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Honey Biscuits with Lemon

Honey biscuits (cookies) with lemon - an easy French recipe baked in 10 minutes with a shiny glaze, crisp texture and intense in honey. Baking in the oven for another 2-3 minutes makes a darker cookie that's even more intense in honey.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 40 biscuits
Calories: 83 kcal
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • 250 g (9oz/ 2 cups) Plain flour (all-purpose)
  • 50 g (2oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
  • 150 g (5½oz/ ¾ cup) unsalted butter cold if by hand; softened if in mixer
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoon Acacia honey (runny) or dark mountain honey (strong flavoured)
  • 2 lemons, zest only unwaxed/organic
  • 1 good pinch salt fleur de sel (Maldon or Celtic salt)
Honey Glaze
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • pinch salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Measure the flour in a large bowl. Add the sugar, cold butter, lemon zest, honey and salt. Mix all together well with the tips of your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (or sand - sable in French) then add the egg yolks.Alternatively, if you have a stand mixer, mix all the ingredients together (using softened butter) for a couple of minutes maximum until well blended together.
  2. Split the dough into 2, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  3. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 5mm (¼ inch) thickness. Cut the dough using your favourite cookie cutters. Roll up the dough into another ball with the scraps and roll out again until finished. Place the biscuits on 1-2 baking trays covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5. Mix the glaze together and brush lightly over each biscuit. Bake for 10-12 minutes (careful NO MORE than 14-15 mins, as the honey will burn)
  5. Leave the cookies to cool on the tray for a couple of minutes then carefully transfer them with a pie slice (they'll still be soft and fragile) to a wire tray to cool and crisp up.

Notes

  • Honey Tips:
  • Baking Honey Biscuits/Cookies: 10 minutes is all they need in the oven for a light golden colour. However, baking for another 2-4 minutes maximum will darken them quickly but the result is a more intense honey flavour. It's up to you how toasty you prefer them but any longer will burn cookies.
  • The dough freezes well. I often prepare a whole batch and freeze half of the dough for later.
  • For a more intense honey flavour, use a dark, full-flavoured honey, such as a mountain honey.
  • To see if you're using genuine honey, spoon it into a small glass of water. If it doesn't dissolve, it's the real thing.