German Honey Cookies traditional German cookies once my friend gave it to me as weekend gift. It realy attracted me because it doesn’t contain butter or other oil. Honey-based spice cookies dominate the German Christmas cookie Spread.

Ingredients

For Cookies

• 1 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 cup candied orange peel
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

For Glaze

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a pan over low heat, melt sugar and honey. Let cool.
2. Mix flour, eggs, cocoa powder, baking soda and ginger and then slowly add the honey and blend.
3. Mix in chopped citrus peel, almonds (optional), and lemon rind.
4. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy. Mix in orange juice.
5. Stir in flour mixture. Cover bowl with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature overnight for at least 12 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets. Using a soup spoon, drop dough onto cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Carefully lift with a spatula (cookies are fragile) and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Mix together glaze ingredients. If it is thin, add more confectioner’s sugar. If too thick, add more lemon juice.
8. Brush the tops of the cookies with glaze and place on wire rack to set.