by Chris Mosler
Ginger biscuits are the backbone biscuit of my life – they saw me through the misery of morning sickness with all my babies, gingerbread men were the first biscuits I baked with each of them and they are there when we are ploughing through the waves and one of our entourage feels a little queasy. This is my current favourite ginger biscuits recipe and my lot are convinced it is the best ginger biscuits recipe I’ve come up with so far! This recipe is based on one by Mary Ford in her excellent step-by-step Biscuit Recipes book which I picked up in a charity shop for the princely sum of 50p, I can’t walk past a charity shop without checking out their recipe bookshelves!
When I bought this beautiful Wrendale Cracker Tin recently I needed to Christen it with something worthy, it needed to be the ultimate biscuit and it must go really well with my cup of tea for Elevenses.I contemplated gingerbread men but they are all awkward limbs, not the right shape at all. I pondered a fork biscuit or an almond macaroon, perhaps a slice of flapjack or a chewy chocolate cookie but, no, none of these would quite hit the spot. I wanted something elegant and understated, something spicy with just the right amount of crunch to chew ratio; something which could be dunked without disaster. It had to be ginger biscuits and, if it was to be ginger biscuits it had to be the best ginger biscuits – Cornish Fairings!
Jump to Recipe
A ‘fairing’ was originally a treat sold at the seasonal fairs which popped up all over this green and pleasant land and Cornish Fairings have been produced in Cornwall for the last hundred years. They are a step up from your regular everyday ginger biscuit and they are exactly what I needed for my lovely tin.
I love how that little owl on the right is looking at me as if to say ‘Where’s mine?’! I wonder if little owls would like ginger biscuits…
If you were making biscuits, what would you whip up to pop in this tin? Do you have a favourite biscuit or cookie recipe I should have a go at? Can you tempt me away from the ginger deliciousness?
More Bakes and Biscuits
You might like:
- Easy Fruit and Nut Bars
- Apple and Cinnamon Flapjacks
- Vegan Shortbread
- Simple Fork Biscuits
If you make my recipe I’d love to hear how it turns out for you. Please leave a comment and a star rating below and share your pictures with me on social media. Tag me @thinlyspread and include the hashtag #thinlyspread so I can see them!
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Cornish Fairings - The BEST Ginger Biscuits Recipe
A simple recipe for the best ginger biscuits these Cornish Fairings are delicately spiced, chewy but robust enough to dunk in your morning cuppa.
4.94 from 32 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Baked Goods, Biscuits and Cookies
Cuisine: English
Keyword: Cornish Fairings, ginger biscuits
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 99kcal
Author: Chris Mosler @thinlyspread
Ingredients
- 225 g Plain/All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- pinch of salt
- 120 g vegan butter
- 120 g caster sugar
- 5 tbsps golden syrup
UK Measurements - US Measurements
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4
Grease two baking trays
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices and salt into a large bowl
Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
Stir in the sugar
Add the golden syrup and mix together well
Bring it all together with your hands to make a smooth dough
Divide your dough into half
Take one half and break off 12 small walnut sized pieces, roll into balls and place on the greased backing trays with space between each ball as they will spread to form our lovely biscuits!
Bake for 8-10 minutes until they have spread, turned golden brown and taken on their characteristic crackled top look (if you are using vegan margarine give the trays a bang on your work surface when they come out of the oven - fab tip from Ms Cupcake's marvellous The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town!)
Leave to cool for 5 minutes on the baking trays before moving carefully with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely – if you can wait that long, we scoff some while they are still warm!
Repeat with the other half of your dough (or freeze to use at a later date)
These biscuits will keep well in a tin for 3 to 4 days – it doesn’t have to be a Wrendale but it helps!
Notes
Nutritional information is only an approximate guideline. Calculations will vary according to the ingredients you use and your cooking methods.
Nutrition
Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
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Over a Cuppa on January 28, 2016 at 6:40 pm
Wow, they totally look so delicious and so professional! I have made Cornish Fairings before and they were gorgeous but didn’t look as beautiful as your do.
