Christmas tree biscuits

Christmas tree biscuits

Edible decorations are a novelty at Christmas – these gingerbread biscuits look great and taste even better. Make extra for the table, or eat them straight from the tree.

Christmas tree biscuits

Why not have a go at making traditional German lebkuchen, too?

  • Serves icon Makes about 10
  • Time icon Hands-on time 10 min, oven time 15-20 min, plus chilling

Edible decorations are a novelty at Christmas – these gingerbread biscuits look great and taste even better. Make extra for the table, or eat them straight from the tree.

Why not have a go at making traditional German lebkuchen, too?

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
193kcals
Fat
8.6g (5.3g saturated)
Protein
2g
Carbohydrates
28.4g (12.8g sugars)
Fibre
0.8g
Salt
0.2g

Ingredients

  • 175g plain flour, plus extra to dust
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp crystallised ginger, very finely chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon or orange
  • 100g butter, chilled and cubed
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • Oil to grease
  • 5 tbsp icing sugar to decorate
  • Silver and white sugar balls to decorate
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Method

  1. In a food processor, whizz the flour, ground and crystallised ginger, zest and butter with ½ tsp salt until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the sugar and milk, pulsing to form a dough, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Shape the dough into a flat disc, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to the thickness of a pound coin. Use star and bauble-shape cookie cutters to stamp out about 10 biscuits, re-rolling the trimmings as needed. Transfer the biscuits to a lightly oiled baking sheet, then chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  3. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave to firm slightly on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. To make the icing, add warm water little by little to the icing sugar and whisk to a consistency thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Drizzle or pipe the icing over the biscuits, then decorate with sugar balls.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
193kcals
Fat
8.6g (5.3g saturated)
Protein
2g
Carbohydrates
28.4g (12.8g sugars)
Fibre
0.8g
Salt
0.2g

delicious. tips

  1. These biscuits make great tree decorations. When they’re still warm from the oven, punch a small hole in the top of the biscuit using a piping nozzle. When cool and crisp, thread them with ribbon and hang on your tree.

  2. Freeze the biscuits, un-iced, for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature for 2-3 hours before icing and serving.

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