Description
Lebkuchen cookies are traditional German spiced honey cookies, perfect for the festive season. These soft and flavorful cookies combine honey, warm spices, and ground almonds, then are finished with a tangy lemon glaze and optional decorations like sprinkles or flaked almonds. They are easy to bake and can be stored for several days, becoming more delicious over time, making them an ideal holiday treat or gift.
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 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 (adjust as needed)
- 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 sugar in a mixing bowl and heat in the microwave for 30-second bursts. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
- Add butter and zest: Add the cubed butter and orange zest to the warm honey-sugar mixture and stir until the butter melts completely.
- Add baking ingredients and spices: Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground ginger, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, white pepper (optional), lemon zest, and the beaten egg until well combined.
- Add flour and almonds: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and ground almonds to the bowl. Mix until you achieve a soft and slightly sticky dough. If the dough feels too dry, add the lemon juice to adjust the texture.
- Rest the dough: Lightly oil a spatula or your hands with vegetable oil and gather the dough into a ball. Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for at least one hour or overnight at room temperature.
- Preheat oven and prepare glaze: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (if using) in a bowl to create a thin, runny glaze.
- Roll and cut cookies: Divide the dough into thirds. Roll one portion of the dough on a silicone baking mat to a thickness of 2 cm (just under an inch). Use round, star, or heart cookie cutters to cut shapes. Place the cut cookies spaced apart on the silicone mat.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the remaining dough, gathering scraps and rolling out again as needed.
- Glaze the cookies: Transfer the baked cookies carefully to a wire rack while still warm and brush them with the prepared glaze. Allow the glaze to dry. Apply a second glaze layer if desired. Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or flaked almonds as preferred.
- Store the cookies: Place the cooled cookies in a cake tin separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking. Add strips of orange peel inside the tin. Lebkuchen cookies improve in flavor the longer they are stored, making them an excellent festive gift.
Notes
- Chocolate glaze option: To cover the Lebkuchen in chocolate, melt ½ cup (90 g) dark chocolate chips over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler method) without letting the bowl touch the water. Remove from heat when chips are almost melted, add another ½ cup (90 g) dark chocolate chips, and stir gently until fully melted. Dip cookies into the chocolate and allow to dry on a wire rack before storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 25 g)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
