This post is part of the Short and Tweet Challenge. I enjoy baking with spelt: it adds a pleasant, nutty depth to batter, shortcrust pastry and works well when used as a portion of flour in sourdough bread.
These cookies first appeared when we tried a recipe from Dan Lepard’s book and were an instant hit. Recently I consulted Niki Segnit’s Flavour Thesaurus to look for spices that complement ginger, and cardamom emerged as a perfect match. I’ve long been fond of cardamom — it brings a floral, warm complexity to baked goods, as you can see in my rhubarb polenta cake.
For this batch I added half a teaspoon of ground cardamom to the original recipe. The result is a subtle layer of warmth that enhances the ginger without overwhelming it, making these biscuits an ideal partner for tea or coffee.
Another small change I made was to omit 50g of caster sugar. The cookies remain nicely balanced and not overly sweet — something we prefer.
They’re quick and straightforward to prepare, so they’re perfect for unexpected visitors or when you want a simple homemade treat with minimal fuss. Keep this recipe on hand: these spelt, ginger and cardamom cookies are a reliable, delicious option that’s both comforting and slightly different from the usual.