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Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors

Mary Berry’s Best Ginger Biscuits

(100)

Mary Berry’s Best Ginger Biscuits

Mary Berry
by Mary Berry from Love to Cook
Ditch the packet of shop-bought gingernuts because these biscuits from Mary Berry are simple to make, easy to freeze and too irresistible to stop at just one.
Baking Freezer Friendly Quick
Makes 16
Easy
cornerstone-card image for Biscuit

Discover more delicious Biscuit recipes

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From the book

Love to Cook

Mary Berry

Love to Cook

Love to Cook

MARY SITB

120 recipes from the nation's favourite cook

Mary SITB

Featuring all of the recipes from the accompanying BBC2 series

Mary Berry SITB

Celebrating fuss-free cooking and the ingredients and flavours Mary loves

Buy From

Amazon
Waterstones
Bookshop.org

Introduction from Mary Berry

You know your favourite crisp, thick, moreish ginger biscuit? Well, this is it! Restraint is needed to keep the lid on the tin.

Ingredients

50g (2oz) butter
1 level tbsp golden syrup
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
1 level tbsp ground ginger
75g (3oz) crystallised ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g (2oz) demerara sugar
50g (2oz) light muscovado sugar
1 medium egg, beaten

Method

1

Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3. Line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

2

Measure the butter and golden syrup into a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until melted.

3

Place the flour, ground ginger, chopped ginger, bicarb and demerara and muscovado sugars in a mixing bowl. Mix well, then stir in the melted ingredients. Add the egg and bring the mixture together to form a dough.

4

Divide into 16 equal pieces and roll with your hands into small balls. Place on the baking sheets and slightly flatten to about 1cm (½in) thick. Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and firm around the edges.

5

Leave to firm up on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mary's tips

Keeps well in an airtight tin for 5 days.

Freeze well. Refresh in low oven once defrosted.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars

100 Ratings

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104 Comments

    default user avatar Wendy

    Easy to make and very good! If you like ginger try these! Good to use for desert with fresh fruit or baked peaches 😋
    Or just to eat with a cuppa 😀

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    default user avatar Marty

    Perfect, thanks Mary

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    default user avatar Macbrydie

    Nice easy recipe. Results brilliant. They are delicious.

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    default user avatar Jo

    I use this recipe every time. I sometimes add a bit more crystallised ginger or I use stem ginger. And I sometimes vary the cooking time to get a crisper or softer biscuit. Always a hit.

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    default user avatar Monica

    Best Ginger cookies EVER 😋

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    default user avatar Flo

    Even worked with gluten free flour! Delicious and a good crunch. Destined to become a family favourite.

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    default user avatar Denis Hird

    Making these treats is straightforward and they taste very well. My family and friends love them: alone a great recommendation.

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    default user avatar Monica. H.

    These are the very best ginger cookies EVER

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    default user avatar Sue

    Best ginger cookie. Delicious!

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    default user avatar Louella

    Great ginger biscuits, I agree with other reviewer you would add more ginger and you can use stem ginger instead of crystallised.

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    default user avatar SK Lycett

    Best ginger biscuits ever.

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    default user avatar Wendy

    Best ginger biscuits. I double the ginger as we love ginger. Recommend. So easy.

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    default user avatar Wendy

    So easy and quick to make. Deliciously scummy. Recommend to try, you won\’t regret it.

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    default user avatar David

    Absolutely brilliant! Everyone I’ve given them to raves about them especially my grandson’s friends at uni.

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    default user avatar Samantha

    Perfect. Taste really nice and not too sweet .

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    default user avatar Debbie

    Very quick & lovely biscuits

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    default user avatar Chrissy

    Perfect biscuits. Love them.

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    default user avatar Debbie

    Very easy & lovely biscuits

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    default user avatar Jilly bean

    Great every time

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    default user avatar Matthew

    Easy and delicious

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    default user avatar JOAN HAZZARD

    Absolutely gorgeous. I use this recipe for many occasions and often bake some quickly to take to see people of the older age bracket. They love ginger.

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    default user avatar Lynda Greening

    Can these be frozen uncooked or do they need to be cooked first?

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    default user avatar The Happy Foodie Team

    Hi Lynda,

    Thank you for your query. You could absolutely freeze the dough uncooked. To bake from frozen we’d advise adding 5-10 minutes to the stated baking time.

    The Happy Foodie Team

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    default user avatar Karen E

    I make them a lot.. fantastic recipe! Everyone loves these.. I only cook for about 18 min!

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    default user avatar Yvonne Parker

    So easy and quick to make. Absolutely delicious and moreish!

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    default user avatar Marie P

    it\’s just superb. A friend who is a chef can\’ t get enough of them and complains his wife eats his share.

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    default user avatar Patricia

    This is the only recipe I use for ginger biscuits, so delicious

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    default user avatar Marie

    This ginger biscuit is fantastic. I\’ ve made it 3 times and given some as gifts, requests for more are immediate. thank you Mary Berry. Also just made her date and walnut loaf. Also fabulous.

