Izzy's Orange and Cinnamon Buttery Biscuits

These biscuits were originally inspired by a walk in a cold day in the autumn sunshine with my daughter, Izzy. The nights had just drawn in and we baked a batch of these delicious biscuits as it grew dark outside.

The colour of oranges always seems extra bright in winter and I love to have them in the house when they are at their best. The warming smell of cinnamon and orange aromas filled the kitchen as they baked and it was struggle to wait until they had cooled down a bit before we tucked in.

Now in January, the darkest, deepest part of the winter, I’ve reached for the recipe again. Very easy to make, they are an easy sweet treat that never fails to lift our spirits.

Method

Makes 30 biscuits

Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Pre-heat the oven to 190c, 170c Fan, Gas Mark 5

You will need two large square baking sheets.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour and cinnammon. Next, in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until it lightens in colour and becomes fluffy.

Sieve in the flour mix and add orange zest. Mix together until combined and there are no lumps of butter but don’t overwork it. I find a wooden spoon works better than electric beaters for this stage.

Lay out your baking sheets. Using a tablespoon sized measuring spoon, scoop off small balls of dough and drop on to the sheet (a teaspoon will work too if you don’t have a measuring scoop). If the dough gets stuck, then use the handle of a teaspoon to ease it out.

When you have used all the dough, gently roll the dough into balls. Space them out aiming, for fifteen per sheet. Finally, push them down gently with the back of a teaspoon.

Place in the oven to bake for 18 - 20 minutes. You will need to turn them 180 degrees half way through and also swap shelves to ensure an even bake.

Keep an eye on them, they should be light golden brown when they come out. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

They will keep for a two to three days in an airtight container (if they last that long).

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter (room temperature)

100g caster sugar

275g plain flour

zest of one orange

1 teaspoon cinnamon