I love the tin, what a perfect fit for the biscuit x
Reply
Chris Mosler on January 29, 2016 at 10:20 am
Thank you! I’m a total tin addict, I just can’t resist them. 🙂 xxx
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Scott on March 8, 2021 at 8:46 pm
So, finally I am baking these Cornish fairings(Cookies). So far so good. You just can’t get these where I’m from and I’ve been searching for a recipe I thought would do well and this is it. Perfect. Thank you!Reply
Lulu on November 23, 2021 at 3:21 pm
Awesome, Awesome recipe. Been struggling with biscuits, anything ginger they just don’t bake right, and these came out perfect!Reply
Chris Mosler on November 26, 2021 at 4:31 pm
I am so pleased! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment x
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Sally on November 7, 2021 at 9:08 pm
Just tried these, looks and smells amazing!!Just a quick question, does it matter what temp the butter is (room temp or cold?)
Thank you!
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Chris Mosler on November 11, 2021 at 12:01 pm
I always rub in the butter cold, it is much easier to handle and makes for a better crumb. I hope that helps!
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sustainablemum on January 30, 2016 at 8:29 am
Ooh they sound lovely, I do love a crunchy ginger biscuit. I have been enjoying buckwheat, almond and cardomom biscuits of late 😉
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Chris Mosler on January 30, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Mmmmmmm cardamom! One of my favourite spices, my mouth is watering now!
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Maggie Copperwheat on August 8, 2019 at 5:00 pm
My family loved them! Sadly, they didn’t last very long! My husband has asked if I would make some more. It’ll be a pleasure!!!!!! Great recipe! Thanks?Reply
Choclette on January 30, 2016 at 5:49 pm
What a gorgeous tin Chris, no wonder you were looking for just the right biscuit. And of course I’m very much in favour of your choice; it’s hard to beat a good Cornish fairing. Astonishingly, I haven’t tried making one since I was a teenager, how shocking is that? My current favourites are Chinese walnut cookies – recipe on the blog.
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Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche on February 1, 2016 at 5:40 pm
Cute tin! These sound like the perfect thing to christen it with. I’m not a huge fan of ginger in general but for some reason I can always be convinced by a ginger biscuit 😉
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Pam on April 9, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Hi. Can I make these Gluten Free please? If so, would I just add xanthum gum?
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Rahul @ samosastreet on February 1, 2016 at 8:00 pm
they look so delicious & difficult to resist
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Lucie @bctinykitchen on February 3, 2016 at 10:47 am
I think Ginger Nuts are one of my very favourite biscuits and these fairings looks seriously delicious.
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Vicky on March 14, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Oooo, I’m excited! This recipe is bringing back happy memories of my childhood trips to Cornwall – how I loved Cornish Fairings. I think these would be easy to convert to gluten free so I’m pinning the recipe for later.
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Chris Mosler on March 14, 2016 at 2:52 pm
I think they would too Vicky, do let me know how they turn out and if you blog them so I can have a look!
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Debbi on November 26, 2017 at 3:17 pm
Delicious and easy to make. For extra ginger hit I added chopped pieces of stem ginger
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Chris Mosler on November 27, 2017 at 9:33 am
Yum, I love a bit of stem ginger! I bet that added a nice bit of chew too 🙂
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Debbi on December 9, 2017 at 10:09 am
It did. I might also try the lemon zest as well as suggested by someone else
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Hilary Snow on December 7, 2017 at 5:24 am
I am Cornish, born and bred ( now living in Australia) and always making Cornish Fairings, my children and granchildren absolutely love them. My recipe is very similar to yours but I add the grated zest of a lemon to my mixture for a touch of tang, yummm!
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Chris Mosler on December 7, 2017 at 9:14 am
Oooh, top tip, I’ll try that, thanks Hilary!
