Honey Bun Cookies
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Are you a fan of a classic Honey Bun? If so, you will do backflips over these honey bun cookies. They are soft and chewy cookies swirled with warm cinnamon flavor and the classic sweet powdered sugar and honey-based icing.
All the flavors of a honey bun but in a cookie form. These are inspired by the Crumbl Cookies you can buy. Now, you can make them at home for a fraction of the price. If you’re looking for a homemade honey bun cake, I have a recipe for that too!
You might want to head over and check out my cinnamon roll cookies and snickerdoodle cookies, too! Both are crowd-worthy.
Reasons To Make Honey Bun Cookies
- Simple Ingredients – These cookies are made with essential pantry and fridge ingredients you might already have.
- Made From Scratch – Cookies always taste better when made from scratch, in my opinion. These cookies melt in your mouth and are delicious.
- Crumbl Cookie Inspired – I love supporting bakeries and stores. But sometimes you get that midnight craving, and now you can make your favorite cookie any time of the day.
Ingredients Needed
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for the cookies. It offers a beautiful texture to the cookies.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Both are leavening agents which will help with the cookie’s light texture. Plus, it is a must for the cookies to rise as they bake.
- Cinnamon: Honey buns are known for the warm cinnamon flavor swirled throughout. This ingredient offers the same warm spice flavor.
- Salt: Salt is lovely to use when baking as it brings out all the flavors in the recipe.
- Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter. It will create the ultimate light and fluffy cookie and add richness to the cookie dough.
- Sugars: Light brown sugar and granulated sugar are used to sweeten the cookies but add a nice molasses flavor to the brown sugar.
- Honey: Honey is the secret ingredient in the cookie and the icing. It gives the cookies that distinct honey bun flavor.
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Variations to Recipe
- Have fun with the glaze, add maple extract instead of vanilla.
- I made the recipe with both unsalted and salted butter. It can be done with either, and both tasted great.
- Mix in some chopped nuts. I like to use pecans, walnuts, or even almonds for flavor.
- Add in some ginger, ground cloves, or even extra cinnamon for a spiced cookie flavor.
- Mix in some chocolate chips, caramel bits, or even peanut butter chips for a twist in flavor.
- Zest up some oranges or even lemons and mix in the dough. Then, add two tablespoons of lemon or orange juice to the cookies. Add the zest and juice to the icing and omit the heavy cream.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
How to Make Honey Bun Cookies
Step 1: Start with a medium bowl and add all your dry ingredients into it. Whisk to combine the ingredients, and then set the bowl to the side.
Step 2: Next, in a stand mixer or mixing bowl you will add your butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Use the paddle attachment and whisk the mixture for 3-4 minutes. You want the butter mixture to be light and fluffy. If you use a hand mixer, do medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes as well.
Step 3: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and honey.
Step 4: Then you will work in your dry ingredients. Mix well and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 5: Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, you’ll scoop and place on a lined parchment paper tray. Place in the fridge.
Step 6: Once chilled, flatten dough balls, and use chopsticks or a skewer to trace a swirl mark in each cookie. Then pop the cookies in the freezer for 15 minutes to help them hold swirl their shape.
Step 7: Next, you will bake the cookies as directed. While cookies are baking you can whip up the icing.
Step 8: Once the cookies cool a bit then drizzle the top of the cookies with the icing.
Tips For Success
- It is essential to refrigerate and freeze the cookie dough as directed.
- Make sure not to flatten the cookie dough if it is too warm.
- If you are short on freezer space, I cut parchment strips so I can fit three cookies on them. I then place the strips in the freezer and slide them right onto the cookie sheet when I am ready to cook them.
- Leave space between the cookies on the tray, as they will spread a bit as they bake up.
- Chopsticks work great for swirling on the cookies. But you can use a spoon or even a toothpick. The toothpick will need a few passes as it is too thin.
- Make sure not to overbake the cookies. These are meant to be softer cookies.
Storing Cookies
Room Temperature: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze any of the cookies you don’t plan to eat right away. Simply place in a single layer in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for 2-3 months. Then thaw at room temperature when you are ready to eat.
Expert Tip: Place parchment paper or wax paper between the cookies if you plan to stack them. This will prevent the cookies from sticking together.
Recipe FAQs
The cornstarch is going to make the cookies chewy like a honey bun. So if you want the proper texture, then yes. If you make the cookies without cornstarch they will be a crispier cookie.
These honey bun cookies are going to have a chewy texture that is similar to a pastry. Where a traditional cookie is softer.
Yes. Feel free to make the cookies up to 2 days in advance. Just store them in an airtight container once they are cooled.
Go right ahead and reach for a gluten-free flour blend in replace of the all purpose flour. Just mix well and know the texture will vary a bit as the flour texture is different.
More Cookie Recipes
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Honey Bun Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon if you want a more pronounced cinnamon flavor do 2 teaspoons or a Holiday flavor add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey
Icing
- ¼ cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Cookies
- In a medium mixing bowl, add in 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk until combined and set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, add the the 1 cup butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar that’s packed. Using a paddle attachment on the stand mixer, mix for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is nice and fluffy. Mix on medium/high speed for 4 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Add in the 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments. Mix until each addition is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in any remaining bits of ingredients.
- Using a large 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls.
- If you have a warm kitchen, scoop the dough into balls and place it on a plate lined with parchment paper. Place the dough into the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Take each dough ball and flatten it into a ¼-inch thick disk. You can use the back of a 1-cup measuring cup or palm.
- Use a chopstick or dull end of a skewer to trace the spiral. You can use the back of a spoon or butter knife as well. But they will take some of the dough out so make sure to clean the edges.
- Place the flattened cookies on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the cookies are in the freezer.
- Place the chilled cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges start to set and turn a light golden brown. Don’t overbake.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes before placing them on the cooling rack.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the icing.
Icing
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ¼ cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Whisk until combined.
- Using a pastry brush or a knife, coat each cookie with the icing.
- Let the icing set.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
