Gingerbread Man Cookie Recipe

Preheat your oven to 170°c (150°c for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 3-4 or 325°F) and line a couple of baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together your butter/margarine and sugar, until light and fluffy.

Add your golden syrup and stir through to combine.

Sift in your flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon.

Mix your dry and wet ingredients together to make a stiff dough.

Gently knead the dough together, before rolling with a rolling pin on a well floured surface, to around 0.5-1cm thick.

Using your gingerbread man cutter, cut your people from the dough and transfer to your pre-lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between them.

Knead together any off-cut before re-rolling the dough, until you have used it all and cut all your gingerbread people.

Bake your gingerbread biscuits in your pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes.

When they are golden and dry looking, remove them from the oven to cool.

Once completely cool, you can decorate your gingerbread men.

Mix the icing sugar with a little boiling water, adding it a teaspoon at a time until you have the desired consistency.

Finish with sweeties, such as smarties, jelly tots or chocolate chips.