Glazed Spice Cookies

These glazed honey spice cookies belong to the old-world lebkuchen and pfeffernüsse family, the kind of warmly spiced cookies that fill a tin during the holidays and somehow taste better three days later. Honey carries the flavor here, melted gently with butter so it stays liquid enough to bind the dough but doesn’t darken or scorch.

The spice blend does a lot of the work: cinnamon, cloves, mace, allspice, and a discreet pinch of black pepper give a deep, rounded warmth without leaning too sweet. After a half-hour chill the dough firms enough to roll into clean little balls. They bake at a moderate heat, then take a quick dunk in a thin vanilla sugar glaze that dries to a frosty white shell.

Pro Tips

• Cool the honey-butter mixture to lukewarm before adding the eggs. Too hot and you’ll scramble them right in the pot.
• Don’t skip the chill. Warm dough spreads in the oven; cold dough holds the round, domed shape these cookies are known for.
• Dip cookies in the glaze while they’re completely cool. Warm cookies melt the glaze instead of letting it set into a clean white coat.
• Store in an airtight tin with a slice of apple for a few days. The cookies pick up just enough moisture to soften and the spice flavors really come forward.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the dough for a brighter, more European flavor.
• Swap the white glaze for a thin lemon glaze (lemon juice instead of water) for a sharper finish.
• Press a blanched almond into each cookie before baking for a classic German lebkuchen look.