Description
Spiced lebkuchen cookies bring heartwarming German holiday magic straight from Nuremberg’s festive kitchens. Sweet gingerbread-like treats with rich honey and warm spices invite winter celebrations home.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) brown sugar
- ¾ cup (180 milliliters) honey
Nut Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 grams) ground hazelnuts
- 1 cup (120 grams) ground almonds
Spices and Additional Ingredients:
- ½ cup (80 grams) candied orange peel, finely chopped
- ½ cup (80 grams) candied lemon peel, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 30–40 Oblaten wafers (70 millimeters diameter) or baking wafers (optional)
Glazing and Topping:
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons water or lemon juice
- 5 ounces (140 grams) dark or milk chocolate, melted
Instructions
- Craft a luscious dough by vigorously whisking eggs with both sugars until the mixture transforms into a pale, voluminous blend. Introduce honey and integrate thoroughly.
- Incorporate ground hazelnuts, almonds, candied citrus peels, and a constellation of warm spices including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Add baking soda and salt to create a robust, aromatic foundation. Anticipate a remarkably tacky consistency.
- Envelop the bowl with plastic wrap and nestle in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, allowing the flavors to harmonize and develop deep complexity.
- Warm the oven to 320F (160C). Prepare baking surfaces with parchment paper or traditional Oblaten wafers as your canvas.
- Delicately distribute spoonfuls of dough onto wafers, gently spreading to create uniform rounds. Without wafers, carefully shape dollops directly onto prepared surfaces.
- Transfer to the heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, watching for golden-tinged edges while maintaining a tender center. Allow cookies to cool completely on their baking sheet.
- Optional embellishment involves creating a lustrous glaze by whisking powdered sugar with liquid, or indulging the cookies in a luxurious chocolate bath. Ensure complete setting before storing.
- Preserve these spiced delicacies in an airtight container, understanding their flavors will gracefully intensify over time, promising weeks of delectable enjoyment.
Notes
- Enhance nut flavor by toasting hazelnuts and almonds lightly before grinding, which releases deeper, richer aromatics and adds complexity to the Lebkuchen.
- Ensure gluten-free adaptation by substituting regular flour with almond flour or gluten-free baking mix, maintaining the traditional texture and taste.
- Control moisture content by chilling dough thoroughly, preventing cookies from spreading too much and preserving their distinctive dense, chewy German texture.
- Elevate sweetness balance by experimenting with different honey varieties like buckwheat or wildflower, which can introduce subtle nuanced flavor profiles that complement the spice blend.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg