Cookies

These make great tree decorations and are so easy to do.

Ingredients

Use these cookie recipes as the basis for making brilliant baubles or striking stockings Christmas tree decorations.

• Vanilla cookies
• 275g (10oz) plain flour, sifted
• 5ml (1 tsp) baking powder
• 100g (3½oz) caster sugar
• 75g (3oz) butter, diced
• 1 small egg, beaten
• 30ml (2 tbsp) golden syrup
• 2.5ml (½ tsp) vanilla extract
• Spiced orange cookies
• 75g (3oz) butter
• 75g (3oz) soft brown sugar
• 30ml (2tbsp) honey
• Zest from one orange
• 10ml (2 tsp) orange juice
• 225g (8oz) plain flour, sifted
• 5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate soda
• 5ml (1 tsp) cinnamon
• Gingerbread cookies
• 125g (4oz) butter
• 60ml (4 tbsp) black treacle
• 225g (8oz) soft brown sugar
• 450g (1 lb) Plain flour
• 15ml (1 tbsp) ground ginger
• 7.5ml (1 ½ tsp) cinnamon
• 5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
• 15ml (1 tbsp) milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.
2. Place the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a hollow in the centre and pour in the beaten egg, golden syrup and vanilla extract. Mix together well until you have a ball of dough.
3. Place the dough in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick and stamp out the cookies, using your chosen cutters. If you are using a template, cut around the template with a knife for each cookie.
5. Lightly knead and re-roll the trimmings together again to use up all the dough. Place the biscuits on baking sheets.
6. Bake biscuits for 12-15 minutes until lightly coloured and firm but not crisp. Leave on the tray for two minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.
8. Place butter, sugar, honey, orange zest and juice in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted.
9. Sieve the flour and dry ingredients in a bowl and add the melted ingredients. Mix well until the dough becomes firm.
10. Place the dough in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 40 minutes
11. Continue as for vanilla cookies. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending of the size of the cookies. Tip: Why not try adding the zest and juice of a lemon for zingy lemon-flavoured cookies
12. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.
13. Place butter, treacle and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted. Cool slightly
14. Sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Pour the melted mixture into the dry ingredients and stir.
15. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk and add to the mixture. Combine to make a dough, adding more milk if necessary.
16. Place the dough in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 40 minutes.
17. Continue as for vanilla cookies then bake for 10-15 minutes depending of the size of the cookies. Tip: for gingerbread men, try adding currants for eyes before baking

Spiced orange cookies75g (3oz)butter75g (3oz) soft brown sugar30ml (2tbsp) honeyZest from one orange10ml (2 tsp) orange juice225g (8oz) plain flour, sifted5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate soda5ml (1 tsp) cinnamon1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.2. Place butter, sugar, honey, orange zest and juice in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted.3. Sieve the flour and dry ingredients in a bowl and add the melted ingredients. Mix well until the dough becomes firm.4. Place the dough in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 40 minutes5. Continue as for vanilla cookies. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending of the size of the cookies. Tip: Why not try adding the zest and juice of a lemon for zingy lemon-flavoured cookies

Gingerbread cookies125g (4oz) butter60ml (4 tbsp) black treacle225g (8oz) soft brown sugar450g (1 lb) Plain flour15ml (1 tbsp) ground ginger7.5ml (1 ½ tsp) cinnamon5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda15ml (1 tbsp) milk1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.2. Place butter, treacle and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted. Cool slightly3. Sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Pour the melted mixture into the dry ingredients and stir.4. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk and add to the mixture. Combine to make a dough, adding more milk if necessary.5. Place the dough in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 40 minutes.6. Continue as for vanilla cookies then bake for 10-15 minutes depending of the size of the cookies. Tip: for gingerbread men, try adding currants for eyes before baking.

Let the children join in and have fun,