Old German Honey Cookies Recipe

Name: Old German Honey Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup white sugar; 1 cup shortening; 1 cup honey; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 4 cups all-purpose flour

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ginger Cookies

This recipe yields 24 delicious, soft ginger cookies. A perfect balance of sweetness and spice, these cookies are sure to become a favorite.

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Follow these steps to create the perfect batch of ginger cookies:

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350F (175C).
Step 2: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the sugar, shortening, and honey together. Once melted, remove from heat and let it cool.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, and ground ginger.
Step 4: Gradually add the egg mixture into the cooled honey mixture, stirring until well combined.
Step 5: Slowly add the flour, a little at a time, mixing thoroughly until the dough comes together.
Step 6: Using a teaspoon, drop the dough onto a cookie sheet, spacing each drop about 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Each serving contains:

Nutrition	Amount
Calories	233
Total Fat	9g (12% Daily Value)
Saturated Fat	2g (12% Daily Value)
Cholesterol	16mg (5% Daily Value)
Sodium	59mg (3% Daily Value)
Total Carbohydrate	36g (13% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber	1g (2% Daily Value)
Total Sugars	20g
Protein	3g (5% Daily Value)
Vitamin C	0mg (0% Daily Value)
Calcium	6mg (0% Daily Value)
Iron	1mg (6% Daily Value)
Potassium	37mg (1% Daily Value)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Origin Story: The Old German Honey Cookie recipe hails from Germany, a country known for its rich baking traditions. These cookies, traditionally enjoyed during the holiday season, were passed down through generations, capturing the essence of simple, wholesome ingredients. With honey as the star ingredient, the cookies highlight the importance of natural sweetness, a hallmark of German baking culture. As family recipes go, this one embodies a sense of nostalgia and warmth, frequently enjoyed with a cup of tea or hot cider during the colder months.

Regional Features: While honey cookies are a part of Germany's widespread baking culture, they are particularly cherished in regions with a long history of honey production, such as Bavaria. The use of local, raw honey gives the cookies a distinct flavor profile. Ginger and cinnamon, though not always used, are often added, especially in northern parts of Germany where spiced cookies have a strong presence in the culinary tradition. Each region in Germany has its own version of honey cookies, but all feature honey as the core ingredient, bringing a comforting, slightly chewy texture to the baked goods.

Differences from Similar Dishes: Unlike many American-style cookies, which rely heavily on refined sugars and fats, these German honey cookies are more subtle in their sweetness. The honey provides the main source of sugar, which gives the cookies a distinct flavor compared to other traditional cookies like gingerbread or sugar cookies. Honey cookies are often more moist and chewy than their American counterparts, which tend to be crispier. Additionally, the Old German Honey Cookies are simpler in flavor, lacking the complex frostings and heavy spices that are common in many modern American cookies.

Common Occasions and Locations: These cookies are especially popular during the Christmas season in Germany, where they are often baked in large batches and shared among family and friends. They are commonly served at Christmas markets, alongside other German treats like stollen and lebkuchen. In homes, they can be found adorning the holiday table, offering a light, honeyed sweetness to balance out the rich flavors of holiday feasts. While they are often baked at home, some small German bakeries may still offer these cookies as a traditional specialty during the winter months.

Interesting Facts: Honey, as used in these cookies, is a natural sweetener that has been a staple in human diets for thousands of years. The ancient Germans, like many other cultures, utilized honey not just for sweetening food, but also for medicinal purposes. The art of making honey cookies, though perhaps less prominent today, was once a common practice in German homes as a way to preserve the honey during the colder months. Furthermore, the use of shortening in this recipe, while not traditional in all honey cookie variations, helps create a tender texture, making the cookies easier to chew and digest.

These Old German Honey Cookies not only taste delicious but also offer a window into Germany's culinary heritage, where simplicity, quality ingredients, and tradition take center stage in every bite.

