Dry
2 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp baking soda

Wet
125g softened butter
½ cup Chelsea Treacle or Chelsea Golden Syrup
1 egg yolk

Layer all the dry ingredients in a large decorative glass jar. Tie a gingerbread cookie cutter to the jar with a special note and instruction tag.

Attach these instructions:

Simply beat 125g soft butter with ½ cup treacle or golden syrup and 1 egg yolk until creamy and smooth, then add the contents of the jar and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead into a ball, wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 170°C and line two baking trays with baking paper. Roll out gingerbread dough to about 3mm (if it's sticky roll between two sheets of baking paper or cling film) and use the cookie cutter to make little people shapes. Transfer to baking trays and cook for 10-15 minutes until golden and set. Ice and decorate when cold.

* You can decorate your gingerbread people with smarties or baking chocolate drops and mini baking marshmallows before cooking or add afterwards with a drizzle of icing.

* For simple royal icing beat 1 egg white until soft peaks form. Gradually add approximately 1 cup icing sugar and a few drops of lemon juice or food colouring until icing is at piping consistency. Transfer to a piping bag or use a snaplock bag and snip the corner off!