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.

Honey Sweetened Cut Out Cookie Recipe (2)

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 43 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? ›

Use less honey than sugar.

Use your best judgement depending on the flavor of the honey. Some honey, like acacia honey, is extra sweet, while some, like chestnut, is much less so, but the general rule to adhere to is as follows: The Rule: For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.

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 is the effect of honey in 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 sugar cookie cutouts from spreading? ›

Always pop the cut cookies back into the freezer for a few minutes until solid again. From there you can put them straight into the oven. Even better is that once frozen you can re wrap your pre-cut cookies in cling film and place in an air tight container and keep them this way already pre-cut and ready to go!

What happens if I replace sugar with honey? ›

Up to one cup, honey can be substituted for sugar in equal amounts. 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.

Is honey better for diabetics than sugar? ›

Generally, there's no advantage to substituting honey for sugar in a diabetes eating plan. Both honey and sugar will affect your blood sugar level.

Why are my cutout 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.

What is a good thickness for cut out cookies? ›

Most recipes suggest rolling the dough to ¼-inch thick because it's easy to work with (less breakage) and achieves a soft, tender cookie. Roll out a portion of dough at a time and keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator.

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

Oven Temperature

If you still notice that your cookies are spreading, another thing you can do to help cookies keep their shape, is increase the heat 10-25 degrees higher than the suggested temperature on the recipe. Every oven is different, so you may need to try this for yours.

How to bake with honey instead of sugar? ›

To substitute 1 cup of sugar: Use 2/3 cup honey. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you need to use less. Decrease other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup, because there's water in the honey too.

Why choose honey over sugar? ›

"Honey's advantages over sugar include a slightly lower glycemic index (i.e. it doesn't affect your blood-sugar levels as much)," Dr. Dixon says. 10 "It also contains more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as calcium, potassium, vitamin C, zinc, phenolic acids, and flavonoids."

What is the best honey for baking cookies? ›

Honey — since most of the flavor in these cookies comes from honey, use good quality honey that you like. Any flavor, such as wildflower, orange blossom, or clover honey, will work wonderfully!

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.

How do you get cut-out cookies to keep their shape? ›

I can't wait to read through all of the great ideas posted there! To help cookies keep their shape, freeze them! I freeze each batch of cut-out cookies for 5 to 10 minutes before baking.

What is the best substitute for sugar in cookies? ›

For basic baked goods like sugar cookies or pound cake, using maple syrup or honey instead of sugar lends the finished product a little extra flavor. You'll need a little less of these sweeteners for your recipe—just ¾ cup of maple syrup or honey replaces a full cup of granulated sugar.

How much honey to replace 1/2 cup sugar? ›

How Much Honey to Use in Place of Sugar
SUGARHONEYREDUCED LIQUID
1/2 Cup (125mL)1/3 Cup (75mL)2 tsp (10mL)
2/3 Cup (150mL)1/2 Cup (125mL)5 tsp (25mL)
3/4 Cup (175mL)2/3 Cup (150mL)2 Tbsp (30mL)
1 Cup (250 mL)3/4 Cup (175mL)2 1/2 Tbsp (37mL)
5 more rows

How much honey equals a teaspoon of sugar? ›

To convert smaller portions of sweetener in baked goods, like individual mug cakes, use slightly more than 3/4 the amount of honey as you would sugar, or decrease by 1 to 2 teaspoons.

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