FAQ about Old German Honey Cookies Recipe

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you need to keep them for longer, you can freeze them. Just make sure they are cooled completely before storing them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Yes, refrigerating the dough for about 1-2 hours can make it easier to handle, especially if the dough is a bit sticky. This will also help prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.

If your cookies are overbaked and become too hard, you can try to soften them by placing them in a container with a slice of bread for a few hours. The moisture from the bread may help restore some softness to the cookies.

Yes, you can substitute shortening with butter if you prefer. However, butter will alter the texture of the cookies slightly, making them a bit softer and richer in flavor.

If you don’t have ground ginger or another spice like cinnamon, feel free to experiment with the spices you have. For example, a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg can work as an alternative, though it will change the flavor profile slightly.

For chewier cookies, bake them for a slightly shorter time (around 11 minutes). If you prefer a crispier texture, bake them a little longer, up to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.

Yes, you can customize the recipe by adding ingredients like chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit. However, keep in mind that these additions may alter the texture or baking time, so keep an eye on them as they bake.

If the dough is too sticky to handle, try chilling it in the fridge for a while. You can also dust your hands or the surface with a little flour to help prevent sticking.

Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure the blend you choose includes xanthan gum or another binder to help the dough hold together.

You can adjust the amount of honey, but reducing it too much may affect the cookie's texture and flavor. Honey is a key ingredient in this recipe, providing sweetness and moisture, so it's best to stick close to the original amount if possible.

Comments

Kitchen Aid Mom

10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM

My daughter made this for her Germany Culture Project for school. I didn't expect them to come out so well. These were great. I'll keep this recipe and use it again! These were not bland at all. She cooked them for only 11 minutes and came out perfect.

MuscleMan

05/23/2008 09:08:45 AM

Very good recipe. I've looked far and wide for a good honey-only cookie (not with peanut butter) and this is it! Definite keeper! Note, this is what I'd call a basic "milk & cookies" type of cookie. Sort of thing mom would fill the cookie jar with back in the 1960's :-) Used some of the mods others suggested, namely: 1 cup butter, 1 1/4 cups honey, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg. Also changed the procedure to make it easier: sifted together the dry ingredients; transferred the melted sugar, butter & honey to the mixer; once cooled, added vanilla & eggs then the flour. The bottoms of the cookies came out smoother when I used parchment paper. Also tried different baking times. (My oven is dead on temp-wise; checked with thermometer.) 11 minutes is not enough - they are too chewy (almost doughy) and deflate into cow pies when cool. 14 to 15 minutes is perfect - they turn out light brown with some crispness around the edges but moist in the center. Perfect for dunking in milk. :-) Very strong honey flavor. I used a dark clover honey. Might be interesting to try with different honey types.

FancyTray1848

12/03/2022 08:53:15 PM

I made these for a cookie swap. My first batch did not come out well but I liked the taste so I tweaked it to make it work. I added 1t cinnamon to Step 2. I put the batter in the fridge for about 2 hours before cooking. Then rolled balls and rolled balls in sugar putting on cookie sheet (using parchment paper) and pushed balls slightly down. I also added powered sugar after cooling

VioletSquid4210

12/28/2023 09:09:05 PM

Very easy to make. Definitely use a sauce pan and not a frypan. I like that it’s simple and has few ingredients. I read the reviews before baking and increased the ginger and vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons each. I decreased baking time to 11 minutes and greased my cookie sheet. They came out perfect and taste lovely. Adding this recipe to my book.

Diane Wilson

01/02/2012 07:37:00 AM

Made it on a whim — huge success.

Rebecca Finch

07/13/2011 05:31:00 PM

Yummy cookie! I omitted the ginger due to personal preference. Used all the white sugar, 3/4 cup honey because that is all I had and subbed remainder with 1/2 cup brown sugar. I did not melt the ingredients together due to a hunch that they didn't need it. I beat them like normal cookies and used a cookie scoop. I think this helped them not to spread or overbake. I dipped these in cinnamon sugar hot out of the oven. Perfect touch. Nice delicate and balanced flavor.

