Hungarian Christmas honey cookies
Honey cookies also known as mézeskalács are a traditional Christmas treat in Hungary and are often sold at festivals and markets. Similar to gingerbread, these cookies are made with honey and spices and are decorated with white sugar icing. This recipe is an adaptation from Nora Papp’s recipe, who is the creator and editor of Wise Lady, a blog about Hungarian food.
Hungarian Christmas Honey Cookies. Photo by Nora Papp.
Ingredients
Dough:
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (115 grams) granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups (435 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
5 tbsp honey
2 large eggs
Decoration:
1 egg white
1 1/4 cup (275 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Directions
Sift together flour, baking soda, and spices into a large bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer beat butter, sugar and eggs.
In a small pot over high heat, melt honey. Add to mixture and beat well, continue by adding the flour mixture gradually. If dough is too sticky, add more flour.
Gather into ball. Divide in half and flatten into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 degrees °C) and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper.
Hungarian Christmas Honey Cookies. Photo by Nora Papp.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough until it’s 1/8-inch’s thick. Cut out desired shapes and place on baking sheet.
Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
For icing, beat egg whites until foamy. Add lemon juice and beat again for 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually and beat until completely incorporated. If icing is too runny, add more sugar until smooth and creamy.
Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip. Pipe designs on cookies. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.
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About the Author (Author Profile)
Suzanne Urpecz, creator and editor of The Hungarian Girl. Click on my About page for more info.
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How wonderful! I just love these cookies. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe, I think I will have to make them before Christmas. I am of Hungarian origin too.
NO ginger! How deceiving. I imagine they would be surprising and delicious. They are certainly gorgeous!
V
These Cookies are wonderful!
Thanks everyone! Happy Baking and Merry Christmas!
Hello, I am just using this recipe. Two questions: should the butter and sugar be creamed before adding the eggs? why does the honey need to be melted and what does that mean exactly?
Thanks, Janet Kelley
Hi Janet,
Yes, you should beat the butter and sugar before adding the eggs. As for melting the honey, it just makes it easier to mix into the dry ingredients. You can simply heat the honey in a small pot and then pour it directly into the mixture. Best of luck with your baking.