Baking

Salted burnt honey cookies

Name: Rhiann Mead's salted burnt honey cookies recipe
Yield: 28
Ingredients: 150g honey; 480g unsalted butter, softened; 80ml oil; 350g brown sugar; 50g caster sugar; 3 tsp vanilla paste; 2 large eggs; 560g Essentials Plain Flour; 1 1/2 tsp bicarb soda; 2 tsp baking powder; 20.00 ml salt flakes, plus extra, to sprinkle (optional)

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by Rhiann Mead

CHEF

Oct 22, 2025

“I love this recipe because it’s a box-ticker. It’s easy and can be made in batches and stored in the freezer. The texture of the cookie is soft on the inside (almost like a cake) but crunchy on the outside. ‘Burning’ the honey takes away a bit of sweetness and adds another layer of flavour, and the salt really brings out the floral notes in the honey. This cookie is incredible just out of the oven, but just as good a few days later! My tips are to not overwork the dough – creaming the mix too much will cause it to spread when baking. I like to bake any cookies in an egg ring or similar. This helps bake the cookie in a nice shape, and once it’s out of the oven, you can circle the ring around the cookie to create perfectly round edges.” – Rhiann Mead.

You’ll need to start this recipe a day ahead.

150g honey
480g unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (80ml) neutral oil, such as grapeseed or vegetable oil
350g brown sugar
50g caster sugar
3 tsp vanilla paste
2 large eggs
560g Woolworths Essentials Plain Flour
1 1/2 tsp bicarb soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbs salt flakes, plus extra, to sprinkle (optional)

Method

1.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey to the boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 1 minute, then set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
2.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the softened butter, oil, brown sugar, caster sugar and vanilla paste until smooth. Add the slightly cooled burnt honey and eggs, mixing until well combined. Sift over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
3.

Chill the dough for 2 hours to firm up. Divide the dough into 60g (heaped 1/4-cup) portions, making 28 portions. Chill for 1 hour to firm up. Roll portions into balls and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill dough, covered in plastic wrap, overnight.
4.

The next day, preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Place 4 chilled balls of dough in 11-12cm egg rings (or see recipe notes) on each prepared tray, 12cm apart (the cookies spread a lot). Bake for 14 minutes, or until golden and slightly crisp around edges. Cool slightly on tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining balls. Finish with a sprinkle of extra salt flakes, if desired.

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Recipe Notes

You can freeze the rolled dough and cook straight from frozen. Cookies will take 1-2 minutes longer in the oven. If not baking in egg rings, use an 11cm round cookie cutter to shape the cookies into circles as soon as they come out of the oven.