These mini cookies come out crisp and firm, with a warm caramel note from the panela. The lemon lifts the flavor without overpowering it. The toasted flour adds depth without altering the structure. The result is a small aromatic cookie with a clean bite and a festive feel

Ingredients

You can easily double all the ingredients if you want a larger batch. The dough scales perfectly, so feel free to make twice as much if you need more cookies.

Dry ingredients

160 g all purpose flour

25 g finely ground almond flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 g salt

Wet ingredients

105 g butter

10 g mild olive oil

35 g honey

45 g panela

Zest of one lemon

If you don’t have panela you can use

45 g white sugar

45 g brown sugar

45 g turbinado or demerara sugar

Each sugar gives a slightly different result.

White sugar makes a cleaner flavor, brown sugar adds a bit more moisture and warmth, and turbinado makes the edges a little crispier.

It’s not recommended to use only honey because it adds too much moisture and the cookies lose their crisp texture.

Tools you’ll need

Rolling pin

Two sheets of parchment paper

Small cookie cutters or stamp style cutters

A baking sheet

Fine mesh sieve

Heatproof bowl for a double boiler

Prepare the lemon zest

Zest one lemon before you begin.

All that zest will go into the butter later to boost its citrus aroma.

Lemon works especially well with panela because it brightens the caramel notes and adds a fresh finish.

Melt the butter using a double boiler

Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of hot water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl.

Add the butter and let it melt slowly, without boiling.

Slow melting keeps the flavor clean and prevents any burnt or strong buttery notes.

Toast part of the flour

Place 55 g of the flour in a skillet over low heat. Stir constantly until it turns a light beige color and smells slightly nutty.

Remove from the heat, let it cool completely, and sift to remove any clumps.

Toasting part of the flour intensifies the flavor and adds a warm, subtle nuttiness.

Add the zest to the melted butter

Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.

The fat in the butter helps release the essential oils from the zest, giving a deeper and rounder aroma.

If you prefer a smoother texture, you can strain the butter.

In this recipe the zest was left in for a stronger lemon note.

Let the butter sit until it thickens and becomes creamy.

If it’s still too liquid after fifteen minutes, chill it for five minutes and stir.

Add honey and panela

Mix the honey into the creamy butter.

Add the panela and stir just until combined. Avoid whipping air into the mixture.

Panela gives a warm sweetness and that lightly caramelized finish that sets these cookies apart from regular butter cookies.

Add the dry ingredients

Add the dry mixture in two or three additions, gently folding with a spatula.
Do not knead. The dough should come together and feel compact.

Add the 10 g of olive oil now.
It helps the cookies stay crisp for longer and adds a little extra stability to the texture.

Roll out the dough

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.

Roll it out to about five or six millimeters thick.

Transfer the sheet to a tray so it chills evenly.

Chill the dough

Chill the dough for eight to twelve hours for the best results.

This long rest allows the butter to solidify evenly and the flour to hydrate properly.

It gives a cleaner cut, helps the cookies keep their perfect shape in the oven, and deepens the flavor as everything settles.

If you want to bake the same day, you can chill the dough for one to two hours and it will work.

But the longer rest gives a more rounded flavor and a more stable texture.

Note: You can freeze the dough after mixing, it keeps perfectly. You can also freeze the cookies already cut. Just bake them straight from the freezer and add one or two extra minutes.

Cut the cookies

Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit for three to five minutes so it’s not rock hard.

Cut your cookies. If you’re using stamp style cutters, press straight down and lift without twisting.

Transfer the cookies to a tray. Chill for another twenty to thirty minutes so they hold their shape in the oven.

If the dough softens or sticks, put it back in the fridge. Cold dough always gives cleaner edges.

Extra tips for cutting

Work in small batches

Peel off the excess dough before moving the cookies

Keep the cutters cold so the dough releases easily

Using the leftover dough

Gather all the leftover dough and place it between the same parchment sheets. Roll again to the same thickness.

Chill for a few minutes until firm, then cut more cookies.

For a fun twist you can sprinkle a little sesame on this second batch for a lightly toasted flavor.

Looking for more holiday baking inspiration?

