Ingredients

? cup golden syrup

? cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cloves

2 tsp bi-carb soda

220g unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3¾ to 4 cups plain flour

Pinch of salt

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C. Heat syrup, brown sugar and spices in a sauce­pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches a boil. Remove from heat, stir in bi-carb soda followed by the butter, a few pieces at a time.

Once butter is melted, add egg, and stir quickly to combine.

Transfer to a heatproof bowl and stir in 3 ¾ cups of flour and salt.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for no longer than a minute, dusting with as much of the remaining flour as needed to prevent sticking. Divide dough in half for easier handling. Leave the other half covered at room temperature.

Roll out half your dough until 0.5cm thick on a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of baking paper). Cut out as many cookies and arrange each cookie an inch apart on a non-stick baking sheet. Scrap dough can be re-rolled once before they will become tough cookies!

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Icing

Once completely cool, a zip lock bag, royal icing, food colouring and whatever decorative lollies you like will bring your gingerbread friends to life! Allow to set hard before storing.

Do ahead

Gingerbread cookies keep in an air­tight container at room temperature 3 weeks.