Every year without fail, I spend an afternoon in December making these cinnamon star biscuits. They started as something to hang on the tree, but now they’re expected by pretty much everyone I know — the neighbours, my colleagues, the postman. The dough is wonderfully forgiving and the biscuits keep for weeks in a tin, making them perfect for gifts.
The royal icing is optional but really does make them special. I like to keep it simple — just a thin white flood over the top — but if you have children or a creative streak, by all means go wild with sprinkles and colours.
Ingredients
For the biscuits
- 350g plain flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the royal icing
- 250g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 large egg white (or 2 tbsp meringue powder mixed with 2 tbsp water)
- ½ tsp lemon juice
Method
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, honey, and vanilla. Sift in the flour, spices, and salt. Mix until a smooth dough forms. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Line two baking trays with parchment.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 4mm thick. Cut out stars using your favourite cutters — I use a mix of sizes for variety. If you want to hang them, make a small hole near the top of each with a skewer.
- Place on the prepared trays and bake for 10–12 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. They’ll firm up as they cool, so don’t overbake them.
- Cool on the trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, whisk the egg white, icing sugar, and lemon juice until smooth and glossy. It should hold a trail for a few seconds when you lift the whisk. Add water a teaspoon at a time if it’s too thick.
- Pipe or spread the icing over the cooled biscuits and leave to set completely — at least 2 hours.
Stored in an airtight tin with sheets of baking parchment between layers, these biscuits will keep for up to three weeks. They also make lovely gifts — stack them in a cellophane bag and tie with ribbon. Just be prepared to be asked for the recipe every single time.
