Medovyy Pryanik Medallion Shaped Gingerbread

Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the honey, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well until smooth and well combined.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour until it reaches a workable consistency.

5. Divide the dough into two equal portions, wrap them in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling the dough will make it easier to handle and roll out.

6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

7. Remove one portion of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.

8. Use round cookie cutters to cut out individual rounds from the dough. For the medallion shape, use a smaller circular cutter to remove the center of each round, creating a ring shape. Carefully transfer the shaped dough onto the prepared baking sheet.

9. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on them as they can quickly overbake.

10. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

11. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the remaining portion of dough until all the gingerbread medallions are baked.

12. Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a touch of water. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies and allow it to set before serving or packaging.