Sweet Simplicity: A Colonial-Era Tea Biscuit.

There’s something sacred about simplicity. The kind that hums quietly in the kitchen while butter softens and the afternoon light spills across the counter. Recipes like this one remind me that not everything good has to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is a few humble ingredients and a few still moments.

In the colonial era, when sugar was rare and costly, homemakers turned to what was available and abundant: honey. It sweetened their breads, softened their soaps, and even soothed their skin. A jar of golden honey was both food and medicine, a reflection of God’s provision from the hive.

Today, I keep that same spirit in my kitchen; a reminder that what’s simple can still be rich, and what’s old can be made new again.

🐝 Fun Fact: The Honeyed Past

In 18th-century kitchens, honey was more than a sweetener! It was a healer. Mixed with herbs, it dressed wounds; stirred into soap, it softened skin. There’s something poetic about that dual purpose: sweetness and healing, nourishment and cleansing… all from one simple gift. Honey is one of the only sweeteners that we can use in it’s 100% natural form. Maple syrup, for example, is delicious but can only come about after a dozen hours of boiling liquid tree sap to thicken it into syrup. But honey, we can eat and use honey exactly how it comes!

(If you make your own soap, try adding a teaspoon of honey to your next batch for a creamy, gentle lather.)

Whenever I bake these little golden wedges, I’m reminded that provision doesn’t always have to look grand. It often arrives in jars of honey and handfuls of flour. The ordinary sings.
Simple enough for an afternoon with little hands, sweet enough to make the home smell like grace.

You can leave them in their classic plain golden wedge, or you can form a simple design on the dough with a fork and add some nuts or fruit for a special occasion. ✨

(Add your designs/nuts/fruit immediately before placing pan in the oven)

Colonial Honey Shortbread

1700s English and Colonial kitchens often used honey when sugar was expensive or scarce

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings: 6

Course: Appetizer, Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups flour I will use freshly milled but AP will do!
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla or lemon zest optional

Method

Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a small baking pan or pie plate with parchment.
Cream the butter and honey together until light and smooth.
Add flour and salt, stirring gently until a soft dough forms.
Press the dough evenly into your pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Score into wedges with a knife (for that classic shortbread look).
Bake 25–30 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
Let it cool before breaking along the scored lines.