Pumpkin biscuits recipe

These pumpkin biscuits not only look cute but they pack a delicious ginger punch too.

Family, friends and guests are guaranteed to love these Halloween cookies for their pretty pumpkin shape and sweet crunchy taste. You'll require a little extra time and patience to make the dough - but the results are certainly worth it though, giving you gorgeous flavours of orange, almond and honey. Allow to cool after removing from the oven before adding the icing, otherwise your pumpkin faces won't stick properly.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp runny honey
• 30g unsalted butter
• 60g light muscovado sugar
• 250g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 60g ground almonds
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2-4 tbsp orange juice

To decorate:

• 250g packet ready-to-roll icing
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 1 apple
• Egg yellow and scarlet food paste colouring
• 7.5cm round, fluted cutter

You will also need:

• 2 baking sheets, lined with baking parchment
• 5cm (2in) biscuit cutter

Method

1. Put the honey, butter and sugar into a small pan and stir over a low heat until the butter is melted.
2. Sieve the flour and ginger into a bowl. Add the orange zest and ground almonds.
3. Pour in the egg, melted butter mixture and orange juice into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together.
4. Knead the mixture on a lightly floured surface for a couple of mins, then wrap in cling film and pop in the freezer for 30 mins to firm up.
5. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Roll out the dough on a parchment-lined surface, to a 5mm (¼in) thickness and stamp out the biscuit shapes, using the fluted cutter.
6. Put the biscuits on to the lined baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 mins until pale golden. Cool on a wire rack.
7. To decorate: Roll out the icing on baking parchment and stamp out rounds using the biscuit cutter. Brush the biscuit centres with honey and place the icing on top.
8. Cut one-third off the apple, avoiding the core. Carve out 2 eyes and a mouth on the apple flesh. Mix the food colourings to make orange and paint the cut side of the apple. Stamp on to the iced biscuits. Repeat with the other biscuits. Leave to dry. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Top tips for making pumpkin biscuits:

To stop the icing sticking to the tabletop or rolling pin, put the block of icing into a plastic folder (the kind you use for paper) while rolling.

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