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    default user avatar DEBBI 😁

    So easy to make, a proper biscuit, with a crunch, they taste divine 😋

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    default user avatar Claire Shirley

    Very simple to make, they taste amazing 👌

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    default user avatar Pauline Charbonnier

    Fabulous

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    default user avatar Liz Parker

    Delicious 😋

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    default user avatar Charlotte

    Beautiful

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    default user avatar Patsy K

    Love this recipe, and came 1st in a recent garden show! Delicious 😋

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    default user avatar Rita B

    Absolutely delicious – another great recipe from Mary Berry

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    default user avatar Jan Campbell

    Devine! Don’t make these if you are on a diet as you will not be able to eat just one!

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    default user avatar Nyoman Nilawati

     

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    default user avatar Annie

    Delicious and very simple to make.

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    default user avatar Carol Payne

    I’ve made these ginger biscuits twice now and they are delicious. Would the recipe work if I doubled the amount because the only problem I have is that there aren’t enough of them?

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    default user avatar The Happy Foodie Team

    Hi Carol,

    Yes, absolutely – you can definitely make a double batch, just ensure you use double the quantity of baking sheets or bake in two batches.

    The Happy Foodie Team

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    default user avatar Barbara

    It is a lovely recipe and so easy to make. Everyone loves these biscuits.

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    default user avatar Barbara

    It is a lovely recipe and so easy to make.

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    default user avatar Tom

    Excellent, though I forgot to smoosh the balls down at the end so I ended up with soft bake cookies. Still gorgeous!

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    default user avatar Robyn

    I’ve made this recipe so many times. It’s amazing, flavoursome crunchy and delicious ginger flavour. I use naked ginger chunks. So full of flavour and not so crystallised. The best bickies.

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    default user avatar Beryl Brown Anglesey.

    Exalent I can’t stop baking them

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    default user avatar JOHN RAINEY

    5 star. Great biscuits.

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    default user avatar Dawn

    Just right! I’ve been looking for a good ginger recipe – thank you

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    default user avatar John

    I loved this when I made a year back, now I’d like to adapt it and substitute Almond flour for the self raising flour what adjustments would I need to make for this to be succesfull?

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    default user avatar The Happy Foodie Team

    Hi John,

    Thanks for your comment. Using almond flour in place of self raising flour will affect the texture and flavour of these cookies. It may take some trial and error to get the desired outcome, but some recommendations would be to add 1 to 1 ½ tsp of baking powder per cup of almond flour, and reducing the wet ingredients by about 20%. You can adjust as needed to get the right consistency.

    The Happy Foodie Team.

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    default user avatar Mrs M Kavanagh

    Absolutely delicious

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    default user avatar Helen McLennan

    Great recipe. Quick, easy, delicious.

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    default user avatar Sylvie Jones

    Crummy and simple to make, a winner at our house 👍 Thankyou

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    default user avatar Lynn Frearson

    Faaabulous. Everyone eats them so quickly, I make a double batch and also add a touch of ground cardamom. Then I start all over again.

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    default user avatar Pam

    Love it ! Very crispy and taste like ginger biscuits ! Easy to make too 👍

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    default user avatar Tina Mason

    Excellent, the biscuits were lovely. I will be doing them again soon.

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    default user avatar Arlene

    Saw Mary making these yesterday on the television. I have made some this morning, they are so easy and yummy. Thanks Mary.

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    default user avatar Maria

    The recipe is dead easy and the cookies very, very delicious

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    default user avatar Anne

    I love this recipe! Quite easy and so satisfying with a cup of tea! Glad I found it!

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    default user avatar Margaret

    Absolutely yummy and one batch doesn’t last long! Had no crystallised ginger but plenty of stem ginger so used that instead (about 3 balls finely chopped). I used the ginger syrup and another time maple syrup in place of golden syrup and both equally good. I cooked them for nearer 30 minutes on 140° Fan as I wanted them with more crunch. Keep watching them after 20 minutes until you get the colour you want.

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    default user avatar Greta Sangster

    I make it a couple of times a month
    I love,love , love it!

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    default user avatar Wendy Denise Chamberlain

    These are the best ginger biscuits ever but I must admit I doubled up the dried ginger as am addicted to the flavour and like it strong.🙂

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    default user avatar Yvonne Williams

    So easy to make and loved by everyone

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    default user avatar Jean Reilly

    100% easy to make and 100% delicious , everyone loves them

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    default user avatar Harry

    1 level tbsp. of ginger is too much! Try two tsp.

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    default user avatar Brenda Taynton

    Love the recipe but I only cook for 16 mins to leave the inside a bit chewy! I also add a touch of mixed spice for extra zing. Very difficult to resist them 😋

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    default user avatar john eagle

    Good, but I took the first batch out after 20 minutes and they were too crispy. 2nd batch better after only 15 minutes. Touch of allspice helps too

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    default user avatar Jane Watkins

    Making more and giving away as gifts

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    default user avatar Jane Watkins

    Marvellous and delicious

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    default user avatar Enzo

    Fantastic. We have it on regular repeat at our place. Delicious and gingery. A big treat. Thank you very much for passing it on Mary!

