Danish gingerbread slices with dark chocolate

Ingredients

• 150 gsoft butter
• 130 gbrown sugar
• 35 gdark syrup
• 200 gplain flour
• 1½ tspbaking powder
• 2 tspground cinnamon
• ½ tspground cloves
• ½ tspground ginger
• ½ tspground allspice
• 1 pinchsalt
• 100 gdark chocolate

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   Heat the oven to 175°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and syrup with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the flour, baking powder, spices and salt, and mix to make an even dough.

2. 2

   Shape the bars

   Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and roll each into a log. Place them well apart on the baking tray, then press each into a flat bar with your palm.

3. 3

   Bake and slice

   Bake the bars for 15–16 minutes. Leave them to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then cut them into even slices. Transfer the slices to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely.

4. 4

   Dip in chocolate

   Finely chop the chocolate and melt it in a bowl over a gently heated water bath. Dip the gingerbread slices in the melted chocolate and leave the coating to set.

What are Danish gingerbread slices?

Brunkagesnitter are Danish spiced biscuits, related to the Christmas tradition of brunkager. This version is baked as long, flat bars before being cut into slices and dipped in chocolate.

The combination of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and allspice gives the biscuits their warming flavour. Dark syrup helps bring the dough together, while the chocolate adds a bittersweet finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 120 calories, 2g protein, 17g carbs, 5g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter and dark chocolate contribute most of the fat. There is a modest amount of protein from the flour and chocolate. Serve a slice with fruit or alongside a protein-rich snack for a more balanced plate.

Getting the dough right

Soft butter: beat it with the brown sugar and syrup until creamy so the ingredients combine evenly.

Dry ingredients: add the flour, raising agent, spices and salt together, then mix just until the dough looks uniform.

Shaping the bars

Even portions: divide the dough into three similar-sized pieces so the bars bake at roughly the same rate.

Room to spread: leave a good gap between the bars on the tray. Flatten them with your palm, keeping their thickness as even as you can.

When to take them out

Bake for 15–16 minutes at 175°C, following the recipe’s timing. The bars will still be delicate while hot, so allow them to rest on the tray for 5 minutes before slicing.

Cut while warm: use that short cooling period to make the slices, then move them to a rack to cool fully and firm up.

Melting and dipping

Gentle heat: melt the finely chopped chocolate over a low-heated water bath, keeping the bowl above the water rather than in it.

Set the coating: dip the cooled slices and leave them undisturbed until the chocolate has hardened.

Serving ideas

These spiced slices are a natural fit for a Christmas biscuit selection. Serve them with coffee, tea or a mug of mulled wine.

For a dessert plate, pair a couple of slices with fruit or a small scoop of ice cream.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use butter that is soft enough to beat smoothly, but not melted.
• Measure the spices carefully so none of them overwhelms the blend.
• Keep the three dough bars spaced apart on the tray.
• Cut the bars after their 5-minute rest, before they cool completely.
• Make sure the slices are fully cool before dipping them in chocolate.

Variations

• Orange zest: add finely grated zest to the dough for a citrus note.
• Chopped nuts: sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the chocolate before it sets.
• Chocolate drizzle: drizzle the melted chocolate over the slices instead of dipping them.
• Extra ginger: increase the ground ginger slightly for a more pronounced spice flavour.
• White chocolate: use white chocolate for the coating in place of dark chocolate.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Butter too cold: let it soften before beating so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
• Uneven bars: divide the dough into three similar portions and flatten them to a consistent thickness.
• Bars too close: leave plenty of space between them so they do not run together as they bake.
• Slicing too late: cut after the 5-minute tray rest, while the bars are still warm and easier to slice.
• Dipping warm biscuits: cool the slices completely first so the chocolate coating can set properly.

How to store

Once the chocolate has set, store the slices in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. They should keep well for about 1–2 weeks; avoid refrigerating them, as condensation can affect their crispness.

Frequently asked questions