Pumpkin spice cookies

For the pumpkins spice mix:

1 Spoon all the spices into a clean, dry jar and mix to combine. Screw on the lid and keep in a dry place.

For the cookies:

1 Preheat the oven to 190 degrees, or 170 degrees if using a fan oven. Line two to three baking trays with sheets of parchment paper. If you don't have multiple baking trays, bake the cookies in batches.

2 In a food processor, blend the crystallised ginger pieces with 45g or three tablespoons of the light brown sugar, until fine. Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, roughly chop the crystallised ginger until fine and add to a bowl with 45g of the light brown sugar, mixing well to combine.

3 In a large bowl, cream the butter, crystallised ginger sugar, and remaining 130g light brown sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.

4 In another large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and the one tablespoon of pumpkin spice mix. Keep the remaining spice mix and use for cookies, pies and cupcakes. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just mixed.

5 Scoop the cookie dough into one-tablespoon sized pieces and roll into balls. If you want to be very precise, the balls should weigh about 35g each.

6 Arrange the cookie balls on the baking trays, leaving a few centimetres between each ball to allow the cookies to spread while cooking.

7 If freezing some of the dough balls, place them on a parchment-lined tray or plate and place in the freezer for an hour or two until frozen. Once frozen, put the dough balls into a sealed container and keep in the freezer.

8 Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and tap the trays once or twice on the countertop. Leave the cookies to cool on the trays – they will be soft but they will continue to cook and will firm up a little as they cool.

9 If baking the cookies from frozen, they will take an additional two-three minutes in the oven to bake.