• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Savor the Flavour

  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy/Disclaimer
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Our Shop
  • Services
  • Contact
×
Home » Recipes » Cookie Recipes

Soft Honey Cookies for Rosh Hashanah

Published: Sep 10, 2021 · Modified: Oct 2, 2024 by Emma Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

1780 shares
  • 11
Jump to Recipe

Looking for a quick and easy treat to enjoy during Rosh Hashanah? You'll love these delicious soft honey cookies with their soft, slightly chewy texture and lightly sweet flavor.

Looking for other cookie recipes? You'll definitely want to try these amazing ratafia biscuits.

stack of honey cookies on wax paper
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How to Make Honey Cookies
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • More Cookie Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients

glass bowls of ingredients for honey cookies

In a rush to make a batch of these delicious soft cookies for your Rosh Hashanah celebrations or for an afternoon snack? Don't worry--you probably already have all the ingredients already. Let's discuss each one!

  • Eggs: Four large eggs is all you need. If you're vegan, substitute with four flax eggs (mix ¼ cup ground flaxseed with ⅔ cup water and let stand 5 minutes), or with 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce.
  • Oil: Use any neutral flavored oil, such as vegetable or light olive oil. (Those who would like to use butter can use melted butter instead of oil.)
  • Honey: This is the key ingredient, of course! It keeps them moist, adds sweetness, and encourages browning in the oven. If you're vegan, you can use an equal volume of agave nectar instead.
  • Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is ideal for this recipe, but you can definitely use gluten free measure-for-measure flour if desired.
  • Optional Decoration: I like to roll them in granulated sugar before baking, as it provides an extra touch of sweetness and makes the soft honey cookies extra pretty.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Gluten Free: Use your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour instead of the all-purpose. (I recommend either Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur.)
  • Vegan: Swap the honey for an equal volume of agave nectar. Replace the eggs with four flax eggs or ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce per egg (a total of 1 cup in this recipe).
  • Extra Chewy: Use all brown sugar instead of white for a more chewy texture and darker colored cookies.
  • Want to use butter? You can use 1 cup of melted butter (230g) instead of the oil for extra flavor.

How to Make Honey Cookies

Gather the ingredients.

beating the dough for honey cookies in a mixing bowl
  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until blended. Beat the eggs, oil, honey, and sugar together until smooth. (image 1)
  2. Gradually add the flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to firm it up. (image 2)
honey cookies before and after baking
  1. Roll 1 tablespoon balls of cookie dough in granulated sugar if desired, then space the balls two inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. (image 3)
  2. Bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes per tray, or until they are lightly browned around the edges. (image 4)
honey cookies on a plate and on wax paper
  1. Let them cool briefly on a wire rack, then enjoy. (image 5)
  2. Everyone will love these soft treats during Rosh Hashanah or anytime during the year. Shana Tova! (image 6)

Recipe FAQs

What does honey do to cookies?

Honey traps moisture in them as they bake, increasing their moisture and chewiness. It's slightly sweeter than regular white sugar, which can allow you to decrease the amount a little. It will also cause the dough to brown faster in the oven.

Can I use honey instead of sugar in baking?

Yes, you can. This recipe uses both granulated sugar and honey in the dough, but you can substitute this sweetener in many other cookie recipes. You can use an equal volume of honey to sugar for amounts up to 1 cup, but for amounts greater than that, use ⅔-3/4 cup of it for each cup of sugar.

For other recipes, you'll want to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup for each cup of honey, and lower the oven temperature 25 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent overbaking. You can also add an extra ½ teaspoon of baking soda to encourage the baked goods to rise better.

How do you store soft honey cookies?

Keep them soft by storing them in a plastic bag or airtight plastic container. Avoid storing with other baked goods in the same container, or they may pick up those flavors. They should stay fresh and soft at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Can I freeze soft cookies?

Yes, you can definitely freeze them! Seal them inside of a zip-top plastic freezer bag or in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave.

Serve

Looking for other delicious desserts? You'll definitely want to try these recipes for easy challah bread, chocolate chip mandel bread, and vegan snickerdoodles.

white plate of honey cookies.

Expert Tips

  • Has your honey thickened too much or crystallized? Set the container in warm water to melt the crystals.
  • Measure the oil in a measuring cup first, then measure the honey. This way, it glides out of the cup without sticking.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added, or the dough may get tough.
  • Using an oven thermometer will help make sure your oven isn't baking too hot or cold.
  • Watch the cookies as they bake. Take them out once they are lightly golden, or they will be overbaked.

More Cookie Recipes

  • stack of citrus granola bars on parchment paper
    Vegan Granola Bars (No Bake)
  • stack of Nanaimo bars on a white plate
    Nanaimo Bars
  • stack of vegan snickerdoodles on a white plate
    Easy Vegan Snickerdoodles
  • stack of raspberry cheesecake cookies
    Subway Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies Copycat

If you liked this recipe and found it helpful, give it some love by sharing!

Follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook for more crave-worthy recipes!

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated!

