Pony Christmas decorations make

What you’ll need

For the shortbread 

• 350g plain flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 125g diced butter
• 150g soft dark brown sugar
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 medium egg
• 2 tbsp water
• sugar paste
• writing icing
• edible sugar decorations

Tools

• two baking trays
• greaseproof paper or baking parchment
• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• rolling pin
• sharp knife
• oven gloves
• cling film
• skewer
• ribbon to hang up the decorations
• pony templates

Top tip – The biscuits will be really tasty to eat, but don’t be tempted to nibble on them after they’ve been hanging on the tree!

How to make them

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (gas mark 4), and line your two baking trays with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.
2. Place the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl, and stir them together using a wooden spoon.
3. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  
4. Stir in the brown sugar, followed by the golden syrup, egg and water, and the mixture will start to form a soft dough. 
5. Knead the dough until it’s smooth. Then, wrap the ball of dough in cling film and pop in the fridge for 30mins.
6. Roll your chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s the thickness of a £1 coin (approx 3mm).
7. Lay your pony templates onto the rolled out dough and carefully cut around them using a sharp knife. Then take a skewer and make a hole in the top of each one, for your ribbon to go through.
8. Place the biscuits on your lined trays and bake them for approx 10 mins or until they’re golden brown. Allow them to cool fully on the trays. 
9. Decorate your gingerbread ponies how you’d like them to look using writing icing, sugar paste and ready-made festive decorations, such as sugar snowflakes! You can then paint in any extra details using edible food colouring. 
10. When the icing’s set and dry, thread a piece of ribbon through the hole in each one. Your decs are now ready to hang on your Christmas tree!

Top tip – Always ask an adult for help when you’re using a sharp knife.

Here is the pony Christmas decorations template you can download.