homemade Gingernut Biscuits (also called Ginger Snaps, depending on where you live).

Gingernut Biscuit Recipe

Once upon a time, pre-children, I used to bake quite a lot, and I recall a stage when I baked Gingernut Biscuits quite often.

This is a nice and simple recipe for Gingernut Biscuits which has been adapted from Bake by Rachel Allen, an Irish cookbook author. I adore all of her books, and making these Gingernut Biscuits again was something of a revival for me.

I ought to bake more often, and I ought to bake with my children more often.

This recipe for Gingernut Cookies is incredibly easy and foolproof, which makes it perfect for making with children.

There are no fancy ingredients required, no chilling the dough, and most of the hard work can be done with a stand mixer.

How to Make Gingernut Biscuits

I find it easiest to make these Gingernut Biscuits using my electric stand mixer. But you can, of course, make everything by hand with a bowl and wooden spoon.

Place the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat in the softened butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Slowly beat in the warmed honey until the mixture comes together into a sough.

Roll out small balls of dough, and then roll these balls of dough in some granulated sugar.

Place the balls of dough onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, and gently flatten them with a fork.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, or until they are lightly golden.

So what did my son think of these homemade Gingernut Biscuits? Currently, they are “the best best best cookies in the world” 🙂 I hope you will agree!

4.50 stars (4 reviews)

Gingernut Biscuits

Thanh | Eat, Little Bird

Prep20 minutes mins

Cook10 minutes mins

Total30 minutes mins

Serves: 20 or more cookies

Crunchy and slightly chewy Gingernut Biscuits, spiced with ginger and sweetened with honey. They are deliciously addictive and so easy to make. You won’t be able to stop at one!

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Ingredients

• 225 g (1 ½ cups) plain flour, (all-purpose flour)
• 10 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda, baking soda
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 100 g (½ cup) caster sugar, (superfine sugar)
• 100 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
• 100 g (¼ cup) honey
• granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) (without fan).
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
3. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, ground ginger, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, and caster sugar into the bowl of a stand-mixer.
4. Using the flat paddle attachment, gently mix everything together.
5. Add the butter and beat lightly until the mixture resembles wet sand.
6. Heat the honey in a small saucepan over low heat until it is just warm and becomes runny in texture.
7. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the warm honey until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough.
8. If the mixture looks too dry and needs a bit more moisture, add a squeeze or two of more honey and continue mixing until it comes together in a soft dough.
9. Sprinkle some granulated sugar on a plate.
10. Roll pieces of the dough into small balls.
11. Roll the balls of dough in the granulated sugar until they are fully coated all over.
12. Place the balls of dough on the baking tray about 5 cm (2 inches) apart.
13. Using a fork to slightly flatten the balls of dough.
14. Bake for about 10 minutes until they are just golden. If the cookies are baked for too long and become too dark, they will taste bitter.
15. Leave the cookies on the baking tray for a few minutes to firm up before transferring them to wire rack to cool.

Kitchen Notes

• CRUNCHY GINGERNUT BISCUITS
  This recipe produces Gingernut Biscuits which are crispy, but slightly chewy in the centre. For a really crispy cookie, you can make them a bit thinner.
• OVEN TEMPERATURES
  All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly.
• CONVERSIONS
  To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.

Nutrition Information Nutrition Information

Calories: 94kcal, Carbohydrates: 15.2g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3.5g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 112.6mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 7.8g

Did you make this recipe?

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Update

This recipe was first published on 10 August 2011. It has been updated with new photos and more comprehensive recipe notes.

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