Take a look at Honey & Orange Sourdough Bundt Cake and discover how a simple blend of citrus, honey and warm spices can fill your kitchen with the aroma of a cozy winter morning.

Craving more festive sourdough ideas?

Read Maple Pecan Loaf with a Touch of Coffee and learn how to create a soft, rich swirl bread that feels perfect for chilly days, breakfast spreads and holiday gatherings.

Extra Tips for Keeping Them Crisp Longer

Keep them away from warm spots in the kitchen.

Don’t store them with softer or chewy cookies because they will absorb moisture.

In very humid climates place a small square of parchment inside the box.

Wrap small groups in beeswax wraps and then place them in a ventilated box.

Keep them in a cool cabinet away from heat and steam.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 165 degrees, top and bottom heat with no fan.

Bake for twelve to fourteen minutes.

Take them out as soon as the edges color lightly because they will continue to darken a bit while they rest outside the oven.

Let them cool on the tray for two minutes before moving them.

Note: Because they contain panela, these cookies brown faster than usual.

How to Store Them

Let the cookies cool completely before storing.

If they’re still warm they release steam and the texture softens.

Best ways to store them

1. A box with a bit of airflow

This prevents trapped moisture and helps cookies made with panela stay crisp.

2. Cotton and beeswax wraps

These let the cookies breathe without drying out. They’re also a lovely and sustainable way to package small batches as gifts.

If you want to learn more about how beeswax wraps work, why they’re so useful, and why this small switch is exactly what your kitchen and the planet are asking for, click here.

Summary of Tips & Extra Advice

Before making the dough

If you want a bigger batch, you can easily double every ingredient.

While preparing the dough

Melt the butter slowly over a double boiler to avoid bitter notes.

Add the lemon zest off the heat for a cleaner, fresher aroma.

If you prefer a smoother texture, you can strain the butter. If you want a stronger citrus note, leave the zest in.

Toasting part of the flour adds depth and warmth without changing the structure.

Whisk all dry ingredients together first for an even distribution.

Mix just until the dough comes together, don’t overmix.

A little olive oil helps the cookies stay crisp and stable for longer without altering the flavor.

While shaping the dough

Always roll the dough between two sheets of parchment. It prevents sticking and cracking.

Work in small batches. The dough warms up quickly.

Keep cookie cutters cold. Chilled cutters release the dough more easily and give cleaner lines.

Let the chilled sheet rest three to five minutes before cutting so it isn’t too stiff.

If the dough softens, refrigerate it again. Never fight warm dough.

Remove the excess dough before lifting the cookies. This keeps the shapes perfect.

For the leftover dough

Gather the scraps, place them between the same two sheets of parchment, and roll again.

Chill the sheet for a few minutes before cutting to keep the shapes sharp.

For a slightly different second batch, sprinkle a little sesame on top before cutting.

Before baking

Chill the cut cookies in the fridge for twenty or thirty minutes to help them keep their design.

Make sure the oven is fully preheated.

Panela browns faster than regular sugar. Keep an eye on the edges during baking.

After baking

Let the cookies cool on the tray for two minutes before moving them. They’re fragile when hot.

Don’t stack warm cookies or they will soften.

If you want to freeze them

You can freeze the dough after mixing, either as a block or rolled out between parchment.

You can also freeze the cookies already cut. Bake them straight from the freezer and add one or two extra minutes.

Extra Tips that are always useful

For a slightly sandier texture, replace 10 g of flour with 10 g of almond flour.

For a more “holiday-forward” aroma, add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.

For the cleanest stamped designs, apply firm, straight pressure with your cutters.

These mini cookies make wonderful gifts and work beautifully in holiday cookie boxes.
You can use different cutters and stamps to give each batch its own personality.
The combination of subtle lemon and caramelized panela makes them stand out from classic butter cookies while staying just as easy to make.

Have You Tried Our Beeswax Bags & Wraps?

A natural way to keep your food and bread fresh while reducing plastic in your kitchen.
Each set includes 2 reusable bread bags and 2 wraps, made from 100% cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil, and pine resin.

Simple, sustainable, and long-lasting.

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