Today we’re sharing the recipe for making traditional Croatian biscuits, known as medenjaci. They’re a sweet and soft honey cookie that pair perfectly along side a cup of tea or coffee.

Croatian Medenjaci biscuits stacked on a plate.

Classic Croatian Medenjaci or Honey Cookies

These sweet honey cookies hold their rounded shape and at first glance, one would expect them to be a hard biscuit but in fact have a soft and chewy texture.

After dipping the cookies into a smooth white glaze (made from a mix of egg whites, powdered sugar and lemon) the cookies are placed back in the oven on a low heat to dry the glaze fully. Once removed, the cookies are cooled completely and soften as they sit.

These cookies were always considered an inexpensive, budget-friendly cookie recipe because they require no butter or oil to bake. Traditionally these cookies would have been strung together in the shape of a rosary: our mother recalls buying them from local vendors every Sunday after church and enjoying them during her walk home.

If you’re making extra or you have more than you need, these medenjaci Croatian biscuits freeze really well. Simply place them inside an air-tight freezer safe container to store for later. And since they freeze well, they can be made ahead of time before your gatherings or parties.

Croatian Biscuits: Medenjaci Recipe

Jane and Sonja

Also known as medenjaci, you'll love the recipe for these traditional Croatian honey biscuits. They're a dry cookie: firm on the outside and chewy on the inside.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 1 15

Cook Time 45

Course Dessert

Cuisine Croatian

Servings cookies

Calories 87 kcal

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp honey
5 cups flour + 3tbsps for kneading
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
1 medium sized orange, juice from lemon also works

Glaze

1 egg white
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
1/2 lemon, juice from

Instructions

Mix eggs and sugar using a Kitchen Aid or electric mixer.
Add honey.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon).
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and continue mixing.
When well combined, remove dough from bowl and knead dough by hand for 2 minutes. Divide dough into two and wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
Remove dough from the fridge and break into walnut sized balls, rolling each one in your hands until round and smooth.
Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
Bake at 350F for 14-15 minutes.
Remove cookies from the oven and leave to cool down just enough that you can handle it.

Glaze

Whisk by hand the egg whites and sugar until sugar dissolves.
Slowly add lemon juice and continue mixing.
Dip cookies into the glaze and place back on the baking sheet to bake for another 25-30 minutes at 200F in order to dry the glaze.
Remove from the oven and let the biscuits cool completely.

Notes

Note: If the glaze is too runny, add a few more tbsps of icing sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

Keyword biscuits, cookies, dessert

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