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Lebkuchen Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 118 reviews

These traditional German Lebkuchen cookies are soft, flavorful spiced honey cookies perfect for the holiday season. Made with warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, combined with a sweet honey and brown sugar base, these cookies have a tender, slightly sticky dough that is baked to golden perfection. Finished with a tangy lemon-glaze and optional decorative toppings, Lebkuchen are delicious on their own or as a festive gift that improves with time.

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
  • 1 ¾ 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)
  • Juice of 1 lemon (or 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

  1. Prepare the dough: Measure the honey and brown sugar into a mixing bowl and heat in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the cubed butter along with the orange zest and stir until the butter melts into the syrupy mixture. Then, add the lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, optional white pepper, and the beaten egg. Stir everything until well combined. Next, add the all-purpose flour and ground almonds to the wet mixture and mix until you form a soft and slightly sticky dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to loosen it. Mist your spatula or hands with vegetable oil and gather the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave the dough to rest at room temperature for at least one hour or preferably overnight to let the flavors meld.
  2. Bake the cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). While the oven heats, prepare the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and optional rum in a bowl until a thin, runny consistency is achieved. Divide the rested dough into three portions. On a silicone baking mat, roll out each portion to about 2 cm (just under an inch) thick. Use cookie cutters in your preferred shapes—round, star, heart—to cut the cookies. Space the cut cookies evenly on the silicone mat and bake them for 12 minutes until set and lightly golden. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, re-rolling the scraps as necessary.
  3. Glaze the cookies: Once baked, carefully transfer the warm cookies onto a wire rack. While they are still warm, brush the cookies generously with the prepared lemon glaze. Allow the glaze to dry completely before applying a second layer if desired. If you wish, decorate the cookies by sprinkling sanding sugar, sprinkles, or flaked almonds over the glaze before it sets.
  4. Store: To store, place the cooled Lebkuchen cookies in a cake tin separated by parchment paper layers to prevent sticking. Add some strips of fresh orange peel inside the tin. The Lebkuchen flavor develops and improves over time, making them an excellent make-ahead treat or festive gift.

Notes

  • If the dough feels too dry when mixing, add up to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to reach a soft, slightly sticky consistency.
  • You can cover the Lebkuchen with melted chocolate for a richer variation; let the chocolate set before storing.
  • Resting the dough overnight enhances the spiced flavor and improves the texture of the cookies.
  • Use a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and to make transferring cookies easy.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a suitable plant-based alternative.
  • Decorate with your choice of sprinkles, sanding sugar, or flaked almonds to add texture and festive appeal.
  • Store cookies with orange peel strips to keep them moist and add fragrance.

Keywords: Lebkuchen, German cookies, Christmas cookies, spiced honey cookies, holiday baking, traditional German dessert

Find it online: https://todayfoodrecipe.com/lebkuchen-cookies-recipe/