Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla together using an electric whisk or stand mixer until combined. Add the egg and beat to combine, scraping down the side of the bowl if needed. Mix the flour, 1/4 tsp salt and the spices together in a separate bowl, then add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until no streaks of flour remain.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 6mm. Cut out the shapes needed for the house, then stamp out cookies in any shape you like from the remaining dough. For the house, you’ll need a 9 x 6cm door – you can use a rectangular cutter, then a large round cutter to create an arch in the top, if you like. The windows are 4 x 4cm and the star is about 5.5cm. For the wreath, stamp out a 4cm disc, then a 1.5cm disc from the middle.

Arrange the cookies on baking sheets, leaving space between them, and bake for 12-15 mins until golden at the edges – the smaller ones may require less time, so watch closely. Cool for 10 mins on the sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

Mix the royal icing sugar with just enough water to make a thick icing. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle (or snip the end) and decorate the biscuits. Decorate with sprinkles, then leave to dry for a couple of hours before sticking to the cake. Will keep in an airtight container for up to two days.