Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (2024)

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ByFreya

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Spicy, gingery, crisp, chewy and sweet – these simple, dairy-free Ginger Cookies are divine

PIN my Spicy Vegan Ginger Cookies to make later

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (1)

This recipe was inspired by my classic oatmeal cookies, and my vegan gingerbread cake recipe.

Ginger Biscuits, whether you call them Ginger Nuts, Ginger Snaps, Fairlies or Ginger Crisps (might have made this last one up), are a universal favourite in the cookie world.

Ginger biscuits come under many guises: Gingernuts in the UK, Ginger Snaps in the US, Pepparkakor in Sweden and sometimes they are known as Fairings. There are lots of different variations of the ginger cookie, and my recipe is just one of them.

Whether you look a chewy or crunchy ginger cookie, there is no doubt that this is one of the world’s favourites. At Christmas time we bake them to a hard consistency, shaped like people, stars or bells, and then hang them on the tree. Maybe we turn them into gingerbread houses. We often use them, crushed up to make a delicious bake for cheesecakes or in delicious refrigerator cakes.

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (2)

Because ginger cookies have such a sturdy texture, they really are the biscuit that does it all. And all this versatility on top of being utterly delicious! Truly the little black dress of the biscuit world!

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (3)

My version of a vegan ginger cookie is based on the Cornish Fairing, a heavily spiced cookie (or biscuit) from Cornwall, with a crackle top and rich flavour. The method is slightly unusual in that you rub the vegan butter into the dry ingredients before stirring in golden syrup.

If you can’t find golden syrup (although amazon sell a tin that lasts forever in the cupboard), you can use a mixture of molasses and corn syrup. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will still be delicious!

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (4)

It may seem like there is a lot of spice in this recipe (4 teaspoonfuls!), but this cookie can take it. And whilst the cookie is heavily spiced, it is balanced sweetly by the syrup, so it is never overpowering.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (5)
  • plain flour
  • spices: ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice
  • vegan butter
  • golden syrup

Instructions

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (6)

Mix the flour, spices and salt together, then rub the butter into the mixture.

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (7)

Stir in the sugar, then mix in the golden syrup until you have a thick consistency.

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (8)

Pinch of chunks of the dough and roll into walnut sized balls. Space at least 3″ apart on the baking sheet.

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (9)

Place into oven at 180c for about 18 minutes, moving them from the top shelf in the oven to the bottom halfway through cooking. This ensures the bottoms don’t get burnt!

Hint: please make sure to space the cookies quite far apart on the baking sheet as they will spread out to almost completely flat!

Substitutions

  • Flour – if you follow a gluten-free diet, simply replace the plain flour with gluten-free
  • Golden Syrup – if you can’t find golden syrup, you can use molasses or corn syrup, but bear in mind, these will both give a different flavour to the finished cookie.

Storage

Store the baked and cooled cookies in an airtight tin for up to 7 days.

You can chill the cookie dough for up to a week before bringing up to room temperature and then rolling into cookies and baking.

Top tip

I love to pop these cookies in cellophane gift bags tied with a ribbon and give them as festive gifts at Christmas!

FAQ

What is a Cornish Fairing?

A Cornish Fairing is a spiced biscuit/cookie, originating from Cornwall. The word fairing referred to an edible treat sold at fairs around Britain, but came to be known synonymously with the ginger biscuit. The ginger flavoured cake or biscuits were first sold at fairs in the 11th century, and continued into the 18th century.
According to Wikipedia, a fairing can mean cake or biscuit, and was also offered as a love gift.

Vegan Ginger Cookies

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (10)

A classic cookie, the ginger biscuit or cookie is simple to make, requires no chilling and makes a great gift!

Freya

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 225 g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
  • 3 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 100 g butter
  • 115 g golden caster sugar
  • 4 tablespoons golden syrup - gently heated

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180c.

  • Sieve together the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarb and spices.

  • Rub in the vegan butter with the fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

  • Stir in the sugar.

  • Pour in the syrup and mix thoroughly to a fairly stiff consistency. This does seem like hard work, and don't worry if you don't get a cohesive ball of dough. You will be able to smoosh them together when you start rolling them! You might find it easier to knead the dough too.

  • Roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls. You might need to wet your hands or wipe them off during this process!

  • Place them on a greased baking sheet, well spaced out to allow room to spread.

  • Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes, moving the sheet from the top to the bottom of the oven after

  • 5-7 minutes or as soon as the biscuits start to brown.

  • Leave the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cake rack to cool completely.

