Iced biscuits are one of the most popular recipes to make with children, both because of how straightforward they are and how much fun (and creativity!) can be had when decorating the biscuits afterwards. It's also easier to get kids involved if they know there's a treat to be had at the end!
While baking with kids is fun year-round, there's something particularly festive about getting together to bake at Christmas, whether it's filling the house with the aroma of Gingerbread men or getting creative with Reindeer cookies. You don't need too many ingredients, and the kids will love creating their own little characters. Feeling confident in the kitchen? You could even go all out and make a Gingerbread House!
If you want to spend some time baking this Christmas, it's handy to have an easy recipe for Christmas biscuits in your repertoire. This Christmas iced biscuits recipe from the BBC will make 36 delicious biscuits that take no time at all. Why not use Christmas biscuit cutters and use the biscuits as gifts? Simply pop a few in a bag, tie with a ribbon and you've got a yummy Christmas present. Want to be the ultimate domestic goddess? Freeze a batch of unbaked biscuits, ready to whip out and pop in the oven when unexpected guests arrive.
Though of course, with biscuits this tasty, we don't blame you if you keep them all to yourself...
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
100g caster sugar
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
275g plain flour
To decorate
400g icing sugar
3-4 tbsp water
2-3 drops food colourings
Edible glitter
Makes 36 biscuits | Prep: 25 minutes | Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Method
• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
• Cream 100g of unsalted butter and 100g of caster sugar together in a bowl until pale, light and fluffy.
• Beat in one egg and 1tsp of vanilla extract, a little at a time, until well combined.
• Stir in 275g of plain flour until the mixture comes together as a dough.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 1cm/½in.
• Using biscuit cutters or a glass, cut biscuits out of the dough and carefully place onto the baking tray. To make into Christmas tree decorations, carefully make a hole in the top of the biscuit using a straw.
• At this point you can put some in the freezer for next time - pop them on a tray so they freeze separately and then transfer to a ziplock bag when they're frozen.
• Bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to harden for 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack. If baking from frozen, they'll take an extra 3-5 minutes.
How to make icing for biscuits
For the icing, sift 400g of icing sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir in enough water to create a smooth mixture. Go slowly at this point, adding just a little water at a time. Stir in the food colouring.
Carefully spread the icing onto the biscuits using a knife and sprinkle over the glitter or whatever sprinkles and decorations you're using. Set aside until the icing hardens.
Christmas cookies recipe: Top Tips
You can reduce the amount of sugar in this Christmas iced biscuits recipe by using 60g/2½oz soft brown muscovado sugar instead of 100g/3½oz caster sugar. Increase the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons. Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 tbsp finely chopped candied peel with the flour. Decorate with halved blanched almonds instead of icing.
As mentioned, you can also freeze a batch of the unbaked Christmas biscuits recipe. Then, when unexpected guests arrive, take the biscuits out and bake from frozen, achieving Nigella Lawson levels of 'domestic goddess' in the process!
About the author
Rebecca Lancaster is a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby, drawing on ten years of parenting her two children to help others navigating their own parenting journey. As a freelance writer, she spent ten years working with leading lifestyle brands, from travel companies to food and drink start-ups, and writing everything from hotel reviews to guides to the best British cheeses. She’s particularly interested in travel and introducing her children to the excitement of visiting new places, trying different foods (less successfully) and experiencing different cultures.