Directions

1. 1. Sift the flour, powdered sugar and salt into a large bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water to form a stiff dough.
2. 2. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. 3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. 4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Use a 2 1/2 inch cutter to cut out the cookies. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. Place the cookies about one inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
5. 5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just golden brown. Transfer from the oven to wire racks and let cool completely.
6. 6. Place the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest and water in a medium saucepan. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 238 degrees F (soft ball stage).
7. 7. Stir in the vinegar, discard the cloves, cinnamon stick, and orange zest; remove from the heat and let cool completely.
8. 8. Stick the cookies together in pairs with the spiced honey.