German Honey Cookies from Grandma’s Cookbook (Sweet, Simple, and So Good)

Honey cookies. It started with a knock on the door and a friendly neighbor holding a white pail in both hands. “You like honey, right?” I said yes before I even registered the size of the container. Ten pounds. Maybe more. I’ve seen smaller buckets of drywall compound. Pure, locally grown raw honey – what a score!

But now I’m knee-deep in honey recipes, from dressings and marinades to granola bars and honey sweetened jams (still working on that one, by the way). But it turns out, the real gem in this whole sticky situation was a forgotten German honey cookies recipe—buried in one of my grandma’s old cookbooks, handwritten in faded ink and cursive that looks like it came straight outta 1942.

My mom’s family has strong German roots, so I knew this one was special as soon as I spotted the word “honig” scratched in the corner of the page. It had that “made a hundred times by memory” feel to it, like something passed down through holiday tables and tin cookie tins with wax paper inside. I couldn’t not try it.

And good thing I did, because these cookies? Total honey gold.

The Kind of Recipe You Wish You’d Found Sooner

This isn’t some fancy, overdone recipe with obscure spices or complicated steps that make you give up halfway. This is a simple, solid cookie. It’s got just enough ginger to feel warm, and just enough honey to make you feel like you did something productive with your pantry stash.

To be honest, when I first saw the original recipe, I hesitated. It made a lot of dough. Great if you’re baking for a school fundraiser or a small battalion, but I just wanted enough to fill the cookie jar and not feel like I had to freeze half the batch. So I halved it. No regrets.

Even cut in half, it still made plenty to go around, and they store well too — soft inside with a bit of chew. One of those cookies where you eat one, then grab another without thinking. I caught myself doing that while they were still warm on the rack.

Shortcut Tips From Someone Who Always Misses a Step

Okay, let’s talk real-world kitchen stuff. Here’s a few things I learned on the fly:

• Don’t skip the shortening. I know, I know. Everyone’s into butter these days, but this is one of those rare moments where shortening does what butter can’t. It keeps the texture soft and light without greasiness.
• Use room temperature ingredients. Especially the egg. I didn’t the first time, and the dough was way harder to mix than it needed to be.
• Use parchment paper. Trust me. The honey makes these cookies want to stick a little more than usual. Your future self will thank you during cleanup.
• Don’t overbake. They might not look “done” at the 9-minute mark, but if the edges are set and you see little cracks on top, pull ’em. They’ll keep cooking on the tray for a bit.

And this might sound silly, but don’t start this recipe thinking you can multitask. I burned a grilled cheese while mixing up the dough because I “only needed one more minute.” Honey sticks to everything and suddenly you’re washing dishes and scraping toast.

One Cookie, A Million Possibilities

I’ve already made these three times in the last month, and I’m not even close to being tired of them. I brought a batch to a family birthday party, and they disappeared off the tray before the store-bought cupcakes were even touched. That’s saying something.

Next time, I might add cinnamon or clove. Maybe swap in a little whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor. My daughter wants chocolate chips in hers, but I’m not ready to open that can of worms just yet.

The base is solid enough that you could use cookie cutters if you chilled the dough a bit longer. I think they’d make cute hearts for Valentine’s Day or little trees for Christmas. Or stars for no reason at all.

Grandma’s Honey Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup honey
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Cream together the sugar and shortening in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add the honey, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
4. Mix in the baking soda and ground ginger.
5. Gradually stir in the flour until the dough comes together. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
6. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. If you like, roll each ball in a bit of extra sugar for a sparkly finish.
7. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops have small cracks. Don’t overbake — they’ll firm up as they cool.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This Recipe’s Got Heart (and History)

Maybe it’s the honey talking, but there’s something extra special about pulling a recipe from a family cookbook. Especially when you know it was probably made by hand in kitchens that smelled like coffee and wood polish, where your grandma might’ve been baking while your grandpa read the paper in the other room.

I don’t always get sentimental about recipes. Sometimes a cookie is just a cookie. But this one? This one feels like it belongs. Like it’s supposed to be in the rotation, right there next to the banana bread and the “lazy day” cinnamon rolls.

And with that honey pail still staring at me every time I open the pantry, I know I’ll be making these again.

Bottom Line

If you’ve been blessed (or cursed, depending how full your pantry is) with a giant amount of honey and you’re wondering what on earth to do with it all, this German honey cookies recipe is a great place to start. It uses simple ingredients, comes together quickly, and tastes like something worth passing down.

It’s one of those honey recipes that actually lets the honey shine — not just as a sweetener, but as the main event. Soft, a little chewy, full of flavor, and totally unfussy.

So go ahead — dig through your family cookbooks. Make the cookies. Share them with someone you love. And if you also have a surprise bucket of honey to use up? Well, welcome to the club.

Hey, before you leave – check out these wicked awesome Turtle Cookies! A bit more complicated to make than honey cookies, but the end result is worth it!