Traditional Parkin Biscuits

Course: Afternoon tea, Snack

Cuisine: British, English

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: biscuits

Calories: 93kcal

Author: Jacq

These Traditional Parkin Biscuits have all the tasty flavours of an English Parkin Cake. Parkin biscuits are packed with the festive flavours of rich ginger, cinnamon, oatmeal, and treacly syrup, and topped with a toasted nutty almond. If you love the flavour of a British oaty hobnob biscuit or ginger nuts then you'll also like these Parkin biscuits with their crisp edges and softer chewy insides.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Mixing bowl
mixing spoon
Small saucepan
teaspoon
Baking paper.
Baking tray
cooling rack

Ingredients

115 grams plain flour [cake flour/all-purpose flour]
115 grams caster sugar [or granulated sugar]
115 grams medium oatmeal [steel-cut oats/Irish oatmeal/pinhead oatmeal]
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 pinch salt [we use sea salt]
57 grams margarine or butter [we used Stork baking spread]
46 grams black treacle [or molasses] [can replace with golden syrup] [just over 2 tablespoons]
30 millilitres milk [we use soya milk but you can use your usual milk]

Decoration: [optional]

21 almonds [skinless/blanched] [alternatively use a halved almond for each biscuit]

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / 356°F / Gas mark 4.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
[if you can only bake one tray at a time and the biscuits do not all fit on the one tray, the mixture will be fine to sit on the counter top until the first round of biscuits are baked]
Over a low heat, gently melt the margarine in the small saucepan and set aside.
57 grams margarine or butter
Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, oatmeal, salt, ginger and cinnamon powder to the mixing bowl and stir everything together until thoroughly combined.
115 grams plain flour, 115 grams caster sugar, 115 grams medium oatmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons ginger powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 pinch salt
Make a little well in the centre by pushing some of the mix to the side to expose the bottom of the mixing bowl. Scoop the black treacle into the well, along with the milk and melted margarine.
30 millilitres milk, 46 grams black treacle
With a mixing spoon, stir the mixture together until it sticks together into a biscuit dough. This may take a few minutes.
Using a teaspoon scoop up heaped amounts of biscuit dough and using the palms of your hands roll each ball into a smooth biscuit ball.
Each cookie dough ball will weigh about 20-23grams [about ¾ oz].
Leave at least 1 inch to 1 ½ inch [2-3cm] between each biscuit.
Press a whole or halved almond gently into each biscuit, but don't press down too hard.
21 almonds
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. [check fan ovens a few minutes before the 15 minute mark as these ovens tend to cool quicker]
The cookies will have spread but will not be too thin, and will have darkened and be firm to the touch. Don't press too hard as the biscuits will be soft inside but will firm up more as they cool.
Leave the biscuits to cool on the tray for at least 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Notes

Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
Store Parkin cookies within a cookie jar, biscuit tin or food container.
If storing within a plastic type food container wrap in a layer of parchment paper and a layer of kitchen foil.
Store for 5-7 days, possibly longer if stored in a cool, dry and dark area.
Or freeze for 2-3 months, well wrapped in food wrap, a layer of kitchen foil and perhaps also pop into a freezer bag.
Black treacle can be replaced with light molasses or golden syrup.
The margarine we used was Stork baking spread which is vegan-friendly.
It's best to use an oatmeal that is intended for baking, and this is sometimes called 'medium oatmeal' or 'Scottish oatmeal' which is ground to a fine consistency. Although medium oatmeal is ground it is not exactly flour-like in texture, it is just smaller and finer compared to steel-cut oatmeal.
However, you can also use steel cut oats, pinhead oatmea, or Irish oatmeal.
The oatmeal used for this recipe was Hamlyn's Scottish Oatmeal which we sourced in our local Co-op [UK].
We are a plant-based family recipe blog so all our ingredient recommendations are for vegan-friendly ingredients - such as soya milk and dairy-free margarine - however if you have different dietary requirements you can use your usual ingredients.

Nutrition