Honey Jumbles | Classic Australian Recipe

By Editor On Sep 10, 2024

These classic honey jumbles with their iconic pink and white icing are SO easy to make… a homemade version of everyone’s favourite Arnott’s biscuit!

Take a trip down memory lane and whip up a batch for morning or afternoon tea!

Iced honey jumbles on a white cake stand.

Honey Jumbles, soft honey spiced biscuit fingers, topped with pink and white icing, are such an iconic Aussie bake. These classic childhood favourites, alongside Kingston biscuits, date squares, yo yo biscuits, jam drops and coconut rough slice, are as popular as ever.

Perfect for lunch boxes and morning tea, honey jumbles are always popular at bake sales, fundraisers and fetes, as well as being the perfect kids party food!

Close up of honey jumbles on a white cake stand.

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe

Easy recipe – taking just 10 minutes to prepare, and with no fancy equipment required, these jumble cookies are so easy to make!
Basic ingredients – you don’t need any expensive ingredients to make these biscuits.
Freezer friendly – you can freeze both the uncooked dough and/or the baked biscuits, making them perfect for batch cooking and thawing out when you need a quick sweet treat!
Conventional or Thermomix – both methods are written in the recipe card at the end of the post.

What You Need

You just need a handful of pantry and fridge staple ingredients to make this honey jumbles recipe.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Biscuit Ingredients

The ingredients needed to make the biscuits, weighed out and placed in individual bowls.

Butter – you can use either salted butter or unsalted butter for this recipe.
Honey – use any brand of honey that you like. Home-brand honey works just as well as brand name honey in this recipe.
Brown sugar – gives the biscuits a caramel flavour as well as their deep golden colour.
Plain flour – also known as all-purpose flour.
Bicarbonate of soda – also known as bi-carb soda and baking soda. This is the raising agent for these biscuits.
Ground ginger – this sweet spice adds a delicious subtle flavour to the biscuits.
Mixed spice – this sweet, warming spice blend includes cinnamon and nutmeg.
Milk – I like to use full-cream milk, but you can use skim milk if you prefer.

Icing Ingredients

The ingredients for the icing placed on a bench.

Egg white – this is used to create a royal icing, which sets to a hard finish.
Pure icing sugar – use pure icing sugar as this sets much firmer than soft icing mixture.
Pink food colouring – only a drop required, and this is optional.

Equipment Required

You don’t need any special equipment to make these deliciously spiced iced biscuits!

Microwave-safe bowls, or a Thermomix.
2 flat baking trays – lined with baking paper.
Oven – I use a fan forced oven. If you use a conventional oven, increase the temperature by 10-20 degrees Celsius.

Close up of pink and white spiced biscuits.

Step By Step Instructions

These homemade honey jumbles take just 10 minutes to prepare, and make the house smell amazing as they bake!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 – Melt Butter, Honey And Brown Sugar

Add the butter, honey and brown sugar to a microwave-safe bowl.

Butter, honey and brown sugar in a heat proof bowl.

Melt on 50% power until the mixture is melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

The melted butter honey mixture in a glass bowl.

Step 2 – Sift The Dry Ingredients Together

Sift the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and mixed spice into a bowl.

Sifted flour, ginger, bicarb and mixed spice in a bowl.

Step 3 – Combine Both Dry And Liquid Ingredients

Pour the melted honey liquid over the dry ingredients.

Add the milk.

The honey butter liquid poured over the dry ingredients.

Step 4 – Chill

Mix together to combine, then place in the fridge and chill mixture until firm.

Step 5 – Roll And Cut The Biscuit Dough

Preheat the oven and line two flat baking trays.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured board. Divide into quarters then roll out into a log. Cut the log into equal size pieces.

The chilled dough on a lightly floured chopping board, with one quarter rolled into a long thin log.

Place the pieces onto a lined baking tray, flattening them slightly.

The pieces of cookie dough on a lined baking sheet.

Step 6 – Bake

Place in the preheated oven and cook until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

The baked cookies on a metal cooling rack.

Step 7 – Ice

Once the baked honey jumbles are cool, prepare the icing.

Place the egg white in a bowl and whisk until frothy.

