Gingernuts

10 minutes - 15 minutes

Makes 16. See questions Lindsey has answered on this recipe at the end of the method

This recipe is from Delia's Cakes.

Straight from the old book into the new, with not a hint of change.

Same crisp crunchiness, same snap as you break one in half, and same reminder of how very much better they are homemade.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch more biscuit recipes being made in our video on this page.

Got a question on Delia's recipes? Ask Lindsey

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Keeping gingernuts fresh

Asked by: Mermaid

Just made three batches of stem ginger biscuits for a large group visiting next weekend. Am I best to freeze them or will they be ok stored in an airtight container?

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, I have successfully done both, but to be on the safe side I would say freeze. Best wishes Lindsey

Where did I go wrong with my gingernuts? Today i tried my hand at the Jean's gingernuts recipe from the 1977 cakebook. They got burned. Then I tried again this time using the on line recipe where the temperature was set much lower r than the 190 c. from the book. And I didnot use the fan but stuck to the conventional oven function. Again getting burned biscuits in less than 10 minutes. Finally for my last try when I used the notes I had made in the book years ago.: 15 minutes at 150 C. They look exactly like the pictute but don't snap.

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, I’m sorry that your batches for ginger nuts haven’t been successful. We make these often following this online recipe and I always set the convection oven to 190 degrees and the timer for 13 minutes. Occasionally they need a minute or 2 more when they look a little pale. Have you got an oven thermometer to check the oven temperature? Kind regards Lindsey

About the Gingernut recipe

Asked by: killjoy

When making the ginger biscuits I always have trouble rolling the mixture into small balls as it crumbles and doesn't bind together. Thanks John

Answered by Lindsey: Hello John, It sounds like you are not combining the ingredients enough before you attempt to roll the biscuits. Mix the ingredients and then use your hand to form the dough by squeezing the mixture with your hand and pushing it against the side of the bowl until you have a smooth dough that holds together. Then divide the mixture and roll into balls. Kind regards Lindsey

Method

Sift the flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda together into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, then lightly rub in the butter till crumbly.

All you do now is simply add the syrup and mix everything to a stiff paste. No liquid is needed because the syrup will be enough to bring the mixture to the right consistency. Now divide the mixture into quarters, as evenly sized as possible, then each quarter into four, and roll the pieces into little balls. Next place them on the baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between them because they spread out quite a bit. Then just flatten them slightly (to about 1.5cm) and bake near the centre of the oven for 10–15 minutes by which time they will have spread themselves out and will have a lovely cracked appearance.

Cool them on the baking tray for 10 minutes or so, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling and store in an airtight tin. You can watch more biscuit recipes being made in our Online Cookery School Video on the right.

Ingredients

110g self-raising flour

1 slightly rounded teaspoon ground ginger

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

40g granulated sugar

50g block butter, at room temperature

50g (or 2 tablespoons) golden syrup

Equipment

You will need a large Delia Online baking sheet, or similar, with a non-stick liner

The Delia Online bakeware range is now available online and you can buy our Delia Online Baking Sheet and washable and reusable liner direct from Silverwood.

Click here for the baking sheet
Click here for the liner