Description
Deliciously spiced German Lebkuchen cookies, tender and fragrant with warm winter spices, glazed with a sweet lemon vanilla icing, perfect for festive celebrations or gifting.
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 honey and dark brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add butter and zest: Cube the unsalted butter and stir it into the honey-sugar mixture along with orange zest, continuing until butter melts and combines smoothly.
- Mix in leavening and spices: Stir in baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, allspice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, white pepper if using, lemon zest, and the beaten egg until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and ground almonds to the wet mixture. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If the dough feels dry, add lemon juice gradually to achieve the right consistency.
- Rest the dough: Lightly oil a spatula or your hands with vegetable oil to gather the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour or overnight to develop flavor and texture.
- Preheat oven and prepare glaze: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (if using) until a thin, runny glaze forms.
- Roll and cut the dough: Divide the dough into three portions. Roll each portion on a silicone baking mat to a thickness of about 2 cm (just under an inch). Use cookie cutters (round, star, or heart shapes) to cut out the cookies. Space them evenly on the mat.
- Bake the cookies: Place the cut cookies in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Repeat with the remaining dough, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed.
- Glaze the cookies: While cookies are still warm, transfer them to a wire rack and brush them generously with the prepared glaze. Allow the glaze to dry and add a second layer if desired.
- Decorate: Sprinkle sanding sugar, sprinkles, or flaked almonds over the glazed cookies before the glaze sets for added texture and festive appeal.
- Store the cookies: Once fully cooled and glazed, store the Lebkuchen in a cake tin separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking. Place a few strips of orange peel inside the tin to enhance aroma. Lebkuchen cookies improve in flavor as they age, making them ideal for gifting.
Notes
- Chocolate glaze option: To cover Lebkuchen in chocolate, melt ½ cup (90 g) dark chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, ensuring the bowl’s base does not touch the water. After almost melted, remove from heat and add another ½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips, stirring gently until fully melted and smooth.
- Dip the cookies individually into the melted chocolate and place them on a wire rack to cool and harden before storing.
- Resting the dough overnight enhances the flavor and tenderness of the Lebkuchen.
- Use silicone baking mats for easy rolling and to prevent sticking.
- Adjust lemon juice in glaze to achieve desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximately 25 g)
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
