Gingerbread people

200g plain wholemeal flour

75g brown sugar

50g reduced-fat spread 

1 x 15ml spoon golden syrup

½ x 5ml spoon bicarbonate of soda

1 x 5ml spoon ground ginger

1 egg

Cherries or currants and icing to decorate

Weighing scales, baking tray, mixing bowl, sieve, small bowl, fork, small saucepan, measuring spoons, heat-resistant spoon, rolling pin, flour dredger (optional), biscuit cutters, cooling rack, piping bag. 

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC or gas mark 4. 
2. Grease or line a baking tray.  
3. Sift the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.    
4. Whisk the egg in a small bowl using a fork.  
5. Gently melt the spread, syrup and sugar together in a small saucepan. Do not allow to boil.  
6. Add the melted mixture and the beaten egg to the flour. 
7. Mix to form a soft dough.  
8. Allow the mixture to cool.  
9. Roll out the dough to 0.5 cm thick on a floured work surface.   
10. Cut into gingerbread shapes and carefully place on the baking tray.  
11. Decorate with currants or cherries.  
12. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Carefully remove from the tray and allow to cool thoroughly on a cooling rack.   
13. Pipe icing on top to decorate.

• To make Christmas decorations, use a star or snowflake cutter. Make a hole in the top before baking and thread ribbon through once cooled. Hang on your Christmas tree or give as gifts.

Be ingredient aware!

Check for any food allergy, intolerance, special dietary requirement or religious/cultural reasons for not handling or eating the ingredients in this recipe. 

You may need to modify the recipe accordingly. For example, for those with an allergy to gluten, use a gluten-free flour. Always check food labels for allergens, and suitability for vegetarians and vegans.

For full guidance and up-to-date information on the 14 allergens, please visit the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website. 
  

Nutritional information

This recipe makes 6 portions based on portion size guidance for 11-18 year olds , if serving to younger children then they may require a smaller portion and if serving to adults, they may require a bit more. 

Why not use the Explore Food calculator, the British Nutrition Foundation's free online nutritional analysis programme, to calculate the nutritional information for other recipes?