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Susan on March 4, 2018 at 6:20 pm
Lovely biscuits! I will definitely be baking more 🙂
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Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:30 pm
Excellent news! 🙂
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Cath on January 11, 2024 at 9:12 pm
I’d love to try these but not sure what ‘mixed spice’ consists of. Haven’t seen anything sold by that name here in Toronto. Any idea what it consists of so I could blend up some of my own?
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Justina Bearman on November 1, 2018 at 3:41 pm
Oh dear I really need to start wearing my reading glasses.I sieved all the dry ingredient together, added the butter then melted the golden syrup ( why i did that who knows)and added that. Weighed each dough ball and rolled them to a perfect ball and put on the baking tray(I wanted these to all be exactly the same)then I realised
…I hadn’t put the sugar in.arghhhh!!. Quickly threw the dough balls back into the mixing bowl and added the sugar.I keaded til well mixed in.
Repeated weighing the dough balls and now they are in the oven.
Will tell you how they turn out. For a competition so no pressure whatsoever!!! 🙁Reply
Chris Mosler on November 2, 2018 at 9:47 am
Oh my goodness, this is exactly the sort of thing I would do! I hope they turned out ok!
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Jo on August 28, 2019 at 10:36 am
I love a recipe that works first time. These look so professional and taste delicious.Reply
Chris Mosler on August 30, 2019 at 4:36 pm
I’m so pleased, thank you!
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Rachel on May 6, 2019 at 11:28 pm
They went down a treat, fabulous recipe and loved the authentic crackle! XReply
Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:29 pm
It makes for a very attractive biscuit! Thank you 🙂
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Mary Ann on June 27, 2019 at 2:35 am
Hi, can you explain what ‘ground mixed spice’ is? Thank you
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Chris Mosler on June 27, 2019 at 9:09 am
Hi Mary Ann, sure I can! Mixed spice is a spice blend used a lot in English sweet baking, particularly at Christmas! If you can’t get it and want to make it yourself it typically contains:
1 Tbs ground allspice
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 Tbs ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground mace
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground Ginger
Hope that helps! Chris xReply
VAL Perry on July 13, 2019 at 1:52 pm
Just made these and they look just like the photo and taste delicious. Will be making them agai!
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Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:29 pm
I’m delighted! 🙂
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Sonia on July 15, 2019 at 3:22 pm
First time of making these…yummy
Will definitely make againReply
Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:26 pm
Excellent news!
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Rebecca on November 16, 2020 at 7:53 am
Don’t know if this has been asked already but can they be frozen?
They are my husbands favourite biscuit and I want to make some for Christmas morning. they look am amazingReply
Chris Mosler on November 16, 2020 at 8:52 am
Hi Rebecca, yes they can! Freeze the dough rather than the baked biscuits, defrost overnight and then bake as needed. Hope this helps!
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Katie on August 9, 2019 at 1:42 pm
Just made this and followed the recipe. Divided them as stated and left space they just went all runny and spread all over the tin not crisp at all. What have I done wrong? Help
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Chris Mosler on August 30, 2019 at 4:41 pm
Hmmm…there are several reasons why biscuits might spread more than you’d like. My first thought would be that your oven temperature may be a little too hot but it may not be that at all! Do you want to email me and we can trouble shoot the recipe together to see where the problem might lie? This one is usual a really reliable one so I’m sure we can track down why it’s not working for you. Drop me a line chris@thinlyspread.co.uk and we’ll see what we can do. x
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Rachel on October 3, 2019 at 10:21 pm
This recipe looks amazing. Has anyone tried dairy butter as I don’t have vegan butter. Wondering if it would change the biscuit, maybe it would spread more.
