Honey Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies

There came a time when I would make these cookies quite regularly over the holidays for my mum. She absolutely loved them and would request I make them for her often. I can understand why, they are a delightfully light semi-soft cookie with a sweet rich  taste. Throughout the years I have made different variations and this year I added them to my holiday baking, except with the addition of cranberries and hazelnuts. You can omit the cranberries and hazelnuts, if you wish, and add another nut or fruit which you may like or leave them out all together and opt for a more delicate straightforward biscuit. Either way, to me, these bring back fond memories and are extremely reminiscent of time and years gone by. 

Honey Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies

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1 cup butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

cinnamon sugar, to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl mix throughly together the butter, brown sugar and eggs. Stir in the honey and vanilla. 

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, British mixed spice, chopped cranberries and chopped hazelnuts. Add the flour mixture to the butter and honey mixture and blend together until you have a nice semi firm dough. Roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using floured tines of a fork, gently press each dough ball. Sprinkle with Autumn sugar or cinnamon sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed up and set along the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool. Repeat until all the dough has been used up.