Thin and crispy Moravian spice cookies are a delightful Christmas treat. I make them with honey and six different spices for a unique and amazing flavor.
Add classic Moravian spice cookies to your list of must-make Christmas cookie recipes! They are made with molasses and ginger for beautiful golden color. I've given them a mild sweet taste using honey in place of molasses.
Adding six different spices (that you probably already have in your cupboard) gives these honey snaps cookies an irresistible taste.
Honey snaps made like Moravian spice cookies
Moravian spice cookies originated in Colonial American communities, by the Moravian churchgoers. These very thin cookies are shared during the Christmas holiday.
I turned the classic Moravian cookie into a Honey Snap just by swapping molasses for honey.
Honey snaps are a thin cookie or biscuit with a strong honey taste. Delicious dipped in tea or hot chocolate.
Then I added in several different spices like cinnamon, turmeric, white pepper, and coriander. Some very unique to cookies, but just delicious when sweetened with honey and baked.
How to make thin Moravian style cookies
It's tricky to get super thin, even cookies in the Moravian style. They must be rolled to an even thickness so they cook evenly. And must be thin enough to truly qualify as a Moravian cookie.
The texture of these cookies is crisp and biscuit-like just like Moravian spice cookies, even though they have the true taste of a honey snap cookie.
If you love thin, crisp cookies, don't miss my Pistachio Lace Cookies and Copycat Pirouette Cookies (Tuile Cigars).
Roll the dough and freeze
Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to get it thin and even.
The sheets of dough must be frozen before cutting and baking.
Once frozen the parchment can be peeled off and the cookies can be cut using a round or round fluted cookie cutter. I cut a tiny hole in the center with the tip of a pastry tip so I can string the cookies together as gifts.
The hole in the middle is completely optional.
The cookies can be kept airtight for up to two weeks!
More holiday cookies
- Soft Sugar Cookies for Cutouts
- Honey Cinnamon Cutout Cookies
- Peppermint Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies
- Ginger Spice Button Cookies
Cookie Classics To Try
- Stovetop Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Award Winning Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons with Condensed Milk
- Graham Crackers and Frosting
- Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
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📖 Full Recipe
Six Spiced Honey Snaps - Moravian Spice Cookies
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsps ground Saigon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1½ tsps ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tbsps unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup light honey
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, turmeric, white pepper, coriander, allspice, ginger, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolk and honey until combined. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine completely. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and knead the dough gently so there are no dry spots.
- Heat oven to 325ºF.
- Working with ¼ of the dough at a time, roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper until it is very thin, about 1/16 of an inch. Chill on a baking sheet in the freezer while you roll the remaining dough.
- When the rolled sheets are frozen, about 50 minutes, gently peel the top parchment from one sheet, flip over onto parchment and peel the other layer of parchment off; cut into 2¼-inch round cookies. Working quickly use a small spatula to transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cut holes from centers if desired. I used a #12 plain piping tip. Bake until cooked through, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the parchment.
- Re-roll scraps, freeze in the same manner and cut more cookies for a total of 43 to 48. Cookies can be stored airtight for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
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Tara Teaspoon
I'm Tara, a recipe developer and food stylist with nearly 30 years in food publishing, including the test kitchens of Martha Stewart and Ladies' Home Journal. My recipes and styling have appeared in magazines, cookbooks, television and advertising, and I'm the author of two cookbooks, Delicious Gatherings and Live Life Deliciously. Every recipe here is tested and reliable. Have a question? Leave a comment and I'll answer it, or get new recipes by email.
Mia says
Oh! I'm so excited to find this recipe! I LOVE these cookies. Thank you!
Megan Palmer says
I love these cookies and the traditions around them.