I’ve loved ginger biscuits since childhood. The crisp, gingery, buttery, spicy-yet-sweet combination is impossible to resist. A tall stack of these biscuits and a hot mug of tea made many afternoons unforgettable. They’re excellent as gifts and so simple to make that they needn’t be reserved only for the holidays.
These are the crunchy, firm biscuits that are perfect for dunking, not the soft and chewy variety I made previously. The dough needs no chilling, you can roll them to the thickness you prefer, and they stay crisp in an airtight tin even in warm climates. Bake them a few minutes longer if you like a darker, crunchier finish—those tiny surface crinkles form wonderfully during baking.
The recipe is adapted from a classic British gingernut biscuit and I first saw it reproduced by another baker. I swapped golden syrup for honey, which gives a slightly different but delicious depth of flavor. The method is similar to making shortbread, but uses softened butter to produce a soft, pliable dough that’s easy to shape.
This recipe makes a small batch, ideal for a family treat. If you’re baking for a gathering, simply double or triple the quantities. Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight tin and they will remain crisp for about ten days.
Crunchy Ginger Biscuits
10 mins
15 mins
25 mins
10 cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup self-raising flour (90 g, see notes)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 heaped tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 cup caster sugar (50 g)
- 1/4 cup butter at room temperature (50 g)
- 2 tbsps honey
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 190°C and lightly grease a baking tray or line it with a silicone mat.
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Sift the flour, baking soda and ginger into a bowl, then add the sugar and mix well.
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Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
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Stir in the honey and bring the dough together with your fingers. It will be soft but pliable.
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Form equal-sized rounds and place them about an inch apart on the tray. In warmer kitchens, leave room for spreading; in cooler kitchens, press the dough balls gently if you prefer thinner, crispier biscuits.
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Bake for 10 minutes for lighter cookies, or 13–15 minutes for darker, crunchier biscuits. Rotate the tray halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
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Let the biscuits cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight tin for up to 10 days.
Notes
If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted with 3/4 tsp baking powder.
This recipe is adapted from a traditional British gingernut biscuit.