From biscuits to houses, nothing says Christmas quite like the smell of gingerbread. If you want to give a unique gift this year try this easy gingerbread wreath.
You can freeze the unbaked dough, wrapped, for up to one month. Just defrost overnight in fridge and complete recipe.
For more festive baking inspiration check out our gallery of favourite Christmas biscuits.
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Yields:
2
Prep Time:
1 hr
Cook Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
For the pepparkakor (makes 2 wreaths)
225 g unsalted butter, chopped
150 ml golden syrup
175 g light brown muscovado sugar
500 g plain flour, plus extra to dust
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. baking powder
1 medium egg, beaten
For the icing (enough for 2 wreaths)
1 medium egg white
250 icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust
Directions
Step 1
For the pepparkakor: in a medium pan over a low heat, melt the butter, syrup and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix the flour, spices, baking powder and ½ tsp salt.
Step 2
Beat the egg into the cooled syrup mixture, then mix liquid into the flour bowl and stir to combine. Divide mixture in half and wrap each portion in clingfilm (each makes one wreath). Chill for at least 4hr or overnight – or follow freezing instructions (see GH Tips)
Step 3
Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Make first wreath: Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough portion to 5mm thickness. Cut out a 20.5cm circle using a cake tin as a guide, and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. From the centre of this circle, cut out a 10cm circle so you are left with a 5cm wide band. Reserve trimmings. Bake the band for 15min until golden. Cool on baking sheet briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4
Meanwhile, from the trimmings, use 5-9cm cutters to stamp out holly leaves, rerolling as necessary, and shape a few 1.5cm balls of dough to make ‘berries’. Space biscuits 2cm apart on prepared cool baking sheets and bake for 8-10min until golden. Cool for 5min on sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If making two wreaths at the same time, repeat with remaining portion of dough to make second wreath, or freeze until needed.
Step 5
To assemble, make icing (enough for 2 wreaths): in a medium bowl with an electric whisk, beat egg white to stiff peaks, then beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Spoon two-thirds into a piping bag fitted with a 3mm or Wilton 2 nozzle and set aside.
Step 6
Use remaining icing to stick holly biscuits and berries to the biscuit band(s), overlapping to make a pleasing pattern (keep icing covered as you work, to stop it drying out). Using the icing in the bag, pipe details on to some of the holly biscuits. Leave wreath to set. See GH Tips.
Step 7
When set, dust lightly with icing sugar and hang with a ribbon.
FREEZE AHEAD: Freeze unbaked dough, wrapped, for up to one month. Defrost overnight in fridge and complete recipe.
Spare biscuits will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Store spare icing, covered, for up to 2 days in the fridge.
48 of our favourite Christmas biscuit recipes to bake, gift or enjoy with a cuppa this festive season
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