Recipe

stack of honey cookies on wax paper

Soft Honey Cookies

These soft, slightly chewy Jewish cookies are the perfect treat to enjoy during Rosh Hashanah.  This quick and easy recipe shows you how to make these traditional soft honey cookies from scratch.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin FavoriteSaved! Rate
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: Jewish
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 32 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 2 minutes minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 138kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 4 large eggs
  • ¾ cup neutral oil, such as vegetable or light olive oil
  • ¾ cup honey
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Additional granulated sugar, for rolling (optional)
Keep your screen on while you work!

Instructions

  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well mixed.
  • Beat the eggs, oil, sugar, and honey together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until blended.
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined.
  • Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 11x17-inch baking trays with parchment paper.
  • Roll 1-tablespoon sized balls of dough in granulated sugar, then space the cookies at least two inches apart on the prepared trays.
  • Bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks, then enjoy.

Video

Notes

  • Vegan Version: Use four flax eggs (mix ¼ cup ground flaxseed with ⅔ cup water and let stand 5 minutes) or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce instead of the eggs.  Use an equal volume of agave nectar instead of honey.
  • Gluten Free Version: Use your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour.  Good brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur.
  • Has your honey thickened or crystallized? Set the container in warm water to melt the crystals.
  • Measure the oil first, then measure the honey. This way, it glides out of the measuring cup without sticking.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added, or the cookies may be tough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 138kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 21g (7%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 5g (8%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mg (7%)Sodium: 84mg (4%)Potassium: 27mg (1%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 10g (11%)Vitamin A: 30IU (1%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 13mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

Tried this Recipe? Tag us Today!Mention @savortheflavourblog or tag #savortheflavour!
« Cinnamon Babka
Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rye

    May 27, 2025 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    I've never had these type of cookies so I dont know how they were supposed turn out, but they were really good! Almost cake-like and very soft. Was worried about runny batter from previous comments, but it wasn't as runny as I was expecting. I also used whole wheat flour for half the flour content, so maybe it absorbed more moisture? I also used melted butter since we were out of oil. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Emma Fajcz

      May 29, 2025 at 7:48 am

      Glad you enjoyed the cookies, Rye! Thanks for your kind words!

      Reply
  2. Rick

    November 20, 2024 at 1:18 pm

    5 stars
    The batter comes out runny so best to use an ice cream scoop with a squeeze handle. I use the 5 cm and they come out nice and big, but you can definitely use a 4 cm as well

    Reply
    • Emma Fajcz

      November 20, 2024 at 9:33 pm

      Yes, the batter is pretty runny! Glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Rick!

      Reply
  3. Anna

    October 01, 2024 at 10:04 pm

    I followed the recipe to the letter. Is the batter supposed to be so runny? I could barely roll the dough in sugar. I had to add more flour, about 1/2 cup more. And yes I refrigerated the dough for 35 mins and in between batches. They taste really good but what did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Emma Fajcz

      October 02, 2024 at 6:55 am

      I'm sorry that you found the batter so runny, Anna! The cookie dough is supposed to be very soft, and can be hard to roll in sugar. Did you happen to weigh the flour? Sometimes measuring it in cups is less accurate and you can get too much or too little. If you watch the video in the recipe card, that should give you a better idea of how the dough should look.

      Reply
  4. Alex

    September 10, 2021 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    These honey cookies are slightly sweet and exterior is chewy. They are cake-like and tasty.

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 10, 2021 at 12:28 pm

      Thanks for your kind review, Alex!

      Reply
  5. Beth

    September 10, 2021 at 12:26 pm

    5 stars
    Honey cookies are soft and cake-like. They are very unique and lovely. Rolling them in sugar before baking makes them much better.

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 10, 2021 at 12:28 pm

      Thanks, Beth! I'm glad you enjoyed the honey cookies!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

two ladies with brown hair smiling in a kitchen.

Welcome to our kitchen!

We're Brooke & Emma Fajcz, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts. Our recipes have been featured in Oprah Magazine, The Guardian, Parade, Insider, Delish, and BuzzFeed.

More about us →
logos of newspapers and companies that featured Savor the Flavour.

Cool off with this Watermelon Slushie Mocktail!

two glasses of watermelon slushie with a bowl of watermelon

Summer Recipes

  • bowl of Brunswick stew with a wooden spoon.
    Georgia Brunswick Stew
  • white serving bowl filled with collard greens
    Southern Collard Greens
  • large white bowl filled with cowboy caviar
    Cowboy Caviar
  • bowl of Chick-fil-A market salad with forks
    Copycat Chick-fil-A Market Salad

Popular Posts

  • baked Cuban bread on a wire cooling rack.
    Homemade Cuban Bread (Pan Cubano)
  • glass bottle filled with Caesar dressing
    Caesar Salad Dressing
  • person holding a spoonful of black bean soup
    Panera Black Bean Soup (Copycat Recipe)
  • slices of tomato basil bread on a cutting board
    Panera Tomato Basil Bread

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Shop Our Store
  • Work with Us
  • Press
  • Services

Follow Us

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility

As an Amazon associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2017-2025 Savor the Flavour