Spiced Honey Cookies

A traditional Swiss holiday cookie.

Ingredients

Dough:

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons kirsch

1/2 cup candied orange peel

8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) whole almonds, chopped finely but not ground

Glaze:

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Honey Tips

Honey Bees Need Water

To keep their hives strong, beekeepers must place them in locations that will provide abundant nectar sources as well as water.

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 °. Line the bottom and sides of a 10 1/2×15 1/2×1 inch jelly-roll pan with foil. Butter foil or coat with non-stick cooking spray.
Dough:
In a bowl whisk together the first 6 ingredients.
In a large heavy saucepan heat honey and sugar over a medium low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove pan from heat and stir in kirsch, orange peel and chopped almonds. Stir into flour mixture until well combined. Cool 5 minutes.
Using floured hands, press dough evenly into prepared pan. Place in preheated oven and immediately lower oven temperature to 300 °.
Bake dough 25 to 30 minutes until firm but not dry. Cool in pan on a rack. When cool, invert onto a flat surface, discard foil and turn baked dough right side up.
Prepare glaze:
Cook water and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium low heat stirring until sugar dissolves. Add confectioners sugar and continue stirring until well blended. Remove from heat and immediately begin to brush glaze onto baked dough until cookies are completely coated. You will have to work quickly as glaze will harden. Let stand for 15 minutes and then cut into 2-inch squares.
Store cookies up to 2 weeks in an airtight container or freeze until ready to use.