Cranberry Honey Biscuits

Of course, I have my tried and true recipes and a few that get recycled every second or third year however each year I always add a few different recipes to my usual holiday baking session. These honey biscuits get classified in the latter. Unfortunately, it has been more than a few years since I made them and goodness knows why. These were a favourite of my mothers and are soon becoming a favourite with the kidlets. I made them one year and my mum immediately wanted more and the recipe. Since I had plenty I was very pleased to mail off more with the recipe. I think she attempted to make them once or twice then always talked about the ones I made and how lovely they tasted and always suggested I made more. Although I did not have any cranberries I was still determined to make them. Instead of dried cranberries, I used chopped dried dates and halved the butter and added 1/2 cup of apple sauce instead. They still offered a delicious honey taste but this time with a cake like texture.  

Cranberry Honey Biscuits

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1 cup of butter

1 cup golden brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup honey

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon of British mixed spice

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Pre heat oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and British mixed spice. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the butter, golden brown sugar and eggs. Stir in the honey and vanilla. Then blend in the flour mixture. Add the chopped dried cranberries, stir to combine. 

Once everything is combine chill the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight if you wish. 

Roll into balls... nothing larger than a size of a walnut. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies with a floured bottom of a glass or fork, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. When done remove from oven and let cookies cool on wire racks. 

For an added touch lightly dust icing sugar over the cooled cookies and serve.   

Notes: I replaced the cranberries with dried dates and cut the fat by only using 1/2 cup of butter and adding a 1/2 cup of apple sauce. The flavour was still there however the texture was more cake like. 

Important note: I also found that because the butter was reduced while baking them I had to line the baking sheet with parchment paper so that the cookies could be removed from the baking sheet more easily. 

- JD