My husband is obsessed with these, and I have to admit that I adore them too!

Gently spicy and comforting, these are perfect any time of the year.  Sometimes I decorate them with chocolate buttons atop a cloud of vanilla icing, other times I like to just dust them with icing sugar.

Ingredients

125g butter, at room temperature

100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup

1 egg

375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour

1 tbs and 1tsp ground ginger

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Plain flour, to dust

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.  Line two  baking trays with non-stick paper, or lightly grease with butter.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy.  Add the egg and golden syrup.  Stir in flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda.  Knead until smooth.  If the dough is very slippery and floppy at this stage you may need to refrigerate for half an hour to make cutting out the shapes easier.

Place dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until around 4mm thick, or else just use your hands to make the dough as flat as you can (this is what I usually do).  Cut out shapes (I usually make men or circles).  Place on trays, leaving room to spread.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.  You can normally smell them when they are just about ready!  Pop on a wire rack to cool.

Ice, and put smarties or other lollies on top, if you so desire.  Then enjoy!