Please note that where the recipe asks for milk, butter or yogurt, this refers to any plant-based version that you prefer.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Ginger Cookies

Amount per Serving

Calories

103

% Daily Value*

Fat

5

g

8

%

Saturated Fat

3

g

19

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

0.2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

1

g

Cholesterol

12

mg

4

%

Sodium

273

mg

12

%

Potassium

20

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

14

g

5

%

Fiber

0.4

g

2

%

Sugar

4

g

4

%

Protein

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

139

IU

3

%

Vitamin C

0.01

mg

%

Calcium

31

mg

3

%

Iron

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Simple and Spicy Vegan Ginger Biscuits (also known as Cornish Fairings) (2024)

FAQs

What is a fairing biscuit? ›

Description. Cornish fairings are sweet and spicy ginger biscuits, made with standard biscuit ingredients such as flour, caster sugar and butter, together with mixed spice, ginger, cinnamon and golden syrup. They are roughly circular and brittle similar to gingerbread.

What is a ginger biscuit called? ›

A gingersnap, ginger snap, ginger nut, or ginger biscuit is a biscuit flavoured with ginger. Ginger snaps are flavoured with powdered ginger and a variety of other spices, most commonly cinnamon, molasses and clove.

Why are gingernut biscuits different in each state? ›

Ginger Nuts were developed to use the dough scrap from other biscuits made in the bakeries, with the ginger used to mask the underlying flavours. Because each bakery made a different range of biscuits, the resulting Ginger Nuts were unique in appearance and texture in each State. 1. NSW - 2.

What's the difference between gingerbread and ginger biscuits? ›

Ginger biscuit should not be mistaken with gingerbread, because the former is a hard biscuit while the latter is thicker and a bit softer and more bread-like. Ginger biscuits are also called ginger nuts, but they are not the same with the pepper nuts. Again pepper nuts are more like gingerbread.

Who sells Cornish fairings? ›

Furniss is the only company to hold the trademark for The Original Cornish Fairing™. They go well with a cup of tea and a sea view. For well over 100 years, these spiced biscuits have have been a Cornish favourite.

What is a fairing in England? ›

British. a. : a present bought or given at a fair. b. : gift.

Is it OK to eat ginger biscuits? ›

Despite their drawbacks, ginger cookies offer some nutritional value, and boost your iron and manganese intakes. Iron plays a key role in energy production, and it supports tissue health by helping red blood cells carry oxygen to your tissues.

What happened to ginger biscuits? ›

To our surprise, there were numerous tweets from Brits lamenting the “biscuit crisis.” It turns out that production of McVitie's Ginger Nuts was halted back in December due to flooding at the factory in Caldewgate Carlisle, causing a number of supermarkets to be without stock for weeks.

What are American style biscuits called in England? ›

What is an American biscuit in the UK? The last piece of the puzzle, an American biscuit is a crumbly leavened quick bread similar to what we call a scone in the UK.

Why is there a shortage of ginger biscuits? ›

Ginger nut shortage as floods take the biscuit

The United Biscuits factory in Caldewgate was caught by the deluge that hit the region late last year and production was halted on 6 December. It could take "several months" to restart the brick ovens used on the site, the company told The Guardian.

Why do biscuits taste better in the South? ›

Do you ever wonder why biscuits taste so much better in the South? Not only are they filled with more love and butter (or shortening), but more often than not, they're also made with White Lily flour.

Can dogs have ginger nut biscuits? ›

No - sadly your pooch can't snack on these sweet human treats. Ginger biscuits aren't necessarily toxic to dogs, but are crammed with sugar and may cause your dog to have a stomach upset.

Why do ginger biscuits go soft? ›

Molasses and honey hardens gingerbread, but as the sugar absorbs moisture, it will get softer.” Cookbook author and ”Great American Baking Show” winner Vallery Lomas likes a gingerbread cookie that's packed with flavor.

Do ginger biscuits have ginger in them? ›

Vegetable oils( sustainable palm,rapeseed),sweeteners:isomalt,maltitol, flour(wheat flour,calcium,iron,niacin,thiamin),cornflour,Rice flour,Ground Ginger(2%), Colour:Annatto Norbixin, salt, Flavourings.

Why are ginger biscuits called nuts? ›

Around the middle of the nineteenth century, however, gingerbread nut was superseded by ginger nut. The element nut presumably refers to the biscuits' smallness and roundness (ginger nuts seem originally to have been smaller than their twentieth-century descendants).

Where did the term cathead biscuit come from? ›

The origins of the name are lost to time, but the conventional wisdom seems to be that they're called that because they're about the size of a cat's head. An old Appalachian favorite. Less fuss than rolled and cut biscuits. White Lily flour is preferred."

What is a Seabiscuit? ›

Clypeaster rosaceus, the fat sea biscuit, is a species of sea urchin in the family Clypeasteridae. It occurs in shallow water in the western Atlantic Ocean and was first scientifically described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus.

What are the biscuits for funerals? ›

The writer described them as "a kind of sugared biscuit, which are wrapped up, generally two of them together, in a sheet of wax paper, sealed with black wax." The biscuits were given to each person attending the funeral, and were a custom of the funerals of "lower and the middling class of people." In Lincolnshire, ...

What is the meaning of shortcake biscuits? ›

Shortcake Biscuits

It's a tender biscuit with a hint of sweet and the South's take on a scone that is delightfully sweet for breakfast or dessert.

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