Description
Traditional German Lebkuchen cookies feature a soft, spiced dough made with honey, nuts, and a blend of warm spices. These festive treats are baked to perfection and glazed with a sweet lemon-vanilla icing, optionally decorated with almonds or sanding sugar. Perfect for holiday gifting and celebrations, they develop richer flavor when stored for several days.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Lebkuchen
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) dark soft brown sugar (Muscovado sugar)
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp white pepper (optional)
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 cup (100 g) ground almonds (almond flour)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (use only if dough is a bit dry)
- 1 tsp vegetable oil (for the bowl)
For the glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rum (optional)
To decorate (optional)
- sprinkles or sanding sugar
- flaked almonds
To store
- Orange peel strips
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Measure the honey and dark brown sugar in a mixing bowl and heat in 30-second bursts in the microwave. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the cubed butter and orange zest, stirring until the butter has melted into the mixture.
- Add leavening, spices, and egg: Stir in baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, ground cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, white pepper (if using), lemon zest, and the beaten egg until well combined.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and ground almonds to the wet mixture. Mix until you get a soft, slightly sticky dough. If the dough feels too dry, incorporate up to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to adjust consistency.
- Rest the dough: Lightly oil a spatula or your hands and gather the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight to develop flavors.
- Preheat the oven and prepare glaze: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (optional). Stir until you have a thin, runny glaze.
- Shape the cookies: Divide the rested dough into thirds. Roll each portion out on a silicone baking mat to about 2 cm thickness. Use cookie cutters—round, star, or heart shapes—to cut out the cookies. Place the shaped cookies spaced apart on the mat.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until lightly firm. Repeat the process with the remaining dough scraps to make additional batches.
- Glaze and decorate: Transfer the warm cookies onto a wire rack. While still slightly warm, brush the tops with the prepared glaze. Let the glaze dry completely and apply a second coat if desired. Decorate with sanding sugar, sprinkles, or flaked almonds for a festive touch.
- Storage: Place cooled cookies into a cake tin separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking. Add a few strips of orange peel inside the tin. Store at room temperature; flavors improve over time, making these perfect as a make-ahead festive gift.
Notes
- Chocolate glaze option: To coat the lebkuchen in chocolate, melt ½ cup (90 g) of dark chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over a simmering water bath, making sure the bowl base does not touch the water. Once the chips are nearly melted, remove from heat and stir in an additional ½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips until fully melted.
- Dip the cooled cookies into the melted chocolate and set them on a wire rack to harden before storing.
- Resting the dough overnight enhances the flavor and texture of the cookies.
- If the dough is too sticky for cutting, refrigerate briefly to firm it up before rolling out.
- Adjust lemon juice in the glaze to achieve desired consistency and tartness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 20 g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
