Jose Agar
Baking

Ginger Crunch Slice

A New Zealand tea-table staple: a crisp, buttery shortbread base under a soft, warmly spiced ginger icing that sets just firm enough to cut into neat fingers.

The Jose Agar Editorial Team Tested and written in a home kitchen · Updated June 2026

How this was made: Recipes are developed and kitchen-tested by our editorial team. We use AI tools to assist with drafting, structuring and proof-reading; a human editor reviews and tests every recipe before publication. No fictional author is used.

Ginger slice cut into fingers, showing a pale base and a golden ginger topping
Ginger crunch cut into fingers, with the icing set just firm enough to hold a clean edge.
15 minPrep
22 minCook
20 piecesServes
EasySkill

Ginger crunch turns up at school galas, morning teas and church fairs across the country, and for good reason. It needs nothing more exotic than ground ginger, golden syrup and a packet of butter, yet it carries real warmth and a satisfying snap. The trick is keeping the base short and the icing soft, so the two layers cut together rather than shattering apart.

This is a forgiving bake. There is no creaming to overdo, no folding to deflate, and the icing is poured warm so it self-levels. If you have made our caramel slice you already know the rhythm: press a base, bake it, pour a topping, let it set. The only moment that asks for attention is the icing, which should be taken off the heat the instant it turns pourable.

Ingredients

Base

  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 125 g butter, melted

Ginger icing

  • 75 g butter
  • 3 tbsp golden syrup
  • 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
  • 2 tsp ground ginger

Method

  1. Heat the oven and line the tin. Set the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C). Line a 20×30 cm slice tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to lift the slice out later.
  2. Mix the base. Sift the flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger into a bowl, then stir through the caster sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix to a soft, crumbly dough that holds together when pressed.
  3. Press and bake. Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until pale golden and lightly firm. The base will crisp further as it cools.
  4. Make the icing. Near the end of the bake, melt the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Once liquid, remove from the heat and beat in the sifted icing sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground ginger until smooth and pourable.
  5. Ice while warm. Pour the warm icing over the hot base as soon as it comes out of the oven, tilting the tin so it runs into an even layer. Working on the warm base helps the icing settle without streaks.
  6. Cool, then cut. Leave to cool in the tin until just set but not fully hard, about 20 minutes. Lift out using the paper and cut into 20 fingers with a warm, dry knife for clean edges.
Tips
  • Sift the icing sugar before beating it in; lumps are very hard to smooth out once the mixture starts to set.
  • Pour the icing onto a warm base, not a cold one. A cold base makes the icing seize and streak.
  • For a sharper spice, add a pinch of ground cloves or a little finely grated fresh ginger to the icing.
  • Stored airtight at room temperature, the slice keeps well for five days.

Sources & references

Background reading used while developing and verifying this recipe. Quantities and timings were confirmed by our own kitchen testing.

  1. Edmonds Cookery Book, slices and biscuits section, for traditional New Zealand ginger crunch base and icing ratios.
  2. New Zealand food-safety guidance on home storage of butter-based bakes at room temperature.
  3. General baking references on melt-and-mix shortbread bases and golden-syrup icings.

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