I do like a ginger biscuit (cookie) but since I went non-dairy I have to watch what’s on the packet because most things are made with some kind of cheap milk derivative, so I had to find an alternative. I made these with coconut oil and you can taste coconut. Maybe I’ll try margarine next time.

Serves: 60 – make about 60 biscuits/cookies, each about 5cm/2″ long

Ingredients

• 400g plain flour
• 200g coconut oil
  • You could use non-dairy margarine
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 200g dark soft brown sugar
• 50g golden syrup
  • Consider substituting with treacle, carob or maple syrup for a different flavour
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice

Method

• Soak the chia seeds in 3 tbsp of water for at least 10 minutes in a medium bowl. You’ll be adding other stuff to it later, hence the need for the medium bowl.
• Soften the coconut oil a little as it can be very hard. In a large bowl, use your hands to rub the oil into the flour until it is well mixed and evenly distributed, it should look like slightly damp breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice.
• Take the chia seed bowl and add the sugar and syrup to them with 2 more tbsp water to help it bind.
• Add this mixture to the flour/oil bowl and mix well, kneading with your hands until it is a nice smooth, evenly coloured dough.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180° C (160° C / gas mark 5).
• Line some baking trays with baking paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, to about 5mm thick then cut using some cookie cutters. I used some Christmas ones I picked up at Aldi.
  • You’ll probably need to do this in batches as there’s quite a lot of dough.
  • Recombine the off-cuts and keep making more biscuits.
• Place them on the trays and bake until the just start to brown. About 18 – 20 minutes for me but keep an eye out as every oven is different.
• Remove and place on a baking tray to cool.

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Notes

I didn’t decorate these, mainly because of time but also because the cutters did a good job of adding detail.