Get ready to rediscover a beloved classic with a delightful twist! These Honey Bun Cookies are a fun, simplified, and incredibly delicious take on the iconic Little Debbie Honey Bun pastries we all remember. Imagine a soft, sweet cookie infused with warm honey and cinnamon, crowned with that signature swirled top, generously drizzled with a rich cinnamon honey butter icing. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of sweet, slightly spiced flavors that perfectly complement the luxurious, honey-infused topping. Forget the store-bought versions – this homemade recipe brings all the nostalgia and flavor right into your kitchen with ease.

This recipe is proudly sponsored by my favorite honey company, Local Hive™! They are dedicated to bottling local batches of only the finest raw and unfiltered honey from across the US. Beyond their incredible products, they also contribute a portion of their proceeds to PACE (Pollinator Awareness Through Conservation and Education), actively supporting the protection of our vital bee populations. Using their high-quality honey truly elevates the flavor of these cookies, making them extra special.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Honey Bun Cookie Recipe

There are countless reasons why these Honey Bun Cookies are destined to become a new favorite in your baking repertoire. Beyond their irresistible taste, they offer convenience and a touch of homemade magic:

• Effortless & Quick: This is an incredibly easy honey cookie recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes, from mixing bowl to cooling rack. Perfect for those sudden cravings or last-minute dessert needs, proving that exceptional flavor doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen.
• Superior Flavor & Texture: Many claim these taste even better than a Honey Bun Crumbl cookie! The soft, chewy texture of our cookies, combined with the authentic honey-cinnamon flavor, truly surpasses expectations. They offer a delightful chewiness that contrasts beautifully with the smooth glaze.
• Charming Glazed Swirl Top: The iconic swirled top is not just aesthetically pleasing; it’s also surprisingly simple to achieve at home, far easier than replicating the intricate layers of store-bought pastries. This elegant finish makes them perfect for parties or as a special treat.
• Pantry Staple Friendly: You’ll only need fewer than 10 common pantry staples to whip up these delicious cookies made with honey. This means you likely already have most of the ingredients on hand, making impromptu baking sessions a breeze.
• Enhanced by Local Hive™ Honey: Made with the exquisite raw and unfiltered Local Hive™ Honey, these cookies benefit from a depth of flavor that mass-produced honey simply can’t match. Just like my popular Honey Pear Muffins and Honey Banana Bread, this recipe truly shines with high-quality honey.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re looking for a delightful breakfast treat, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a crowd-pleasing dessert for gatherings, these honey cinnamon cookies fit the bill perfectly. Their unique flavor profile and comforting appeal make them suitable for any time of day.
• Great for Gifting: Baked goods always make wonderful gifts. Package a few of these beautifully glazed honey cookies in a decorative box, and you’ll have a thoughtful, delicious present for friends, family, or neighbors.

Essential Ingredients for Your Honey Bun Cookies

Crafting the perfect Honey Bun Cookie begins with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial for achieving that irresistible flavor and texture:

• Unsalted Butter: This is a foundational ingredient, providing richness and tenderness to both the cookie dough and the luxurious honey drizzle on top. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the recipe, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor profile. Ensure it’s at room temperature for the cookies, as this helps achieve a light and fluffy texture when creamed with sugar.
• Honey: The star of the show! Honey is the primary flavor in these delightful glazed honey cookies. It’s incorporated into both the cookie dough, contributing to its chewiness and distinctive taste, and the irresistible glaze. For the best, most authentic honey flavor, I highly recommend Local Hive™‘s Northwest blend. Its robust and classic honey notes truly elevate these cookies to another level. Raw and unfiltered honey, like Local Hive’s, retains more of its natural enzymes and nuanced flavors compared to highly processed alternatives.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract is essential. It doesn’t just add its own wonderful aroma; it also amplifies and rounds out the inherent sweetness from the honey, creating a more complex and satisfying flavor. Always opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation for the best results.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of your cookies. Using the correct amount is crucial for achieving the desired soft and chewy texture. For precise measurements, weighing your flour in grams is highly recommended (see expert tips for more on this).
• Baking Soda: This leavening agent is responsible for giving the cookies their perfect rise and a slightly soft, cake-like spread. It reacts with the acidic components in the dough to create air pockets, ensuring a tender crumb.
• Salt: Often overlooked, salt plays a vital role in balancing the sweetness of these cinnamon honey cookies. It enhances all the other flavors, preventing the cookies from tasting overly saccharine and adding a subtle depth.
• Ground Cinnamon: This warm spice is what truly ties these cookies to their Honey Bun inspiration. It infuses both the cookie dough and the honey butter glaze with its comforting, aromatic notes, creating that familiar and inviting taste.
• Granulated Sugar: Works alongside honey to provide sweetness and helps achieve that desirable crisp edge and soft center in the cookies.
• Large Egg: Acts as a binder, helping to hold the cookie dough together and providing moisture. An egg at room temperature incorporates more evenly into the batter.

See the comprehensive recipe card below for exact measurements and quantities for each ingredient.

Exciting Substitutions & Creative Variations

While this Honey Bun Cookie recipe is perfect as is, don’t hesitate to experiment and make it your own! Here are some ideas to spark your creativity and tailor these delicious cookies to your preferences:

• Jumbo Bakery-Sized Cookies: Craving an even more substantial treat? Easily transform these into large, bakery-style cookies. Simply use a larger cookie scoop (approximately 4 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and extend the bake time by 1-2 minutes. This creates an impressive and satisfyingly big cookie.
• Seasonal Spice Blends: For a delightful seasonal twist, consider swapping out the ground cinnamon for other warm spice blends. Chai spice, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice will infuse these cookies with wonderful autumn flavors, making them perfect for fall gatherings.
• Explore Different Honey Varietals: Local Hive™ offers an incredible range of over 23 raw and unfiltered honey blends from various regions across the U.S. Each varietal boasts a unique color and flavor profile. Feel free to experiment with a different Local Hive™ blend in this recipe to discover new subtle nuances in your honey cinnamon cookies. A clover honey might offer a milder sweetness, while a buckwheat honey could add a more robust, earthy note.
• Add Nuts or Chocolate Chips: For added texture and flavor, gently fold in a ½ cup of finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or even mini chocolate chips into the cookie dough during the last stage of mixing.
• Brown Butter Glaze: For an even richer, nuttier flavor in your glaze, try browning the butter first. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns amber brown and smells nutty. Let it cool slightly before mixing with honey and cinnamon.
• Lemon Zest Infusion: A little lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon) added to the cookie dough can brighten the flavors and add a subtle tangy counterpoint to the sweetness of the honey.

This recipe has not been extensively tested with other substitutions or variations beyond these suggestions. If you experiment by replacing or adding any ingredients, please share your results and let us know how it turned out in the comments section below! Your feedback helps the entire community of bakers.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Irresistible Honey Bun Cookies

Creating these delightful Honey Bun Cookies is a straightforward process. Follow these detailed steps to achieve perfect, soft, and glazed cookies every time:

Step 1: Prepare the Glaze. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsalted butter until just liquid. Stir in the honey and ground cinnamon until fully combined and smooth. It’s crucial to let this mixture cool down and thicken slightly while you prepare the cookie dough. This thickening will give you that perfect swirled drizzle later on.