Spiced Christmas biscuits recipe
 Baking a batch of these easy Christmas biscuits is a fun way to get into the festive spirit. They can be made into tree decorations, be given as gifts or popped into the treat tin at home. Equipment and preparation: You will need Christmas-themed biscuit cutters and two flat baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. 100g/3½oz butter, at room temperature 50g/1¾oz caster sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger 150g/5½oz plain flour, plus extra for rolling 1 tbsp cornflour 100g/3½oz butter, at room temperature 50g/1¾oz caster sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger 150g/5½oz plain flour, plus extra for rolling 1 tbsp cornflour 150g/5½oz icing sugar, sifted2–3 tbsp lemon juice 150g/5½oz icing sugar, sifted 2–3 tbsp lemon juice edible sprinklesedible sparkles edible glittermetallic ballsicing pens crushed candy canes edible sprinkles edible sparkles edible glitter metallic balls icing pens crushed candy canes Method Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.In a bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, cinnamon and ginger for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour and cornflour. Stir until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then use your hands to form a ball of dough. Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with a little plain flour and roll the dough out to a thickness of about 5mm/¼in. Cut out shapes using the biscuit cutters, re-rolling the leftover dough as you go. Spread the shapes out on the lined baking trays. Bake for 14–16 minutes, swapping the trays round half way through cooking (to ensure the biscuits cook evenly). The biscuits should still be pale, but cooked. If making tree decorations, punch a small hole in the biscuit using a wooden skewer as soon as they come out of the oven. Leave on the tray to cool completely. In a small bowl stir together the icing sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding a little extra if the mixture is very thick. Once the biscuits are cool, pipe or spoon the icing over each biscuit and top with your choice of edible decorations. If you’re making tree decorations, leave the icing to set before tying a piece of ribbon or string through the hole. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. In a bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, cinnamon and ginger for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour and cornflour. Stir until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then use your hands to form a ball of dough. In a bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, cinnamon and ginger for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour and cornflour. Stir until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then use your hands to form a ball of dough. Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with a little plain flour and roll the dough out to a thickness of about 5mm/¼in. Cut out shapes using the biscuit cutters, re-rolling the leftover dough as you go. Spread the shapes out on the lined baking trays. Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with a little plain flour and roll the dough out to a thickness of about 5mm/¼in. Cut out shapes using the biscuit cutters, re-rolling the leftover dough as you go. Spread the shapes out on the lined baking trays. Bake for 14–16 minutes, swapping the trays round half way through cooking (to ensure the biscuits cook evenly). The biscuits should still be pale, but cooked. If making tree decorations, punch a small hole in the biscuit using a wooden skewer as soon as they come out of the oven. Leave on the tray to cool completely. Bake for 14–16 minutes, swapping the trays round half way through cooking (to ensure the biscuits cook evenly). The biscuits should still be pale, but cooked. If making tree decorations, punch a small hole in the biscuit using a wooden skewer as soon as they come out of the oven. Leave on the tray to cool completely. In a small bowl stir together the icing sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding a little extra if the mixture is very thick. In a small bowl stir together the icing sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding a little extra if the mixture is very thick. Once the biscuits are cool, pipe or spoon the icing over each biscuit and top with your choice of edible decorations. If you’re making tree decorations, leave the icing to set before tying a piece of ribbon or string through the hole. Once the biscuits are cool, pipe or spoon the icing over each biscuit and top with your choice of edible decorations. If you’re making tree decorations, leave the icing to set before tying a piece of ribbon or string through the hole.