Nut and Spice Cookie Recipes - Russian Honey Cookies

 

Ingredients  

• 3 cups/450 g all-purpose/plain flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup/200 g granulated sugar

• 1 cup/250 ml honey

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract/essence

• 2 tbsp confectioners'/icing sugar, to dust

---

Method:

1. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and thick.

3. Heat the honey in a small saucepan over low heat until liquid. Stir the honey and vanilla into the beaten egg mixture.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5. Butter two cookie sheets. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/2 inch (1 cm).

6. Use a 2-inch (5-cm) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.

7. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until just golden. Cool on the sheets until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer to racks to finish cooling. Dust with the confectioners' sugar.