Shrewsbury Cakes

An old English biscuit that dates back centuries, and for good reason. Shrewsbury cakes are thin, crisp rolled cookies flavored with ginger, citrus rind, and topped with a scattering of caraway seeds and sugar before baking.

The dough chills overnight, which does two things. First, it firms up enough to roll and cut cleanly. Second, the ginger and citrus flavors have time to develop and permeate the dough. Don’t skip this step or you’ll fight sticky dough and get flat, bland results.

Cake flour keeps these tender and fine-textured rather than tough. Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick and cut with whatever shape you like. That sprinkle of caraway seeds on top before baking is the signature touch. They add an anise-like warmth that pairs beautifully with the ginger and citrus.

Pro Tips

• If the dough is still too soft after chilling, work in a little extra flour on the board. You want it soft but rollable, not sticky.
• Roll evenly to ¼ inch. Thinner cookies will burn at this high oven temperature; thicker ones won’t crisp properly.
• Watch these closely. Ten minutes goes fast and they can overbrown in a hurry at a hot oven temperature.
• Use freshly grated orange or lemon rind, not dried. The essential oils in fresh zest carry the flavor.

Variations

• Use lemon rind for a brighter, sharper cookie or orange rind for something warmer and more fragrant.
• Replace caraway seeds with poppy seeds for a milder, nuttier topping.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon alongside the ginger for a spicier take on the classic.