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Gingerbread Biscuits

This recipe from Eliza Acton’s 1845 book, Modern Cookery, was so popular that Florence White included it in Good Things in England, published in 1932. An old-style gingerbread, it calls for black treacle, which yields a pungent result. For a milder flavor, swap out the black treacle for golden syrup or light molasses.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 20 biscuits
Calories: 142 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for the parchment and the mold (if using)
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup black treacle or dark (medium) molasses

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, allspice, and mace. Add the butter and, using your fingers, rub it into the flour mixture until the mixture is the consistency of coarse bread crumbs.
  3. Add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Pour in the treacle or molasses and mix until blended.
  4. Knead the dough in the bowl until smooth and evenly dark, about 2 minutes.
  5. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface, dust it lightly with flour, place the dough in the center, and pat it into a thick, fat disk.
  6. If using a cookie cutter, roll out the dough a scant 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Using a cutter in any shape you like, cut out as many biscuits as possible. Move them to the prepared pans, spacing them about 3/4 inch (2 cm) apart. Gather up the scraps, roll out, cut out more biscuits, and add to the pans.
  7. If using a wooden gingerbread mold, roll out the dough about 1/3 inch (8 mm) thick or thicker, depending on the depth of the carving. Dip the mold into water and dust lightly with flour. Cut a piece of rolled-out dough about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) larger than the carving. Lay it on the prepared mold, then roll the rolling pin over the mold, pushing the dough into the carving. Trim any excess dough from the edge of the mold and turn the biscuit out onto a prepared pan. Repeat to make as many biscuits as possible, adding them to the pans and spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Gather up the scraps, roll out, press out more biscuits, and add to the pans.
  8. Bake the biscuits, rotating the pans back to front halfway through baking, until crisp, about 30 minutes. Let cool on the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, then transfer the biscuits to the racks and let cool completely.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 142kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 10mg (3%) Sodium 5mg (0%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20biscuits

Amount Per Serving

Calories 142

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 142kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 9g 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.