Anna Louise Ginger biscuits are one of those recipes I make more often than almost any other biscuit — they are simple, quick, and the results are consistently wonderful. The smell when they are baking is one of my absolute favourites — warm ginger, dark treacle, and sweet spice filling the whole kitchen.
The key difference between a great ginger biscuit and an ordinary one is the treacle. Golden syrup alone gives a mild, slightly bland biscuit. Black treacle alongside the golden syrup gives the dark colour, the slightly bitter depth, and the specifically ginger biscuit character that makes these taste like the real thing.
I bake these slightly under so they come out of the oven with a tiny bit of give in the centre — they crisp to perfection as they cool on the tray. The result is a biscuit with a clean snap and a crisp bite throughout, without being hard enough to hurt your teeth.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Ginger Biscuits (Makes approximately 28)
For the Ginger Biscuits
- 350g plain flour, sifted
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g soft dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 1 large egg yolk
How to Make Mary Berry Ginger Biscuits
Step 1 — Make the Dough
Beat the softened butter, dark brown sugar, golden syrup, and black treacle together in a large bowl for two to three minutes until well combined — the mixture will be dark and fragrant.
Add the egg yolk and beat briefly until incorporated.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, and salt directly into the bowl. Mix first with a round-bladed knife, then bring together with your hands into a firm, smooth, fragrant dough. The dough should feel firm but pliable — not sticky.
Flatten into a disc. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the butter and makes the dough much easier to roll.
Step 2 — Preheat and Roll
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line three large baking trays with baking parchment.
Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately 4mm thick — the same thickness I recommend for gingerbread men. Consistent thickness gives even baking throughout.
Step 3 — Cut and Bake
Cut into rounds using a 6cm round cutter — plain or fluted. Place on the prepared trays with a little space between each. Re-roll the trimmings once and cut again.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the biscuits are a slightly deeper golden-brown and feel just set when pressed very lightly in the centre. They will look slightly underdone — this is correct. They crisp completely as they cool.
Leave on the trays for ten minutes before moving — warm ginger biscuits are fragile. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
My Top Tips For Perfect Mary Berry Ginger Biscuits
Both golden syrup and black treacle give the best result. The golden syrup gives sweetness and spread. The black treacle gives the dark colour, the depth of flavour, and the specifically ginger biscuit character. Using only one or the other gives a noticeably less interesting biscuit.
Chill the dough for thirty minutes before rolling. The combined fat from the butter, golden syrup, and treacle gives a soft, slightly sticky dough at room temperature. Thirty minutes in the fridge gives a firmer, much more manageable dough that rolls cleanly without sticking.
Roll to exactly 4mm. Thinner gives a very brittle biscuit that breaks easily. Thicker gives an unevenly baked biscuit with a slightly soft centre. Four millimetres gives a crisp, properly set biscuit from edge to edge.
Remove from the oven when they look slightly underdone. Ginger biscuits that look fully set and golden in the oven will be hard and slightly over-baked when cool. Remove them when they look about ninety percent done — they firm to exactly the right crisp texture as they cool on the tray.
Leave on the trays for ten minutes before moving. Warm ginger biscuits are very fragile and break easily. Ten minutes of cooling on the tray gives them enough structure to move without cracking.
Serving Suggestions
With a cup of strong tea — the most natural pairing. As a simple biscuit tin staple throughout the week. Crumbled over vanilla ice cream or used as the base of a no-bake cheesecake. As part of a Christmas biscuit tin alongside shortbread and gingerbread men.
How to Store Mary Berry Ginger Biscuits
In an airtight tin: Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They stay crisp throughout. In the freezer: Freeze unbaked cut rounds for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 180°C for 14 to 15 minutes.
Mary Berry Ginger Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Beat butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, and treacle 2–3 minutes until combined and dark. Add egg yolk — beat briefly. Sift in flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices, and salt — mix then bring together with hands into a firm dough. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line three baking trays.
- Roll chilled dough on a floured surface to 4mm. Cut into 6cm rounds. Place on trays — re-roll trimmings once.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until slightly deeper golden-brown and just set. They will look slightly underdone — correct. Leave on trays 10 minutes — transfer to wire rack. Cool completely.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these softer rather than crisp?
Yes — reduce the baking time to eight minutes and increase the dark brown sugar by 25g. Store in a sealed container with a slice of bread to keep them soft.
Can I add stem ginger to the dough?
Yes — two balls of stem ginger, finely chopped, added to the dough give vivid pockets of concentrated ginger flavour. Particularly good in a slightly thicker biscuit.
Can I use this dough for gingerbread shapes?
Yes — this dough is very similar to the gingerbread man dough elsewhere on this site. It works well with any cutter shape and holds its edges cleanly during baking.
Why are my ginger biscuits spreading too much?
The butter was too warm or the dough was not chilled sufficiently. Ensure the dough is properly chilled for thirty minutes and that the baking trays are at room temperature before the biscuits go on.
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