"Light" Gingerbread Cookie Dough Recipe

This is what happens when you've made the same batch of cookie dough over a hundred times in one year: you automatically start making it for the next batch of cookies, then realise fiddlesticks, it's for Christmas cookies - they're supposed to be gingerbread.
So, you take the same-old-same-old (which was still at the butter and sugar stage, thankfully) and hastily add some ginger, mixed spice and golden syrup, (and commit to using brown sugar for the next batch) and voila ... "Light" gingerbread cookie dough.

I've made another 12 batches of it since then, so now it's official...
;o)

Light Gingerbread Cookie Recipe 
Recipe by Tea, Cake and Create

250g butter, at room temp. 
300g light brown sugar 
1-2 tsp ground ginger (depending on how "light" gingery you like it!)
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tbs golden syrup
2 XL eggs 
620g flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract 

Cream together the butter, sugar, spices and golden syrup. 
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
 Add the vanilla. 
Sift in the flour and salt. Mix until just clumping, then form into a ball by hand. Place in cling-wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 

Roll-out and cut out cookies on a surface dusted with cornflour. (See here for some tips).

Bake at 180'C for 8-10 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden. 

Decorate when completely cool. 

And yes, you can start baking your Christmas cookies now - they freeze well. 
If it's humid when you're thawing them, just pop them into a warm oven with the fan on to dry them out a bit. 

Happy baking!

xxM