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    default user avatar Starry

    Keeps for five days? If only I had that sort of selfcontrol. Five minutes is more like it in our house. Delicious.

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    default user avatar Liz Ball

    I love this recipe it is a very similar version of a recipe my Mum passed down to me, her’s had All Bran in it and not the crystallised ginger. The family all love the chunks of ginger in this recipe.

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    default user avatar Jane Watkins

    Excellent

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    default user avatar Jane Watkins

    Excellent

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    default user avatar s campbell

    best ginger biscuits ever made

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    default user avatar Jane

    Lovely to eat and lovely to share.

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    default user avatar Andy Blazey

    Love them

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    default user avatar Liz Ball

    Really delicious ginger biscuits, love using the crystallised ginger.

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    default user avatar Mel

    Perfect result after following the simple recipe.
    Second batch on the way.

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    default user avatar Heather

    Best ever can’t stop making them.

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    default user avatar Heather

    Best ones ever can’t stop making them.

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    default user avatar Penn miser

     brilo

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    default user avatar Paula White

    I’ve made these several times and all my family love them. They are so good.
    One question if I want to make them using gluten free flour is there anything else I need to change?

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    default user avatar The Happy Foodie Team

    Hi Paula,

    We’re really glad to hear this recipe is such a hit with your family.

    To make this recipe gluten free you shouldn’t need to substitute any of the ingredients other than the flour, but it’s always worth checking the full ingredient lists of anything you’re adding in, just to make sure there’s no hidden sources of gluten. The other thing we would advise is checking whether your gluten-free flour includes xanthan gum or guar gum. If it doesn’t, adding in a 1/4 – 1/2 tsp should help the ingredients to bind and recreate the elasticity from the missing gluten.

    Let us know how you get on!
    The Happy Foodie Team

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    default user avatar Brenda Taynton

    Make these cookies all the time, ingredients are spot on (although I sometimes add a little more powdered ginger). I cook for about 15 minutes to keep them soft and chewy. Perfect ginger cookies.

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    default user avatar Simon Hall

    Made this recipe the times now, always finishes with the perfect ginger biscuit.

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    default user avatar George Conway

    Good ingredients but the mixture is FAR too runny.
    We have carefully followed the recipe and it is definitely incorrect!?.

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    default user avatar Dixie 78

    Very easy recipe. Have made these biscuits several times and always a success, even when I forgot to use the crystallised ginger on one occasion!

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    default user avatar Jane

    Best recipe I have found. Works well with gluten-free flour and xanthem gum.

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    default user avatar Alice

    The taste is perfect, only the baking time is wrong. Mine were dark brown instead of light brown. Far too long. I will bake new biscuits tomorrow.

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    default user avatar Roger Smart

    Perfect, easy to follow. I didn’t have any crystalline ginger so upped the ground ginger and added half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, baked for 24 minutes at 140 c. Great taste and looked just like the picture.

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    default user avatar Les

    This is the best ginger biscuit recipe that I’ve ever baked.

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    default user avatar Lesley

    This is the best ginger biscuit recipe that I’ve ever baked

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    default user avatar David Lenham

    The recipe per se is good but the 25 minutes baking time is totally wrong. I followed the instructions precisely but when I checked the biscuits after only 11 minutes they were already burnt. I baked the second batch for 9 minutes and they were cooked perfectly.

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    default user avatar Busy Bee

    Amazing biscuits and so easy to make! I’m not a careful baker but these came out so perfectly shaped the person I gifted them to wondered if they were shop bought until they tried one!

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    default user avatar Hayles

    Delicious! Mine were thinner biscuits when cooked unlike the picture but not a problem.

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    default user avatar Sarah

    Nice biscuit recipe soon with family ready eat them still merry christmas soon

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    default user avatar Lizzie

    I make this regularly for the family. It’s nice and spicy and the biscuits keep well, given the chance.

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    default user avatar Fiona

    A friend made these biscuits for a group of us just before Christmas. I thought they were lovely and asked for the recipe. I have made them lots of times since then and everyone who has eaten them thinks they are gorgeous. My sister-in-law now makes them for her friends. A wonderful recipe.

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    default user avatar Bob

    It doesn’t need the egg. I used 2 tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of sunflower oil to supplement the mix. A very crunchy biscuit results.

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Tags
GingerBiscuitBakingBiscuitsEasyFreezer FriendlyQuick
Ingredients
Method

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From the book: Love to Cook

Close menu
Love to Cook

Love to Cook

MARY SITB

120 recipes from the nation's favourite cook

Mary SITB

Featuring all of the recipes from the accompanying BBC2 series

Mary Berry SITB

Celebrating fuss-free cooking and the ingredients and flavours Mary loves

Buy Book
Amazon
Waterstones
Bookshop.org