Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 100 g unsalted butter, softened
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 275 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g candied peel, finely chopped
- 10 g almonds, halved
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 178 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 8 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 33 mg
- Potassium
- 42 mg
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 39 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 64 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 8 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Cream the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture is pale and light.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat until the ingredients are fully combined.
Stir in the flour, ground cinnamon, and chopped candied peel until a cohesive dough forms.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1cm (1/2 inch).
Cut shapes from the dough using biscuit cutters and transfer them to the baking tray.
Place almond halves on the biscuits for decoration and use a straw to poke a hole at the top if they are to be used as ornaments.
Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes.
Leave the biscuits on the tray for 5 minutes to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your butter is truly softened, not melted. This is crucial for achieving a light and creamy texture when creaming with the sugar, which directly impacts the biscuit's crispness.
- Don't overwork the dough once the flour is added. Mix just until combined to avoid developing the gluten too much, which can lead to tough biscuits.
- For perfectly even shapes, chill the dough for 15-30 minutes before rolling and cutting. This firms it up, making it easier to handle and less likely to spread during baking.
- The baking time is a guideline; ovens vary. Watch for the edges to turn a deep golden brown. If they start to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent them with foil.
- Allowing the biscuits to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack helps them set fully and prevents them from breaking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 7 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in a single layer before stacking.
Reheating: Not recommended; serve at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Biscuits are tough or hard
Cause: Overworking the dough after adding the flour
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Mix the flour in until just combined; do not knead.
Dough is too sticky to roll
Cause: Butter became too warm during mixing
Fix: Chill the dough until firm
Prevention: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before rolling.
Cultural Context
These biscuits are a festive take on traditional British shortbread or iced biscuits, often made during the Christmas season. They are designed to be firm enough to hold their shape when cut into festive motifs and are frequently decorated and hung as edible ornaments on Christmas trees.
