Little Honey Trees

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Decorations
White from one large egg, beaten with a fork; red hot cinnamon candies, multicolored nonpareils and green decorating sugar

Method 

Bring honey, sugar and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature (takes about 1 1/2 hours). In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir in cooled honey mixture and knead until smooth. Divide dough in half. Wrap one half; leave at room temperature. Heat oven to 350°F. Have cookie sheets ready and a 3 inch tree shaped cookie cutter. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut out cookies, dipping cookie cutter in flour between each cut. Place one inch apart on cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps. Brush trees with beaten egg white and place a cinnamon candy on top of each tree. Make garlands by dropping nonpareils from tip of a teaspoon, then sprinkle green sugar between garlands. Bake 6 - 8 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to keep cool.

Yield: 60
Store airtight at cool room temperature up 1 week or freeze up to 2 months

.Recipe of the Week