WHAT YOU DO
Step 1. Melt the butter, syrup and sugar together in a pot over a low heat, stirring until combined, then set aside to cool a little.
Step 2. Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl then stir to combine. Pour in the wet mixture, then stir to bring the mix together. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball, adding a tablespoon of water or milk if necessary. Wrap the dough in clingfilm, then chill in the fridge for an hour.
Step 3. Preheat your oven to 180C and line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 4. Once the dough has chilled, place it between two sheets of parchment and roll out to about half a centimetre thickness. Use your chosen cookie cutters to cut out the dough, re-rolling any scraps to make sure you use up all of it. Place the cookies onto the lined trays, with a bit of space between them, then chill in the fridge for another 20 minutes or so - this will help to make sure the biscuits don't spread and lose their shape in the oven.
Step 5. Place the cookies into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes - depending on size, they might need a little more or less - then leave to cool completely on the trays.
Step 6. While the cookies are cooling, mix together icing sugar with a little water to create a thick, pliable icing. You can mix in a little colouring if you like. Place the icing into a piping bag and snip off the tip, then decorate the cooled cookies as you fit.
TIP: To make these cookies gluten free, sub the regular flour for gluten-free plain flour and add half a teaspoon of xanthan gum. You might need to add a little more water to bring the dough together, but don't go overboard or you'll end up with a soggy mess.
