Honey Sweetened Cut Out Cookie Recipe (2024)

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Reminiscent of an animal cracker in taste, albeit softer, these honey “sugar cookies” are a delight to make and eat. I like that the recipe doesn't require large amounts of honey, so cost wise it's not an expensive refined-sugar-free treat.

Honey Sweetened Cut Out Cookie Recipe (1)

A couple weeks ago, I sent this recipe to my friend Marissa asking if she wanted to try them gluten free, as her family eats fully gluten free due to a celiac in the family. She made them the next morning, and on the second try she had them figured out!

A friend asked me if they are more of a “chewy” or “crispy” sugar cookie and it could be either, depending on how long you bake them for. I also love to make gingerbread cut-outs for a fun option.

We enjoy these just on their own as little cracker cookies, not overly sweet but deliciously “more-ish” as my Grandma would say.I don't feel too guilty having these around for the kids to snack on. They are also perfect for freezing so you don't find yourself eating too many at once.

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While we do enjoy them plain, if you need a vehicle for dressing up and decorating at Christmas, Valentines, Easter, etc…these are just the ticket! Just whip up your favorite frosting and go to town with the sprinkles. Both you and the kids will have a blast. (Okokok sometimes it makes me want to spike the eggnog too ?)

This is definitely an all day sort of recipe. You'll want to give the dough time to chill in the fridge so that it's easier to roll and cut. Do keep watch of the time though, as you don't want them in there too long. You can make it the night before, but then just let it rest on the counter a bit before rolling out so it isn't too firm.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Some cookie recipes just have so much sugar in them! I'm not against sugar in treats, but I know that my family just doesn't do well on too much refined sugar.
  • These are easy to make, fun to decorate, and freeze well.
  • Family fun!

Key Ingredients

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Flour - Regular all-purpose here. I always pick up a bulk bag for easy baking like this.

Butter - Unsalted is best for baking, but if you have salted then omit the added salt in the recipe.

Honey - No need for super fancy kinds, just whatever honey your family loves!

How to Make Cut Out Cookies

***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***

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Step 1: Cream honey and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and salt and combine.

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Step 2: Add flour and mix until a soft dough forms.

Step 3: Chill dough for 30 minutes and preheat the oven.

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Step 4: Roll out the dough to desired thickness.

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Step 5: Use cookie cutters, or simply use a glass or knife.

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Step 6: Bake until golden. If you chilled it then they won't spread out and you can pack your baking sheet.

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Tips and Tricks

  • Make sure and chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes - this way they won't spread when you bake them.
  • Once you do chill the dough, you'll need to warm it up just enough to roll it smoothly. You can't do that straight out of the fridge.
  • No cookie cutters, no problem! Use a jar or glass to make circles. Biscuit cutters will work, and worst case you can cut them into squares with a knife.

Substitutions

I haven't tested these with using any other fats, so I can't say for sure it would work. I'd say vegan buttery sticks would work, but these are a honey cookie so there's really no substitute there. But you can definitely sub in gluten-free flour.

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FAQs

Can I make these gluten-free?

Use a one-to-one GF flour that's marketed as an all-purpose flour replacement. You shouldn't have any trouble doing that and still get some really great cookies!

How do I decorate these cookies?

We love to eat them as more of a cracker, or like animal crackers, just plain. But you can frost them with any sort of icing you prefer. Add sprinkles and candies for a great holiday treat.

How do I store leftover cookies?

Cookies are the perfect freezer food. Make them in advance of the holidays to get the baking done and out of the way. Freeze in containers once cooled so they don't get broken. If you want icing and such, don't do that until you thaw them out.

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photos by Kiara Colebank

More Cookie Recipes

  • Easy Honey-Sweetened Gingerbread Cut Out Cookie Recipe
  • Refined Sugar Free Gluten-Free Monster Cookie Recipe
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fresh Ground Soft White Wheat
  • Coconut Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hey friends, don't forget to follow me over on Instagram, cause if you like me here, I post there a LOT! I'm also on YouTube with tutorials and Facebook for all sorts of things.

If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate

Honey Sweetened Cut Out Cookie Recipe (19)

Honey Sweetened Holiday Cut Out Cookies

Kate Schat

Enjoy your holiday with these sugar cookies. Using honey makes them naturally-sweetened (no refined sugar here!) and you don't use a lot so they are cost-effective.

4.94 from 44 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 5 dozen

Calories 56 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened/at room temp
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat honey and butter until well combined, scraping the bowl a few times if needed. Add in egg, vanilla and salt, mix well. Mix in flour until well combined.