Maegan Ellicott

11/06/2016 03:11:53 AM

I'm honestly not sure why I made these cookies because I hate honey. I thought they sounded interesting though so I made them. They use quite a bit of honey so be prepared for that. I also used vegetable shortening rather than normal shortening. Make sure you melt the sugar, honey and shortening until it all becomes a homogenous consistency and color. Since you are working with sugar you should stir frequently and as it becomes liquid you should stir constantly to prevent it from burning. This recipe makes quite a few cookies and they came out nice and soft. I found that 11 minutes in my oven was perfect and 12 was too much .So play with times based on your oven. Despite the fact that I don't like honey I found these cookies interesting and I think my friends will like them.

Nichole

04/28/2015 08:11:23 AM

This recipe is exactly what I was looking for, a rustic, old world honey cookie. I did adjust the recipe to 1.5c of honey and 1/2c of sugar, and halved the ginger. I baked mine on a stone pan, which can yield longer cooking time/softer cookies. 12 minutes was perfect for soft, dense, chewy cookies. I really wanted the honey flavor shine, and it was perfect! This isn't a typical "Americanized" super sweet cookie. It's the perfect cookie to showcase the old world charm!!

RusticFig3621

10/01/2024 02:21:31 PM

I remember my grandmother making German honey cookies so I decided to try these. They were close to hers. Comments said there wasn't much flavor. I used local raw honey which has more flavor then pasteurized honey. Added 1 1/2t cinnamon and a little more ginger. I did put the dough in the fridge for 2 hours before baking. They turn out ok.

AFWife88

08/07/2011 02:40:41 PM

Really good! Made this like a regular cookie...didn't bother heating anything, just mixed 'wet' and 'dry' ingredients as usual. I did only use 1/2 the ginger (personal preference) - still quite yummy & picky son loved them!

LankyTray2109

08/08/2017 07:09:21 PM

I made these cookies today and they are yummy.. I cooked them for exactly for 11 mins on a tinfoil lined cookie sheet and they were perfect. I did substitute the vanilla for sugar free maple syrup as I didn't have vanilla. I also used Stevia in place of real sugar. They will be tasty with some Frozen Vanilla yogurt!!

Crystal

09/03/2025 05:10:46 PM

I added some walnuts, some lemon juice and topped it off with some kosher salt. They are amazingly good. Thanks for sharing the recipe

Jeannie Whitman

05/06/2025 06:26:43 PM

My husband loves the cookies and they turned out great I just made them in the evening and it’s getting late and I have leftover dough and wondering if I could store it in the refrigerator

Samantha Lewis

12/27/2024 05:16:12 PM

So delicious, I could eat it every day.

ChillyNut8350

12/19/2024 02:06:32 AM

I found the flavor amazing and so did my family. I made them for a German culture day and I'm hoping the class loves it as much as I do! I depending on the size of your cookie depends how far for the time you do. I did 1½ teaspoon and they where perfect at around 11 minutes, Anything bigger might take the 12-15 minutes.

1MrsC

12/12/2024 06:48:04 PM

To all those who are complaining about these being bland, & drastically changing the recipe… you can make these cookies however you want. But please remember these are OLD GERMAN HONEY cookies. Love it or hate it, but If you change the recipe it is no longer an original anuthentic old German recipe!

StrongCane8164

12/02/2024 10:28:32 AM

I made these cookies for my German project at school. My family really likes them and so that has helped ease my nerves. They are really good and easy to make. I'm sure my class will like them.

Joshua Jones

08/21/2024 07:52:31 PM

This recipe is straight-up legendary.

skoobie72799

03/05/2024 02:42:41 AM

These were easy to make and tasted great! I personally added a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top of each cookie. I would definitely make these again!

SadOnion6001

12/20/2023 01:23:33 AM

Nice soft cookie with good honey flavor.

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Old German Honey Cookies Recipe