The spiced shortcrust pastry is a delicious and wonderfully fragrant base, perfect for making Christmas cookies and tarts with a unique homemade flavor.
Every time I prepare it, I’m enchanted by the aroma of spices — cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg — that fill the kitchen and immediately evoke the holidays: it’s already Christmas!
This pastry is ideal for making spiced cookies in the shape of stars or trees, or a Christmas tart with orange or fig jam.
It can be easily worked by hand, without a stand mixer, and after resting in the refrigerator, it becomes elastic, crumbly, and simply perfect for any Christmas dessert.
Try also 👇
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 392.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 63.85 (g) of which sugars 30.69 (g)
- Proteins 6.32 (g)
- Fat 13.98 (g) of which saturated 8.74 (g)of which unsaturated 4.93 (g)
- Fibers 1.28 (g)
- Sodium 117.46 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Spiced Shortcrust Pastry
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (cold)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup wildflower honey
- pinches nutmeg
- pinches ground ginger
- Half orange zest (untreated, grated)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- pinch baking soda
Preparing the Spiced Shortcrust Pastry
In a large bowl, place the flour, brown sugar, salt, spices, baking soda, and cold butter cut into pieces.
Work with your hands until you get a sandy and fragrant mixture.
Add the wildflower honey and the egg, then continue kneading until you form a compact and uniform dough.
The spiced shortcrust pastry is ready: wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.
This step is crucial because the pastry becomes more elastic and the aromas of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg blend perfectly.
After the rest time, roll out the dough on the countertop and start shaping your Christmas spiced cookies or a Christmas tart with an irresistible aroma.
Storage and Useful Tips
The spiced shortcrust pastry can be stored in the refrigerator, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for 2-3 days.
If you want to prepare it in advance, you can also freeze it: shape it into a dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it for up to 2 months. Before using, let it thaw in the fridge for a few hours.
This pastry is perfect for making Christmas spiced cookies or Christmas tarts with orange, fig, or apple jam.
For an even more fragrant touch, you can add an extra teaspoon of honey or a few drops of vanilla extract.
If you want a fresher and more citrusy effect, add some lemon zest along with the orange zest.
For a gluten-free version, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free shortcrust mix, slightly increasing the butter (10 g more) to maintain the right elasticity.
If you want a fresher and more citrusy effect, add some lemon zest along with the orange zest.
For a gluten-free version, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free shortcrust mix, slightly increasing the butter (10 g more) to maintain the right elasticity.
