TAKE THE CHRISTMAS BISCUITS

★You can gift them, decorate with them – or, you know, eat them

BASIC GINGERBREAD COOKIE DOUGH MAKES 1 QUANTITY

★ 125g unsalted butter, softened

★ 90g light brown sugar

★ 230g golden syrup

★ 375g plain flour, sifted

★ 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted

★ 2 tsp ground ginger

★ 1 tsp mixed spice

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 10-12 minutes or until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the syrup, flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and mixed spice. Beat until a smooth dough forms.

DONNA’S TIPS

See individual recipes for how to roll out, cut and bake the gingerbread treats. If the dough feels too soft at any stage, you can refrigerate it for a few minutes before continuing. Freeze any leftover dough, wrapped in clingfilm, for up to 2 months.

GINGERBREAD HEART GARLANDS MAKES 8

★ 1 x quantity basic gingerbread dough (see above)

Step 1

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of nonstick baking paper to 5mm thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 160C/ gas 2½. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Using a 3.5cm heart-shaped cutter, cut 80 hearts from the dough, re-rolling as necessary. Using the tip of a 3mm round piping nozzle, cut a hole in the top of each heart. Place on the trays and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and dry to the touch. Allow to cool completely on the trays. Thread on to string or ribbon to hang.

DONNA’S TIP

This recipe is designed to make 8 x 10-cookie garlands, but you can choose to make and hang them whichever way you like.

SPICED BROWN SUGAR COOKIES MAKES 36

★ 320g icing sugar

★ 3 tsp ground cinnamon

★ 335g plain flour

★ ½ tsp ground ginger

★ ½ tsp allspice

★ ¼ tsp ground cloves

★ ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

★ ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

★ 120g unsalted butter, softened

★ 175g light brown sugar

★ 115g golden syrup

★ 1 large egg

★ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas 4. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Place the icing sugar and 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix to combine and set aside.

Step 2

Place the flour and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and bicarbonate of soda. Mix to combine and set aside.

Step 3

Place the butter, sugar and syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Roll 1 tablespoon portions of the dough into balls and place on the trays, allowing room to spread. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and slightly cracked. Transfer to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Place the biscuits in the spiced icing sugar and gently toss to coat. Return to the racks and allow to cool completely before serving.

DONNA’S TIP

These will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. It helps to place nonstick baking paper between the cookies to ensure they don’t stick together.

ROCKY ROAD MAKES 6 LONG BARS

★ 1kg dark chocolate, chopped

★ 2 tbsp vegetable oil

★ 130g sweetened dried cranberries

★ 200g store-bought marshmallows

★ 250g store-bought Turkish delight pieces

★ 50g coconut flakes

★ 140g shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped

Step 1

Line a 25cm x 32cm slice tin with nonstick baking paper. Place the chocolate and oil in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth.

Step 2

Place the cranberries, marshmallows, Turkish delight, coconut and pistachios in a large bowl and mix to combine. Reserve and set aside 250ml of the melted chocolate. Add the remaining chocolate to the rocky road mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into the tin, pressing down gently to spread it to the edges. Pour the reserved chocolate over the top and spread evenly with a palette knife. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

Step 3

Remove the rocky road from the tin and slice into long bars to serve.

DONNA’S TIP

Store the rocky road in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. Wrap bars in paper and tie with ribbon to make sweet edible gifts.

BASIC VANILLA SNAP COOKIE DOUGH MAKES 1 QUANTITY

★ 125g unsalted butter, softened

★ 110g caster sugar

★ 1 large egg

★ 2 tsp vanilla extract

★ 225g plain flour, sifted

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 6-8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for a further 2-3 minutes or until well combined. Add the flour and beat until the mixture just comes together to form a smooth dough.

DONNA’S TIP

See individual recipes that follow for how to roll out, cut and bake the various vanilla snap cookies.

VANILLA STAR WREATHS MAKES 4

★ 1 x quantity basic vanilla snap dough (see above)

★ icing sugar, for dusting

Step 1

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of nonstick baking paper to 3mm thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 140C/ gas 1. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Trace 2 x 14cm circles on to each sheet and turn the paper over to prevent any pencil marks transferring.

Step 3

Using an 8cm star-shaped cutter, cut 28 stars from the dough, re-rolling as necessary. Arrange 7 stars around each circle, overlapping the tips to create wreath shapes. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely on the trays.

Step 4

Dust with icing sugar and tie the wreaths with string or ribbon to hang.

DONNA’S TIP

Store wreaths in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days and hang them on Christmas Eve.

CHOCOLATE-CHIP GINGERBREAD COOKIES MAKES 24

★ 100g dark chocolate, chopped

★ 1 x quantity basic gingerbread dough (see recipe, page 36)

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 2½. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Add the chocolate to the basic dough and gently mix to combine. Roll 1-tablespoon portions of the mixture into balls and place on the trays, allowing room to spread. Flatten slightly and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely on the trays, before serving.

DONNA’S TIP

Paired with a glass of milk, these cookies make the perfect treat to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve. You can bake them ahead of time and keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CHRISTMAS TREE MAKES 1 TREE

★ 1 x quantity basic vanilla snap dough (see recipe, page 39)

★ 25g cocoa powder, sifted

★ icing sugar, for dusting

ICING

★ 80g icing sugar, sifted

★ 2 tsp boiling water

Step 1

Follow the dough recipe, adding the cocoa with the flour. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of nonstick baking paper to 3mm thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 160C/ gas 2½. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Use 12cm, 11cm, 10cm, 9cm, 8cm, 7cm, 6cm, 5cm, 4cm and 3cm six-pointed star-shaped cutters to cut 3 stars of each size from the dough, re-rolling as necessary. Place on the trays and bake for 10 minutes or until dry to the touch. Allow to cool on the trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Step 3

To make the icing, place the sugar and water in a small bowl and mix until smooth.

Step 4

Stack the stars from largest to smallest on a serving plate, securing each one with a little of the icing. Dust the tree with icing sugar to serve.

DONNA’S TIP

Cookie cutters in various shapes and sizes are available to buy from homeware shops, cake-decorating stores and online.

SPICED VANILLA REINDEER MAKES 32

★ 1 x quantity basic vanilla snap dough (see recipe, page 39)

★ 1 tsp ground cinnamon

★ 1 tsp mixed spice

ICING

★ 80g icing sugar, sifted

★ 2 tsp boiling water

Step 1

Follow the dough recipe, adding the cinnamon and mixed spice with the flour. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of nonstick baking paper to 5mm thick and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 160C/ gas 2½. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Using a 7cm deer-shaped cutter, cut 32 shapes from the dough, re-rolling as necessary. Place on the trays and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely on the trays.

Step 3

To make the icing, place the sugar and water in a small bowl and mix until smooth.

Step 4

Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a 2mm round nozzle then pipe a nose and three tail spots on each deer to decorate. Allow to set before serving.

LEMON AND VANILLA SNOWFLAKES MAKES 25

★ 1 x quantity basic vanilla snap dough (see recipe, page 39)

★ 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind

★ 160g icing sugar, sifted

★ 1 tbsp boiling water

Step 1

Follow the basic dough recipe, adding the lemon rind with the egg.

Step 2

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of nonstick baking paper to 3mm thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 140C/gas 1. Line 2 large baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Using assorted snowflake-shaped cutters, cut 25 shapes from the dough, re-rolling as necessary. Using the tip of a 2mm round piping nozzle, cut a hole in the top of each snowflake. Place on the trays and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely on the trays.

Step 4

Place the sugar and water in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 2mm round nozzle and pipe on to snowflakes to decorate. Allow to set before threading with string or ribbon to hang.