Q1: My cookies are hard and crunchy, not chewy. What happened?

You overbaked them! The 12-15 minute bake time is the crucial secret. The cookies will look very soft and puffy when they come out of the oven, but they will "set" and become perfectly chewy as they cool.

Q2: Do I really have to cool the honey mixture?

Yes, 100%. This is a non-negotiable step. If you add your raw eggs to the hot honey-butter mixture, they will instantly scramble, and your cookies will be ruined.

Q3: Can I use all butter?

Yes, absolutely! All butter will give you a richer, more "caramel-like" flavor. The recipe also gives the option for shortening, which is an old-fashioned secret that will make your cookies even softer, lighter, and more tender.

Q4: Can I add other spices?

Of course! This recipe is a wonderful base. For an even more complex, "gingerbread-style" flavor, you can add about 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cloves, allspice, and nutmeg to your dry ingredients.

Q5: Can I roll these cookies in sugar before baking?

Yes! For a beautiful, crackly, "gingersnap" style top, you can roll your 1-inch dough balls in a bowl of granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar before you place them on the baking sheet.

"Grandma's" German Honey Cookies

German Honey Cookies (A Soft & Chewy Holiday Classic!)

A simple, old-fashioned recipe for traditional German Honey Cookies (Honigplätzchen). This recipe features a soft, drop-style dough made with a unique method where sugar, butter, and honey are first melted together in a saucepan and cooled. The dough is spiced with ground ginger and baked until the edges are golden, resulting in a chewy, flavorful cookie perfect for the holidays.

Author: Grace

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter or shortening
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a saucepan, heat the sugar, butter (or shortening), and honey over low heat, stirring until the mixture is melted and combined.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and ground ginger.
Gradually stir the cooled honey mixture into the egg mixture until it is well blended.
Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until a soft dough forms.
Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

This is a traditional German-style cookie, often enjoyed during the Christmas holiday season.
It is crucial to let the melted butter-sugar-honey mixture cool *completely* before adding it to the egg mixture. If the honey mixture is too warm, it will scramble the eggs.
This is a soft, drop-cookie dough and is not intended to be rolled out like a cut-out cookie.
This recipe yields a very large batch, making it perfect for holiday cookie exchanges.

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/german-honey-cookies/