  • It will still be a little sticky but scoop it into a container and chill for 30-60 minutes (If it ends up in fridge overnight, you may need to let it sit on counter a bit to warm up as it may be too firm…)

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

  • Divide dough in half and roll dough out on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out your desired shapes, and transfer to cookie sheets lined with parchment or silpats. Re-roll scraps and cut out some more!

  • Bake for 8 minutes, turn trays around, and bake another 5 minutes, until edges are just getting gently browned. If you want them crispy and not chewy, bake a few more minutes.

  • Cool, decorate to your hearts content, and enjoy!

Notes

  • I fill 3 half-sheet pans with this batch of dough, which is approximately 5 dozen cookies for me. It depends on how big you make your shapes, but hopefully this gives you a good idea of yield.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 21mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 99IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Honey Sweetened Cut Out Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use honey instead of sugar in sugar cookies? ›

Honey can be used in any recipe that calls for sugar including white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup.

What is the secret to cut out cookies? ›

Pull off the top sheet of parchment, then slide the sheet of dough onto a baking sheet, then pop it in the freezer. (You can stack as many sheets of dough onto one baking sheet as you'd like.) Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze!

What does honey do to cookies? ›

Honey results in a moister, fluffier texture.

Cookies and cakes made with sugar tend to be more dry and to crumble more easily. Meanwhile, goods made with honey are deliciously moist and have a tighter crumb that does not disintegrate as easily.

How do you keep cut out sugar cookies from spreading? ›

To prevent this make sure the baking sheets are always at least on room temperature. Ideally you want to cut your cookies and then chill them with the baking sheet. that way the tray is still cool when it goes in the oven and the cookies have no time to spread before they are baked through.

What happens if you use honey instead of sugar in baking? ›

The higher sugar content in honey means it caramelizes and therefore burns faster than granulated sugar. To ensure that whatever you're baking doesn't brown too quickly, lower the heat and keep a watchful eye. “Check it early and often to avoid burning or overbaking,” recommends Sever.

What happens if I replace sugar with honey? ›

Before you start replacing 1 cup of white sugar with 1 cup of honey, it's crucial to know that honey is much sweeter, and a one-for-one replacement will result in overly sweet (or possibly inedible) food. It can be a little tricky to figure out exactly how much honey a recipe requires, but we're here to help!

Should you refrigerate cut-out cookies before baking? ›

Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer. Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies.

Why won't my cut-out cookies hold their shape? ›

Different fats will affect the shape of your cookies, as will the temperature of the dough when it goes into the oven. Softer fat like shortening and margarine will spread more than butter, and cookies with butter in them, if refrigerated before baking, will hold their shape, even when quite thick.

How thick should cut-out cookies be? ›

To ensure the wonderfully soft sugar cookies of your dreams, you want to roll the dough about ¼-inch thick. This may seem too thick when you are rolling and cutting, but it's absolutely vital.

What is the best honey for baking cookies? ›

While clover honey will work, wildflower honey, orange blossom honey, and even lavender honey are all great options that impart their own subtle, distinct taste. Flour. All-purose flour is your best bet for today's recipe.

Do bakeries use honey? ›

Honey also is used in bakery foods to enhance the flavors of other ingredients.

What kind of honey is best for baking? ›

Buckwheat Honey

The honey carries strong notes of malt. For that reason, buckwheat honey is a popular choice for baked goods and also barbecue sauces.

Why do my cutout cookies spread? ›

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

Why are my cut out sugar cookies hard? ›

Once the edges develop a golden hue, you've gone too far. While overcooked sugar cookies are certainly still palatable, they'll be hard and crunchy, instead of soft and chewy. → Follow this tip: Pull the cookie sheet from the oven as soon as they've set and gained some color, but not too much.

Why are my cut-out cookies puffy? ›

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

Can I use honey instead of brown sugar in cookies? ›

With a few simple recipe modifications, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar are all suitable replacements for brown sugar. Because these substitutions are liquid, you'll want to take into account how the extra moisture may affect the outcome of your recipe, especially when it comes to baking.

How do I substitute honey for brown sugar in cookies? ›

Here's what you need to know. In general, we suggest replacing every cup of brown sugar with ⅔ cup of honey. You'll want to keep consistency in mind, though.

How much honey equals a half a cup of sugar? ›

For example, you can substitute 1/2 cup of honey for 1/2 cup of sugar called for in a recipe. Over one cup, use about 2/3-3/4 cup of honey for every cup of sugar. This is because honey is actually sweeter than sugar.

What is a substitute for granulated sugar in baking? ›

Brown sugar is the simplest substitute for granulated sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar as a 1:1 substitute. It makes for darker, denser baked goods with a more caramel or molasses flavor, which is wonderful for classic chocolate chip cookies, but less desirable for delicate cakes.

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