Gingerbread Spiced Shortbread - Festive Melt-in-the-Mouth Biscuits

All the warm, festive flavours of gingerbread combined with the buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture of classic shortbread. These gingerbread spiced shortbread biscuits are the perfect Christmas treat - easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 20-30 minutes chilling)
• Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Makes: 18-24 biscuits (depending on size and shape)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Rolling pin, biscuit cutters or sharp knife, baking tray

This recipe combines the best of both worlds - the crumbly, buttery texture of traditional Scottish shortbread with the warming spices of gingerbread. Unlike typical gingerbread which can be quite firm, these biscuits have that signature shortbread snap followed by a melt-in-the-mouth crumble. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice creates those cosy Christmas flavours we all love, while the high butter content ensures they're rich and indulgent. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity - no eggs, no fuss, just a few ingredients mixed together, chilled, and baked. The key is treating the dough gently. Unlike other biscuits, you don't want to overwork shortbread or it becomes tough. Cream the butter and sugar just until smooth, fold in the flour until it barely comes together, then let the chilling time do the work. These biscuits are perfect for Christmas cookie tins, edible gifts, serving with afternoon tea, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee by the fire. They also freeze beautifully, so you can make them weeks ahead.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Best of both worlds: Gingerbread flavour meets shortbread texture - warm spices with buttery crumble
• Simple ingredients: Just butter, sugar, flour, and spices - nothing complicated
• Melt-in-the-mouth: That classic shortbread texture that crumbles perfectly
• Perfect for gifting: Package them in tins or bags for beautiful homemade Christmas gifts
• Make-ahead friendly: Freeze the dough or the baked biscuits for convenient holiday baking

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Shortbread:

• 120g unsalted butter, cold
• 40g granulated sugar
• 185g plain flour
• 1 tablespoon of Treacle
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For Finishing (optional):

• Caster sugar for sprinkling
• Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Rub the butter, flour, sugar and spices: In a large mixing bowl, take your cold butter, spices, flour and salt and rub to a breadcrumb texture.

2. Add the treacle and cold water: Add in your treacle and cold water. You may want to add 1 more tablespoon if it looks a little dry. Mix it together to form a dough. Stop mixing as soon as there are no more dry patches of flour visible. The dough will look crumbly at first but will come together when pressed. Don't overwork it or knead it - this is crucial for tender shortbread.

3. Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a disc (if you're planning to roll it out) or a log (if you're planning to slice it). Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This chilling time is important - it makes the dough easier to cut, helps the biscuits hold their shape better, and improves the final texture.

6. Preheat the oven: While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/325°F). Line one or two baking trays with greaseproof paper.

7. Shape the biscuits - Method 1 (Cut-out shapes): On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1cm thick. Don't roll it too thin or the biscuits will be too crisp and lose that lovely crumbly texture. Use biscuit cutters to cut out festive shapes - stars, trees, circles, or whatever you prefer. Gather the scraps, gently press them together, and cut more shapes.

8. Shape the biscuits - Method 2 (Slice and bake): If you formed your dough into a log, simply unwrap it and use a sharp knife to slice it into rounds about 1cm thick. This method is quicker and wastes no dough.

9. Arrange on trays: Place the shaped biscuits on your prepared baking trays, leaving about 2-3cm between each one. They don't spread much, but it's good to give them a little space. If desired, sprinkle the tops lightly with caster sugar before baking.

10. Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. Watch them carefully - you want the edges to be just lightly golden. The centres may still look slightly pale, which is perfect. Don't overbake or they'll become too hard. Thicker biscuits will need the full 22 minutes, while thinner ones may be done at 18 minutes.

11. Cool on the tray: Remove from the oven and let the biscuits cool on the tray for 5 minutes. They'll be very fragile when hot and will firm up as they cool. This resting time is essential.

12. Transfer to cooling rack: After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the biscuits to a wire cooling rack using a palette knife or fish slice. Let them cool completely. They will continue to firm up and develop that perfect shortbread texture as they cool. This takes about 30 minutes.

13. Store or decorate: Once completely cool, the biscuits are ready to enjoy, store, or decorate. Dust with icing sugar, drizzle with icing, or enjoy them plain in all their buttery glory.

Chef's Tips

For the perfect texture: Don't overwork the dough. Mix just until it comes together, then stop. Overworking develops the gluten in the flour and makes the shortbread tough instead of crumbly.

Even thickness: Try to roll or slice your biscuits to an even 1cm thickness. This ensures they all bake evenly and are ready at the same time.

Watch the oven: Shortbread can go from perfect to overbaked quickly. Start checking at 18 minutes. The biscuits should be just lightly golden at the edges, not brown.

Cool completely: These biscuits are fragile when warm but firm up beautifully as they cool. Be patient and let them cool fully for the best texture.

Substitutions & Variations

Different spices: Swap the allspice for ground ginger for a more traditional gingerbread flavour, or add ½ teaspoon of ground cloves for extra warmth.

Orange zest: Add the finely grated zest of 1 orange to the dough for orange-spiced shortbread - it's divine with the cinnamon.

Chocolate dipped: Once cooled, dip half of each biscuit in melted dark chocolate for an extra indulgent treat.

Iced decorations: Decorate with royal icing in festive designs - perfect for Christmas cookie platters.

Brown sugar: Replace the granulated sugar with soft light brown sugar for a slightly deeper, more caramel-like flavour.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store completely cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 weeks. Layer them between sheets of greaseproof paper to prevent sticking.

Tin storage: These are perfect for storing in decorative Christmas tins. They keep their texture beautifully and make wonderful gifts.

Freezing dough: Wrap the shaped but unbaked dough log or disc tightly in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling out or slicing and baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is my shortbread tough and hard instead of crumbly? A: This usually happens from overworking the dough or overbaking. Mix just until combined, don't knead it, and watch the baking time carefully. The biscuits should be just lightly golden, not brown.

Q: Can I use salted butter? A: Yes, but omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt from the recipe or your shortbread may be too salty.

Q: My dough is too crumbly and won't come together. What do I do? A: Add a tiny bit more water, ½ teaspoon at a time, and press gently until it forms a dough. The warmth of your hands helps bring it together too.

Q: Why do I need to chill the dough? A: Chilling makes the dough easier to roll and cut, helps the biscuits hold their shape during baking, and improves the final texture. It's worth the 20-30 minute wait.

Q: Can I make these without the spices? A: Absolutely! Omit the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for classic plain shortbread. You might want to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavour.

Q: Why did my biscuits spread during baking? A: The dough was likely too warm. Make sure you chill it for the full 20-30 minutes, and if your kitchen is very warm, chill the cut shapes for another 10 minutes before baking.

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 Enjoy!

Del x

These gingerbread spiced shortbread biscuits combine warm festive spices with melt-in-the-mouth buttery texture. Perfect for Christmas cookie tins and edible gifts!