Honey Gingerbread
by Jeremiah Duarte Bills, inspired by Liz Prueitt of Tartine Bakery

Gingerbread is definitely my favorite holiday cookie. The first time I had Tartine Bakery's soft Gingerbread Tile in San Francisco way back in 2004 I fell deeply in love. I developed this recipe for the Great American Baking Show in 2016 to use honey harvested from the bees I keep. Use the darkest honey you can to give the cookies a rich depth of flavor. The honey I used for the show was almost black and reminded me of molasses. My bees haven't produced a honey like that since. I love that every year the harvest is different and sets my mind to imagining all the different flowers they visit.

I've included a simple glaze recipe. Feel free to decorate the cookies however you see fit. 

​Makes around 50 medium sized cookies (the yield will depend on the size cutter you use).

Ingredients: 

225 gr unsalted butter, softened
170 grams white sugar
50 grams (1 large) egg
185 grams dark honey
525 grams bleached all-purpose flour 
1 tbsp natural cocoa powder
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground mace (or nutmeg)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt salt

Glaze:

115 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
30 grams (2 tbsp) water
pinch fine sea salt

Honey Gingerbread Method:

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Add the egg and mix until well incorporated.
  3. Add the honey and mix scraping the bowl when necessary. 
  4. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
  5. Add the flour mixture on low speed until it comes together 
  6. Divide dough into two portions. Flatten into squares, cover and place in refrigerator to rest overnight.
  7. Preheat oven to 325F. Place oven rack in the center of the oven.
  8. Roll each dough square out on a nonstick mat sprinkled with flour or piece of parchment paper until 1/3 of inch (8 mm) thick. Alternately you can roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. I like to use a piece of parchment on top of the dough to roll it out easily. 
  9. If using cookie stamps dip them into a small bowl of flour and then stamp the dough firmly. Continue to flour the stamp between each use.
  10. Freeze for 5 minutes to firm up the dough. The chilling will help preserve the shape of the cutter and stamp. Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes directly on the mat. Remove excess dough. If dough has softened considerably return to the freezer before baking. 
  11. Bake for 9-17 minutes until just set. The time will depend on the size and thickness of your cookie and also your desired texture. Baking until just set will produce a soft cookie. 
  12. Cool on the sheet pan for 10 minutes then place cookies on a cooling rack to cool completely. 
  13. Gently kneed scraps together, chill for 10 minutes and re-roll using the steps above.

Glaze Method: 

  1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, water and salt.
  2. Using a pastry brush coat each cookie with the glaze.
  3. Allow to dry completely. ​ ​