Recipe details
Ingredients
Shortbread:
- 100g salted butter, room temperature
- 60ml maple syrup (plus extra for drizzling)
- 55g golden caster sugar
- 175g plain flour
- 1–2 tsp ground ginger
- Optional: a sprinkle of demerara sugar
Decorating:
- Red Smarties or glacé cherries (for noses)
- Chocolate chips or piped chocolate (for antlers)
- Icing sugar + a splash of maple syrup
Instructions
Method
1. Prep your tin
Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan) and lightly grease a 20cm tart tin.
2. Make the dough
Cream the butter and sugar together until soft.
Stir in the maple syrup.
Add the flour and ground ginger and mix until a soft dough forms.
3. Shape and bake
Press the dough evenly into your prepared tin.
Prick lightly with a fork and sprinkle with demerara sugar if using.
Bake for 35–40 minutes until lightly golden and set.
4. Slice and cool
While still warm, cut into 8 wedges, then leave to cool completely in the tin.
5. Decorate (optional but adorable)
Mix icing sugar with a splash of maple syrup for a thick drizzle.
Add a red nose (Smartie/cherry) and chocolate chip or piped antlers to turn each wedge into a mini reindeer.
5-Ingredient Gingerbread Maple Shortbread Wedges
If there’s one recipe that sums up cosy festive baking perfectly, it’s these 5-Ingredient Gingerbread Maple Shortbread Wedges. They’re buttery, crumbly, lightly spiced and completely irresistible - the kind of bake you make “just to try” and suddenly half the tin is gone.
Even better? With a little icing and a red nose, they double up as the cutest reindeer slices. Perfect for Christmas movie nights, gifting, children’s baking afternoons, or your December table.
Minimal ingredients, maximum festive joy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Only 5 main ingredients – simple cupboard staples.
• One bowl – the easiest Christmas bake going.
• Gingerbread flavour – warm, cosy and beautifully spiced.
• Reindeer option – adorable, fun and completely foolproof.
• Perfect for gifting – wrap a few wedges in cellophane with a ribbon.
Serving Ideas:
- Enjoy warm with a hot chocolate or chai latte
- Add to festive grazing boards
- Wrap in little bags for teacher or neighbour gifts
- Serve as a cute Christmas Eve treat
Cosy. Cute. Festive. And dangerously moreish.These gingerbread maple shortbread wedges are guaranteed to become a December favourite - proof that simple ingredients really can create the most magical bakes.
