Hungarian Honey Cookies That Stay Soft and Cinnamon-Spiced – A Puszedli Christmas Classic

Hungarian honey cookies are one of the best-loved Christmas treats: soft, fluffy and scented with cinnamon and honey. Unlike classic hard gingerbread, these traditional puszedli melt in your mouth once they are glazed.

In Hungary and Slovakia, honey cookies like these are a holiday favorite. This recipe from our southern neighbors is easy, and it does not need weeks of resting. A mix of warm honey, butter and baking soda gives the dough its texture. Finish the cookies with crunchy nuts on top, a rich lemon-sugar glaze, or both.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Gently warm the honey in a small saucepan and add the butter. Stir until the butter melts completely in the warm honey, then take it off the heat and let it cool slightly.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a stand mixer, beat the 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg (keep the 2 whites aside) with the granulated sugar, vanilla and lemon zest until pale and foamy.
4. Add the sour cream to the whipped eggs and mix briefly.
5. Pour in the slightly cooled honey-butter mixture and mix everything well.
6. On low speed, add the flour mixture in portions to make a soft, pliable dough.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and chill until the dough firms up. You can also put it in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes.
8. Turn the chilled dough out onto a floured surface, cut off a portion, roll it into a thick sheet and cut it into small squares with a knife, or use cookie cutters.
9. Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced well apart, because they spread and puff up a lot in the oven.
10. If you like, brush some of the cookies with a little of the reserved egg white and press half a walnut into the center.
11. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) on conventional top-and-bottom heat for about 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden, so they do not dry out.
12. For the glaze, beat the 1 2/3 cups (200 g) sifted powdered sugar with the remaining egg whites and the juice of about 1/2 lemon. Dip the warm cookies into the glaze and let it set.

Video Recipe

Tips for Perfect Hungarian Honey Cookies

• Keep the dough cold. The dough is soft and sticky, so chill it well (or freeze it for 30 to 40 minutes) before rolling.
• Leave room on the pan. The cookies spread and puff up noticeably, so space them well apart.
• Do not overbake. Take them out when lightly golden (12 to 15 minutes) so they stay soft.
• Egg whites in the glaze. The glaze uses raw egg white. If you prefer, use pasteurized egg whites from a carton.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• How do I get honey cookies really soft? Honey, a little sour cream and a short bake make this dough soft almost right after baking. Do not bake the cookies longer than 15 minutes.
• How should I store Hungarian honey cookies? Put them in a cardboard box with a lid and lay a sheet of tissue paper or loosely draped plastic wrap directly on top so they do not dry out. Stored this way they keep for a long time; in a plain bag they stay soft for a few days.
• Can I make the dough ahead for Christmas? Yes. The dough has to chill anyway, so you can mix it a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator, then roll and bake it the next day.
• What can I use instead of sour cream? Plain full-fat yogurt or crème fraîche works in the same amount.

Serve the cookies with coffee or tea. Let the glaze set fully before packing them as gifts or into a cookie tin.

The recipe is based on a version by szazsu, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.

Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.