Medenjaci (Croatian Honey Spice Cookies)

Perfect, traditional Christmas cookies full of flavor. Not too sweet, easy to make and easy to store in an airtight container for a week or two.

Original recipe makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup demerara sugar
3/4 cup honey
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 eggs, lightly whisked
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
12 whole walnuts, divided into quarters

  • PREP

    15 mins

  • COOK

    10 mins

  • READY IN

    1 day 25 mins

Directions

  1. Stir butter, sugar, and honey together in a large saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Mix all-purpose flour, cake flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger together in a bowl.
  3. Beat flour mixture and eggs into cooled butter mixture until a smooth, soft dough forms. Cover the saucepan with aluminum foil and set in a cool place to ferment, 1 to 3 days.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  5. Divide dough into long ropes about 2/3-inch in diameter. Cut ropes into 1 1/2-inch sections. Roll each piece of dough into a walnut-size ball. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press a walnut piece halfway into the top of each cookie.
  6. Bake cookies in the preheated oven until slightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 131 kcal
Carbohydrates: 20.7 g
Cholesterol: 23 mg
Fat: 4.7 g
Fiber: 0.6 g
Protein: 2.1 g
Sodium: 60 mg