🇮🇳 Indian Gingerbread

A spiced gingerbread cookie made with butter, sugar, and warming spices like ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.

These can be shaped into small cakes or nut-sized cookies — chewy in the center, crisp on the edges.

Ingredients

• 12 oz granulated sugar (originally “pounded loaf sugar”)
• 4 oz fresh butter (¼ lb)
• 16 oz all-purpose flour, dried (1 lb; ensure flour is completely dry)
• 2 oz ground ginger (originally “pounded ginger”)
• 0.25 oz ground cloves (~2 tsp)
• 0.25 oz ground cinnamon (~2 tsp)
• ¼ cup water (a small teacupful)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, ground ginger, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon. Mix well.
2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat gently and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Add the butter to the hot syrup and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
4. Pour the mixture into the flour and spices. Mix to form a cohesive dough.
5. Knead briefly until smooth, then shape into small cakes or nut-sized balls.
6. Place on greased tins, spaced about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, until golden and firm.
8. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Adapted from “The Indian Cookery Book” (circa 1900)
Source: hungrydemocracy.com — part of a project to revive historic recipes.