makes around 50 small cookies

Ingredients

170g / 6oz butter (I used a dairy free shea based butter)

¾ cup sugar, plus extra for rolling

⅓ cup black treacle or molasses

¼ cup milk of choice (I used soya)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2¼ cups self raising flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c / 355f.

In a pan over a medium heat, melt and lightly brown the butter.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar, treacle, milk and vanilla until fully combined.

Stir in all of the remaining ingredients to form a dough.

Leave the dough to stand for 10 minutes for the flour to hydrate.

Pull off small pieces of the dough, form balls and roll them in sugar.

Place the balls on a lined cookie sheet, squashing slightly.