Paprenjaci - Traditional Croatian Honey Spice Cookies

Ingredients

All-purpose flour

2 cups

Ground almonds

1 cup

Ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon

Ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon

Ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon

Ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon

Salt

1/4 teaspoon

Unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup

Honey

1/2 cup

Egg

1

Powdered sugar

for dusting

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground almonds, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground black pepper, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter and honey until well combined. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg to the butter and honey mixture until smoothly incorporated.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This allows the flavors to meld together and makes the dough easier to roll out.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. For uniform baking, try to keep the thickness consistent.
8. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space in between each cookie for expansion.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Baking times may vary based on oven, so keep an eye on your first batch.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Once cooled, dust the paprenjaci with powdered sugar before serving. The sugar will melt into the warm cookies, creating a sweet glaze.