Lucky Pigs

Prep Time : 30 Minutes | Cook Time : 15 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy

Hello my lovelies! Ok Ok Ok. I get it. It’s November. But I’m so excited about the best crispy gingerbread I’ve ever had that I had to share it. I have been sitting on my hands for long enough. I developed this recipe as part of a programme called Prison Bake that Good Bitches Baking is trialling. We teach pre-release prisoners to bake and why kindness and consideration is important. The parameters of the recipes require that they are quick and easy to learn and make. I have made these four times since. And I’m going to keep making them forever. The recipe I started working from is from my favourite second hand book bargain Festive Baking by Sarah Kelly Iaia. If you can find a copy just buy it. No question. Not only does this book have excellent recipes it also has great historical and cultural notes on the different bakes. I learned that in Germany people make pig shaped cookies to gift to each other as symbols of good luck. Well that’s just to good not to add to my Christmas traditions!

These cookies have NO chilling time. They roll out easily. They bake beautifully crispy. And they keep for AGES. So make them now and pack them away somewhere. It’s like finding a 20 down the back of the couch. There will just be cookies there in December when you need them. Because they are so easy to make they’re great to make with kids – just supervise the melting steps on the stove. These cookies puff a little when they are first baking but settle back down a bit and do keep their shape very well without spreading. Decorate as you like (or can be bothered). I used a decorative rolling pin because I love how fancy they look with next to no effort and it saves me piping work later.

Heat the oven to 180C (350F). Mix the flour and baking soda in a large heatproof bowl. Melt the butter, golden syrup (or honey), spices, salt and sugar over a low heat. Don’t let it boil. Stir all the time until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved.

Pour the liquid over the flour and mix as best you can with a wooden spoon. It will be dry.

Add the egg yolk and mix to a smooth dough. You’ll probably want to use your hands now. It’s ok we’re all friends here.

Tip the dough out onto a sheet of baking paper and bring together into a mass. Depending how big your batch is divide it up into manageable portions to roll out.

Dust the baking paper and the top of the dough with a little bit of flour. Roll out to 3mm or so. You can make them thicker and sturdier – they will just need longer baking. Cut out shapes.

Transfer the cookies to baking sheets lined with baking paper. Leave a little bit of space between them.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden on top and firm when pressed. They will get fully crisp as they cool.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

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