Sift over the pure icing sugar and mix until combined.

Pure icing sugar added to the egg white and mixed in.

Spread the white icing over half of the biscuits.

The pink and white iced cookies on a metal cooling rack.

Optional step: Add just 1 tiny drop of pink food colouring to the remaining icing (see expert tips). Spread this pink icing over the remaining honey jumbles.

Close up of an pink iced honey jumble cookie on metal cooling rack.

Expert Tips

Chilling the dough – this is an essential step! The mixture will be too warm and sticky to roll into logs without being chilled. You will need to chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling out into logs and cutting.
Baking – honey jumbles are ready when they are a light golden colour. Note: the biscuits will still be soft when you remove them from the oven, but will firm slightly on cooling.
Rotating the trays part-way through – this ensures the biscuits are baked evenly.
Use pure icing sugar as this sets much firmer than soft icing mixture.
Only the tiniest drop of pink food colouring is required, try dipping a wooden skewer into the food colouring then swirling this through the remaining icing mixture.
Storing – store the honey biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

FAQs

Can I freeze honey jumbles?

Yes, you can freeze honey jumbles! Both the unbaked dough and the baked cookies freeze well.
If freezing the unbaked dough, simply form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.
If freezing the baked cookies, place in an airtight container with sheets of baking paper between each layer and freeze for up to 3 months.

Are honey jumbles discontinued?

Yes, unfortunately Arnott’s no longer make honey jumbles.

What can I use instead of mixed spice?

You can use pumpkin spice, or a mixture of ground cinnamon, allspice and cloves, with cinnamon being the main spice.

A cake stand with pink and white iced honey jumbles on it, with more honey jumbles at the base.

Love baking recipes with a touch of nostalgia? Try these other popular old fashioned slices and favourite cookies:

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Pink and white icing on top of honey log biscuits.

Honey Jumbles

Honey Jumbles are an iconic Australian biscuit! Sweet and lightly spiced honey biscuits topped with pink and white icing!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: Australian recipe, western

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chilling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 30 serves

Calories: 114kcal

Author: Lucy – Bake Play Smile

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Place the chopped butter, honey and brown sugar into a microwave-safe bowl. Melt on 50% power for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or until the mixture is melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.If using a Thermomix: Place the chopped butter, honey and brown sugar into the Thermomix bowl. Melt for 4 minutes, 50 degrees, Speed 2 (or until the mixture is melted and smooth). Allow to cool slightly.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and mixed spice into a bowl. Pour over the honey liquid and add the milk. Mix to combine. If using a Thermomix: Add flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, mixed spice and milk to the Thermomix bowl. Mix for 20 seconds, REVERSE, Speed 3 or until combined (you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl partway through).
Chill mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line 2 flat baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
On a lightly floured board, knead the dough into a ball. Divide it into 4 equal portions.Roll the dough out to a 1-2cm thick log. Cut the log into 6cm pieces. Place onto the prepared trays and flatten slightly.
Cook for 10 minutes (rotating the trays part-way through) or until lightly golden brown. Cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, prepare the icing.Whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy. If using a Thermomix: Mix the egg white for 20 seconds, Speed 6. Sift over the pure icing sugar and mix with a spoon until combined.If using a Thermomix: Add the pure icing sugar and mix for 20 seconds, Speed 3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat until the mixture is smooth. Spread the white icing over half of the biscuits. Add 1 drop of pink food colouring to the remaining icing. Spread the pink icing over the remaining biscuits.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Chilling the dough – this is an essential step! The mixture will be too warm and sticky to roll into logs without being chilled. You will need to chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Baking – the biscuits are ready when they are a light golden colour. Note: the biscuits will still be soft when you remove them from the oven, but will firm slightly on cooling.
Rotating the trays part-way through – ensures the biscuits are baked evenly.
Use pure icing sugar as this sets much firmer than soft icing mixture.
Only the tiniest drop of pink food colouring is required, try dipping a wooden skewer into the food colouring then swirling this through the icing mixture to be coloured.
Storing – store the honey biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezing – if freezing the unbaked dough – simply form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing the baked cookies – place into an airtight container with sheets of baking paper between each layer and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

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