Old-Fashioned Ginger Kisses with Buttercream Filling

I just love the flavour of ginger in baking. These ginger kisses have a gentle ginger kick that’s nicely balanced—not too strong, just right.

They’re soft, spongy, and golden, with a buttery filling in the middle that turns the whole thing creamy and delicious. The texture is lovely, and they really hit the spot.

Ginger has that warm, comforting zing that makes you think of curling up in an armchair by the fire, rain or snow outside, a good book in hand, and a plate of Ginger Kisses beside you. Mmm… perfect.

Of course, it’s summer here in NZ now, and the hot sun has us thinking more about BBQs than baking—but there’s still always room for a sweet homemade treat after dinner.

My Take on the Recipe

When I made these ginger kisses, I wasn’t sure how they’d turn out. I was surprised at how much they spread during baking! I made about five trays, which gave each one enough room to spread out, but I did have to tidy up the shapes a little once they came out of the oven.

No matter how they looked, though, they tasted fantastic. I couldn’t resist grabbing one as soon as they cooled and were filled with buttercream—so indulgent!

A Few Handy Tips for Baking Kisses

I had the best results when I used my non-stick silicone baking mat—you know, the one I usually save for macarons. The tray of kisses baked on that mat turned out really well. They didn’t spread as much and baked more evenly overall.

Chilling the mixture for about 15 minutes in the fridge before baking also made a big difference. It firms up nicely, making it easier to roll into balls. You’ll get better height this way too. I baked them at 180˚C for 8–10 minutes.

And for a tidy shape, just use a knife to gently push in the sides right after they come out of the oven. There’s also a clever little method shown here if you’d like to try that.

Recipe

To print the recipe, simply click the ‘Print’ button below and save your PDF for easy reference!

☕🍂🧡🍪✨⋆₊˚⊹♡𓍢♡⊹˚₊⋆✨🍪🧡🍂☕

Old-Fashioned Ginger Kisses

Servings: 20–24 kisses
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Difficulty: medium
Rating: ★★★★★
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Soft, golden ginger-flavoured sponge rounds sandwiched with a creamy, buttery filling. Perfect for afternoon tea or a special homemade treat.

𝗧𝗶𝗽: For consistent shape and size, pipe or scoop the mixture using a small cookie scoop. Let it rest before baking to hold its form.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁: Adapted from a classic New Zealand favourite.

Ingredients

¾ cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
3 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp baking soda
75g butter, softened
⅔ cup raw caster sugar
2 Tbsp golden syrup
2 eggs

125g butter, softened
1½ cups icing sugar
2 tsp golden syrup

Directions

Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 170°C (or 150°C fan bake). Line two trays with baking paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift plain flour, self-raising flour, ginger, and baking soda into a bowl.
Cream Butter & Sugar: In another bowl, beat butter, sugar, and golden syrup until pale and creamy.
Add Eggs: Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
Combine: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two parts. Rest mixture for 5 minutes.
Shape: Spoon two teaspoons of mixture into small rounds (about 5cm apart) on the trays.
Bake: Bake for 13–15 minutes or until golden and springy to touch. Let cool on tray.
Make Filling: Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar and golden syrup, beating until fluffy.
Assemble: Sandwich two biscuits together with 2–3 teaspoons of filling. Store in an airtight container.