Gingerbread Crackles

When I first started baking Christmas cookies all those years ago, I didn't think the kids would enjoy strong spices like ginger. But over the years we've discovered that they are the biscuits that are more likely to be eaten than, say, brown sugar oatmeal cookies.

I call these crackles, because the sugar coating on the outside "crackles" as the cookie expands. There's a warm hit of ginger that lingers long after you've taken your last bite, I think these will be added to the ever-expanding-make-again list.

Ingredients

100g butter, chopped

1/3 cup golden syrup

1 & 1/2 cups plain flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2tsp ground ginger

1tsp mixed spice

1/4tsp ground cloves

1/4tsp bicarb soda

1/4cup icing sugar for dredging

Method

* place butter and syrup in saucepan, melt over low heat, mix well

* pour butter mix into bowl, add all ingredients, except icing sugar, mix well

* refrigerate at least 1 hour

* roll into balls, roll in icing sugar, place on trays

* bake 180°C 12min

* cool slightly on tray before moving to wire rack