Lebkuchen German Spiced Cookies (Print)
Soft spiced Lebkuchen with glaze, almonds and citrus notes. Rich, festive and ideal for sharing or gifting.
# Ingredients:
→ Lebkuchen Dough
01 -
170 g honey
02 -
200 g dark soft brown sugar (Muscovado sugar)
03 -
60 g unsalted butter, cubed
04 -
1 large egg, beaten
05 -
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
06 -
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
07 -
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, as needed
08 -
300 g plain flour (all-purpose)
09 -
100 g ground almonds
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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0.5 teaspoon baking soda
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2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
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0.5 teaspoon ground allspice
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0.25 teaspoon ground ginger
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0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
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0.25 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
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0.125 teaspoon ground white pepper (optional)
19 -
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl
→ Glaze
20 -
120 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
21 -
Juice of 1 lemon
22 -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
23 -
1 teaspoon rum (optional)
→ Decoration (optional)
24 -
Sprinkles or sanding sugar
25 -
Flaked almonds
→ To store
26 -
Orange peel strips
# Steps:
01 -
Place honey and dark brown sugar in a mixing bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm. Vigorously stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
02 -
Stir in the cubed unsalted butter, lemon zest, and orange zest until the butter melts completely.
03 -
Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, white pepper (if using), and the beaten egg. Mix thoroughly.
04 -
Add flour and ground almonds. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms, adding lemon juice if the dough appears dry.
05 -
Mill a spatula or your hands with vegetable oil, shape the dough into a ball, and cover the bowl with a towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least one hour, or overnight for enhanced flavor.
06 -
In a bowl, mix icing sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (if using) until the glaze is thin and runny.
07 -
Preheat oven to 180°C. Divide dough into thirds and roll on a silicone baking mat to a 2 cm thickness.
08 -
Cut dough with round, star, or heart cookie cutters. Place on the silicone mat, spacing apart. Bake for 12 minutes per batch. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering and re-rolling scraps.
09 -
Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack. While still slightly warm, brush with the glaze. Allow glaze to dry; apply a second coat if desired.
10 -
Decorate with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or flaked almonds as desired. Place cookies in a cake tin, separated by parchment paper, with orange peel strips for aroma.
# Notes:
01 -
For a chocolate finish, melt 90 g of dark chocolate chips over gentle heat, remove from heat when almost melted, and stir in an additional 90 g of chips until fully smooth. Dip cookies and allow to dry on a rack.
02 -
Flavours deepen over time; store the cookies in an airtight tin to enhance softness and taste.