These are the cutest little bites! They are usually made for Christmastime in Scandinavia. A bit of effort to shape into pine cones but if you've got the time in lockdown... As long as you chill the dough you can roll out and cut into any cookie cutter shapes you have. This batch makes a lot of little pine cones, however, you can freeze half the dough and bake later. To save more time later cut into your desired shapes before freezing.

Makes 70 pine cones

125 g butter, cut into cubes

1/2 c sugar 

1/2 c golden syrup (or maple or rice syrup or honey)

100 ml milk

300g / 2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

cocoa powder for decoration

Put the butter in a large bowl. In a small saucepan combine the sugar, syrup and milk and bring to the boil. Remove immediately and pour over the butter and mix. Let cool.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in another bowl. When the butter mixture is lukewarm, add the dry ingredients and stir. When a dough forms, shape into a ball, cover, or place in a plastic bag, and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 175C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Take about 2 tsp (10g) of dough and roll out into oblong shapes, narrower at one end. Place on your baking sheet with the narrow ends toward you. Flatten with a rolling pin to about 3 mm thick. 

Using a sharp knife, start at the top of the pinecone and make 3 triangles next to each other. Continue to the next line, pressing the knife down in between the triangles above.

Bake a tray of 16-20 pine cones for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Dip a small brush in cocoa powder and brush each cookie from the bottom to the top, so the cocoa gathers in the knife grooves to make the pine cone pattern stand out.