Description
German holiday spiced biscuits offer a delightful crunch with warm cinnamon and nutmeg notes. Festive treats bring comfort and joy to winter celebrations, inviting families to share sweet moments together.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ¾ cups (340 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (85 g) molasses (or golden syrup for a lighter flavor)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Royal icing
- Colored sprinkles or sugar
- Edible glitter
Instructions
- Preparation: Cream butter, brown sugar, and molasses in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the biscuits.
- Moisture Integration: Mix in the egg until the mixture becomes completely homogeneous and silky.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a separate bowl, ensuring even distribution of spices.
- Dough Formation: Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring carefully until a cohesive dough forms, avoiding over-mixing.
- Dough Resting: Chill the dough in plastic wrap for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to develop and ingredients to settle.
- Oven Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Shaping and Cutting: Roll out chilled dough to an even thickness and use festive cookie cutters to create decorative shapes.
- Baking Process: Arrange biscuits on prepared sheets, leaving space between each, and bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
- Cooling: Let biscuits rest on baking sheets briefly, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely, ensuring a crisp texture.
Notes
- Chill Dough Strategically: Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading and enhance flavor concentration, allowing spices to develop a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Control Moisture Carefully: Ensure butter is softened but not melted to maintain the perfect dough consistency, preventing overly greasy or dry biscuits.
- Master Rolling Technique: Use a light touch when rolling dough, maintaining an even 1/4-inch thickness to guarantee consistent baking and optimal crunchiness across all biscuits.
- Adapt for Dietary Needs: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free alternatives like almond or coconut flour, and use plant-based butter for vegan-friendly versions without compromising the rich, spiced flavor.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg