Description
Classic German Lebkuchen cookies, spiced and sweetened with honey and brown sugar, baked to perfection and finished with a delicate lemon glaze. These soft and flavorful cookies are perfect for festive occasions and make a wonderful 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 honey and sugar mixture: Measure the honey and dark brown sugar into a mixing bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring vigorously after each until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add butter and zest: Add the cubed unsalted butter, orange zest, and lemon zest to the warm honey mixture. Stir until the butter melts and is fully incorporated.
- Mix in leavening agents and spices: Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground ginger, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, white pepper (if using), and the beaten egg until well combined.
- Add flour and almonds: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and ground almonds (almond flour). Mix together until you form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Add the tablespoon of lemon juice only if the dough feels too dry to come together.
- Rest the dough: Lightly oil a spatula or your hands and gather the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for at least one hour, or even overnight to develop flavor.
- Preheat oven and prepare glaze: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, mix together powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (if using) until you have a thin, runny glaze.
- Roll and cut cookies: Divide the dough into three portions. Roll each portion out on a silicone baking mat to about 2 cm thickness. Use cookie cutters (round, star, or heart shapes) to cut the cookies. Space them out on the silicone mat.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes until set but still soft. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering scraps and re-rolling the dough.
- Glaze the cookies: While the cookies are still slightly warm, transfer them carefully to a wire rack and brush them with the prepared glaze. Let the glaze dry and apply a second layer if desired. Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or flaked almonds as preferred.
- Store for best flavor: Store the cooled cookies in a cake tin separated by parchment paper with some orange peel strips inside. Lebkuchen improve in flavor over time, making them ideal for gifting during the festive season.
Notes
- Chocolate glaze option: To coat the Lebkuchen with chocolate, melt ½ cup (90 g) dark chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, ensuring the bowl’s base doesn’t touch the water. When almost melted, remove from heat and stir in another ½ cup (90 g) of chocolate chips until fully melted. Dip the cookies into the chocolate and allow to dry on a wire rack before storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 25 g)
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
