Our favourite Christmas Recipes - 2024 edition

I’m coeliac so baked goods aren’t a common treat but I do love a little gingerbread man at Christmas time! It’s become such a fun tradition that Lola does with me, from rolling the dough, to cutting shapes and adding decorations. We normally make a double batch as they disappear quick! I adapted this recipe from Chelsea Sugar’s one to make it gluten free but I’m sure they would be as great with normal flour!

Abbey’s Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups Gluten Free Flour (any brand should work otherwise standard flour also works)

• 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum (omit if you don’t have any or are using wheat flour)

• 1 cup Brown Sugar

• 1 Tbsp Ground Ginger

• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

• 150 Butter cubed, at room temp

• 1 Egg, beaten

• 1 Tbsp Golden Syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C bake (160°C fan-forced). Line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Place the Flour, Xantham Gum, Sugar, Ginger and Baking Soda in a bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips (or I use a butter knife to mix) until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Add the Egg and Golden Syrup and stir to form a workable dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins.

4. Once the dough is chilled, take a chunk (1/4 - 1/3) and roll out between two sheets of baking paper until around 5mm thick. Cut out using biscuit cutters (or a glass if you don’t have any). Form any leftover dough into a ball and reroll until all dough is used up. Use any small bits of dough to make little balls or shapes to decorate your cookies.

5. Bake for 8-10 mins until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack

6. I normally don’t bother icing them but if you’d like to, mix 2 cups icing sugar with 1 tsp vanilla and 5 tablespoons of water and stir with a fork. Keep adding 1 tbsp water until you get the right consistency. Add a drop of colouring if you please!

Olivia’s Rocky Road Jars

Ingredients

Blondie Rocky Road

• 350g Whittaker’s Blondie Chocolate

• 180g marshmallows, roughly chopped

• 50g roasted unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

• 50g plain vanilla biscuit, roughly chopped

• 50g raspberry liquorice (or equivalent sweet), roughly chopped

Berry Forest Rocky Road

• 2x 250g Blocks Whittaker’s Berry Forest

• 180g marshmallows, chopped into quarters

• 100g roasted Almonds

• 5g freeze-dried raspberries, crushed

Method

1. Grease and line 2 square baking tins with baking paper (approx 18x25cm tin).

2. Blondie Rocky Road: Break up blocks of Whittaker’s Blondie Chocolate and melt in the microwave (in short increments to avoid burning).

3. Blondie Rocky Road: Once melted, add chopped marshmallows, almonds, biscuit, and liquorice until fully incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly.

4. Berry Forest Rocky Road: Break up blocks of Whittaker’s Berry Forest Chocolate and melt over a double boiler (Be careful that no water splashes into the chocolate and stir frequently to ensure the jubes do not melt.)

5. Berry Forest Rocky Road: Once melted, add chopped marshmallows and almonds until fully incorporated. Pour the rocky road into the prepared tin and spread evenly and sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries.

6. Allow the rocky roads to set at room temperature. Cut into small squares and serve or store in jars for the perfect Christmas gift!