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Chris Mosler on October 4, 2019 at 7:53 am
Hi Rachel, I made them with dairy butter for years before I went vegan, they work just as well with both! Chris x
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Celia on March 18, 2020 at 3:06 pm
Made these today they taste amazing and so easyReply
Chris Mosler on March 19, 2020 at 9:43 am
I’m so pleased! Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me, it means the world! x
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Mary on April 13, 2020 at 12:03 pm
These are indescribably good! Thank you for posting the recipe.Reply
Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:18 pm
My pleasure, thank you Mary 🙂
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Melissa on April 18, 2020 at 11:46 am
A great tasty recipe, very easy to make and the biscuits are deliciousReply
Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:26 pm
That’s wonderful to hear, thank you!
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Mil on June 28, 2020 at 10:26 pm
Brilliant 1st time success. Mine didn’t flatten out as much as the pictures but no bother as they looked great and tasted fantastic. 1 extra minute in the over (11 min) and the tasted changed, for the better. Thank you!
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Chris Mosler on June 29, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Excellent! I’m delighted 🙂
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Sara on July 15, 2020 at 12:02 pm
I just made these for my daughter who is dairy/egg intolerant. We’re meeting this afternoon for a picnic. I’m not sure they’re going to last till then. Delicious! Thank you for this brilliant recipe!Reply
Chris Mosler on July 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm
Aw, thanks Sara! Have a lovely picnic (with or without biscuits!) 🙂 x
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Cath on January 11, 2024 at 9:16 pm
Found the answer to my mixed spicy query in the comments. Thanks!
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Pamela Foley on January 30, 2021 at 9:56 am
I am so pleased that I have found this recipe.
I have just made a batch of Cornish Fairings for approximately the 9th. time!
The biscuits have always been a success.
The appearance of the biscuits looks so professional and the taste wonderful.Reply
Oljver on February 17, 2021 at 5:47 pm
I never bother leaving comments but these biscuits were incredible. Heaven.My only advice is to not get carried away with the size of the balls. They need to be small, mine didn’t all fall quite flat enough so I had to bash them down with a spatula but they still turned out great.
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Chris Mosler on February 22, 2021 at 9:55 am
Hi Oliver, thank you so much for taking time to comment. I’m so glad you liked them! If they come out too plump it is a good idea to bash the tin on your surface as soon as they come out of the oven rather than bashing the biscuits themselves!
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Scott on February 17, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Hi, haven’t tried this yet, but being a lover of these cookies/biscuits, I believe I’ve found the recipe I’m looking for. You seem to be very proud of them so I’m giving it a go. I’m American and have a daughter living in the UK so I could have them sent but homemade is homemade. The mixed spice called for is I’m assuming what we call all spice in America, let me know if that’s correct, thanks.Reply
Chris Mosler on February 22, 2021 at 9:52 am
Hi Scott, thanks for popping by! Mixed Spice is similar to the pumpkin pie spice you use in the States – it is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and coriander. Pumpkin Pie Spice would be your best alternative, I hope this helps.
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Scott on March 8, 2021 at 8:50 pm
Thanks Chris, I found the correct recipe for my own mixed spice. Next time I’ll just have my daughter send me some. She lives in the UK.
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Jean on January 29, 2022 at 6:05 pm
Love them! Whether vegan or not they are absolutely delicious. Tweaked the recipe a bit: chopped up 2 stem ginger balls and added them to the mixture, also substituted 1 tablespoon of golden syrup for a tablespoon of the ginger syrup from the jar. Works well. (Don’t last very long though ?)Reply
Jan Boxsell on July 17, 2021 at 2:46 am
From Australia always after a good ginger biscuit ,these were easy, looked like yours and tasted amazing will make again.Reply
Chris Mosler on July 19, 2021 at 10:19 am
I’m so happy you liked them, thank you!
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Yvonne Nadeau on October 9, 2021 at 2:51 pm
Very very Good and fast to make AAAReply
Carol on December 3, 2021 at 2:48 pm
Turned out great and taste lovely. It’s ages since I had a good ginger biscuit. I will definitely make them again.Reply
LORNA on December 30, 2021 at 5:41 pm
I absolutely love these biscuits!!!
