This recipe is one of the winners of the Scottish Women’s Institutes’ 2021 Christmas biscuit competition.
It combines all the fruits and flavours of a Christmas cake into a soft oaty biscuit, packed with warm seasonal spices.
Enjoy them plain, or drizzle with icing and some grated orange peel.
The mixture makes 12-16 biscuits, depending on size.
- Soak the dried fruit, mixed peel, and glacé cherries in the sherry overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°/350°F/Gas 4
- Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the remaining ingredients, including the soaked fruit, and mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Place heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto prepared baking trays, allowing room for the biscuits to spread.
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy plain or drizzle with plain or lemon water icing.

Zoe’s winning recipe which she adapted by combing a recipe for oat biscuits with a recipe for Christmas cake