These honey cookies are thick, soft, and chewy, with a kick of cinnamon overlaying notes of honey sweetness. Adapted from a beloved children's book and easy to make (no chilling required!), they will quickly become a family favorite!
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Why this recipe works
- The cookie dough comes together quickly
- There's no need to chill the dough before shaping the balls
- The sweet and spicy flavor and the soft and chewy texture combine to make a winning combination!
When my girls were young, I sought out bedtime books that could (subtly) teach as well as entertain.
One such book was A Cow, a Bee, a Cookie, and Me, by Meredith Hooper. It's the story of a grandmother baking with her grandson while telling him all about the origins of the ingredients they were using to make honey cookies. This book includes a recipe for honey cookies with cinnamon, and I've adapted it to include here.
I love to bake with my girls, and teaching them math and science in the kitchen is important to me. Thinking about where ingredients come from in the natural world teaches an appreciation for what we have to work with.
In addition, the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) features foods using honey, symbolizing a sweet new year. While Honey Cake is a traditional Rosh Hashanah dessert, honey cookies are easy to make and easy to share with friends and family, both near and far.
While honey cookies with cinnamon are nice to make for the Fall baking season, you can make them any time of year.
Essentially, take a snickerdoodle cookie and add honey - that's the sweet, spicy flavors you'll get with these delicious cookies! And if you want to give them the pumpkin treatment, try these Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. Yum!
Honey cookies with cinnamon have a delicious flavor and texture, not to mention they smell wonderful! The cookies are thick and fluffy, yet soft and chewy. The cinnamon shines, while the enticing honey flavor peeks through.
Truly, these honey cookies are divine!
I encourage you to bake them with children, all the while talking about where your ingredients come from (I'm looking forward to doing just that with my grandson!). Then everyone can share in the treat of warm, sweet and spicy honey cookies!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this honey cookies recipe:
Ingredient Notes
All-purpose flour: This recipe has been adapted to use all-purpose flour instead of self-rising flour.
Honey: Use your favorite type of honey. While the flavor is subtle, it will be noticed.
Butter: Having your butter at room temperature will make it easier to cream with the sugar. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, just leave it out on the counter for an hour or so before starting.
You can make these cookies pareve (that is, dairy-free) by substituting in your favorite non-dairy butter or margarine.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Converting self-rising flour to all-purpose flour
The original recipe from the book called for self-rising flour. That's a type of flour that already contains baking powder and salt. If, like me, you only have all-purpose flour on hand, do the following:
For every one cup of self-rising flour in your recipe, measure 1 level cup all-purpose flour, then whisk in 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. [Source: Epicurious ]
You might have to do a bit of math to get the right amounts of baking powder and salt for your specific recipe. For example, the original honey cookie recipe called for 1¾ cups of self-rising flour. That means to find the amount of baking powder and salt I needed, I had to multiply the amounts by 1.75 (I rounded the results to the nearest ½ teaspoon).
How to make honey cookies
Step 1: Make the cookie dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt (photo 1). Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy, then beat in the honey (photo 2).
Mix in the egg yolk, then add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms (photo 3). If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in 1 tablespoon increments (no more than 2 tablespoons).
Step 2: Make the cinnamon sugar topping
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Step 3: Shape the cookies
Using a small cookie scoop, measure out 1 tablespoon of dough and form into a ball. Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar topping, coating them completely (photo 4).
Place the dough balls 2-inches apart on 2 half sheet baking pans, each lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
Bake at 350ËšF for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown (photo 5).
Remove from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes on the baking pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: Baked honey cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.
Make-ahead instructions: You can freeze both the baked and unbaked honey cookies. Baked cookies will keep in at airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Freeze the unbaked cookie balls (before you've coated them in the cinnamon sugar) on a wax-lined baking pan until solid (about 3 hours). Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. To bake, roll the frozen balls in cinnamon sugar, then bake at 325 °F for 14 to 17 minutes.
Yield Notes
You should get about 28 to 30 cookies, depending on the size of your dough balls.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
The best kind of honey to use is the honey you like best! The flavor from the honey will be subtle, but noticeable. I use clover honey (a neutral-flavored honey). You can try orange blossom honey, wildflower honey, or whatever honey you prefer.
Being an invert sugar (that is, a liquified type of sugar), honey will add moisture as well as sweetness to the cookie, and will give it a fluffier texture.
To make these cookies dairy-free, just substitute in your favorite non-dairy butter or margarine.
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I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
Recipe
Honey Cookies with Cinnamon
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- â…” cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey, see Recipe Notes
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
For the cinnamon sugar topping
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ËšF. Line 2 half sheet baking pan with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Make the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat ½ cup unsalted butter and ⅔ cup granulated sugar together until creamy. Beat in 2 tablespoons honey, then 1 large egg yolk. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in 1 tablespoon increments (no more than 2 tablespoons).
- Make the cinnamon sugar topping: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Shape the cookies: Using a small cookie scoop, measure out 1 tablespoon of dough and form into a ball. Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar topping, coating them completely. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking pans, 2-inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes on the baking pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Storage instructions: Baked honey cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.
- Make-ahead instructions: You can freeze both the baked and unbaked honey cookies. Baked cookies will keep in at airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.Freeze the unbaked cookie balls (before you've coated them in the cinnamon sugar) on a wax-lined baking pan until solid (about 3 hours). Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. To bake, roll the frozen balls in cinnamon sugar, then bake at 325 °F for 14 to 17 minutes.
Joni Keach says
So if I have self rising flour just use the same amount w/o adding the baking powder and salt?
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Joni, Yes, that’s correct. Self rising flour contains baking powder and salt already. Good luck, and happy baking! 😉
shari says
where does it say how much flour eggs etc?
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Shari, The recipe card at the bottom of the post gives you all the info you’ll need to make these yummy cookies. Good luck, and happy baking! 😉
Jacqueline Moore says
Made this when I was little kid. It’s not a table spoon a cookie dough or you won’t make 28-30 cookies. I’d say 1/2 a tablespoon. They’ll look super small but they do get a lot bigger in the oven. Mine ending up looking like standard cookie size and flatter
Tammy Spencer says
Thanks for sharing, and happy baking!
Amanda says
perfect cookies! mine turned out just like the picture. I made them for my daughter's baby shower and was very pleased! I doubled the recipe, and the only change i will make next time is to NOT double the cinnamon/ sugar mixture for coating the cookie balls. I had way too much.
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Amanda, I’m glad you liked the recipe - thanks for sharing. Wishing your daughter an easy delivery and a healthy new baby! <3