The first time I made them I stuck exactly to the cooking times, which resulted in texture described… Now I love a crunchy biscuit.. so my last batch..(Christmas Eve morning) I decided to leave them in oven to bake 5 mins longer, and they were FAB..U..LOUS..? great for dunking in tea..
I put in a tin to give to my sister& niece..( they had some of my first batch as well and loved the flavour)..
What a great bicuit, I’m so glad I found it whilst browsing recipes…
Oh.. and I have just had one now with a cuppa and they are still crunchy 6 days later!!! I store in a tin, so don’t know if that makes a big difference, but I do know the 5mins extra baking was perfect for me..
“Happy New Year Chris”..Reply
Lorna on January 3, 2022 at 4:51 pm
These are fab bicuits.. Wonderfull flavour.. This is second time I’ve made them, but this time I left them in for 5 minutes longer than recipe stated as I love a crunchy biscuit& they turned out exactly how I wanted…
Perfect for “dipping” in my cuppa?
So glad I found your blog….
Happy New Year Chris…Reply
Emma Bushby on January 30, 2022 at 4:55 pm
Hi is the oven temp for a fan oven or not please as mine are taking longer to cook as I thought the temp was not for a fan so reduced to 160 fan ?
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Chris Mosler on February 2, 2022 at 12:44 pm
The temperature is not for a fan oven. Cooking times do vary with different ovens though so always check as you bake and cook for a little longer if you feel it is needed.
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Jane Dutton on February 2, 2022 at 10:55 am
My absolute go to ginger biscuit recipe, perfect, everybody loves them, particularly when I leave them out too long and they start to go a tiny bit soft!Reply
Natasha on February 15, 2022 at 3:46 pm
I was just ‘sous chef’ to my 7 year old daughter making these and they are so good! For the first time in forever I don’t feel the need to adjust the spices the next time (we like them gingery). I did them for about 12 minutes in total and tapping them and seeing them flatten out was pure magic. Thanks for a great recipe, one tray of 6 didn’t even make it to the cooling rack!Reply
Christine Martin on May 4, 2022 at 6:00 pm
These are great biscuits, I always bought them on holiday in Cornwall. Perfect combination of crunchy but chewy and the ginger works well with the spices. Put half the dough balls in the freezer. Fan oven 130 for 20 ish minutes from frozen – perfect. You can tell by the colour when they’re done. Went down a storm in my house and looking forward to baking another batch. The crackled biscuits look amazing.Reply
Lorna on December 20, 2022 at 2:20 pm
Hi Chris… Well we are round to that time of year again, when these biscuits are perfect for Christmas??…
I’ve just done a batch to put in a lovey Christmassy tin I bought yesterday to give to my sister..( she loves them)..
For readers checking out the comments first.. MAKE THEM!!!! you will not regret it…
Merry Christmas to you and your family Chris….Reply
Fran on June 17, 2023 at 9:34 am
Have made your recipe dozens of times . Today however, they just didn’t spread as much as normal. Is it the amount of butter, the amount of syrup or the heat of the oven that mostly dictates that?I guess you’ll say all 3!!!
Brilliant, delicious recipe though, thanks!
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Chris Mosler on June 19, 2023 at 9:56 am
Hi Fran, you are right I am going to say that each have their role to play! I’m sorry they didn’t spread as much this time, hopefully they will next time and they were just having an off day! x
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Stephanie on July 23, 2023 at 2:00 pm
These are just fabulous. So easy to make too. I’ll be making them againReply
Debbie Chappell on October 6, 2023 at 7:37 pm
First time I’ve made these biscuits and they turned out perfect, APART from tasting very salty ! I did miss out the salt but the 2tsp of Bicarbonate of soda is far too much so when I do these again I will reduce the amount.Reply
Karen Vander Velde on January 10, 2024 at 4:37 pm
Love them. First made for my husband as he was battling chemo effects but I loved them so much I continue to make them for myself. Being in the USA I had to order some ingredients from over seas and it was worth it! Thank you for sharing the recipe and the spice mix in the comments.Reply
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