Lebkuchen (German Spice Cookies)

Lebkuchen (German Spice Cookies)

from kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com
22 min

These German Spice cookies known as Lebkuchen are made from scratch and absolutely delicious! Glazed German gingerbread is a Holiday favorite and always the first thing to go on a Christmas cookie tray.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
  • 1 large egg (beaten)
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp rum (optional)

Directions

  1. 1

    In a glass bowl, mix the honey and sugar and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir together well until sugar dissolves (heat another 15-30 seconds if needed).

  2. 2

    Immediately add the butter and lemon zest and stir until the butter melts.

  3. 3

    Stir in the baking powder, soda, salt and spices and egg.

  4. 4

    Add the flour and ground almonds. Mix until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough, adding a little lemon juice as needed. Be careful not to add too much because you will be rolling the dough, just enough to where it's not dry.

  5. 5

    Spray your hands with cooking spray and gather the dough into a ball.

  6. 6

    Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and leave to rest for at least an hour or even overnight at room temperature.

  7. 7

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile prepare the glaze.

  8. 8

    Mix together all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until you have a thin glaze.

  9. 9

    Divide the dough into thirds. Roll the dough on a silicone baking mat to 3/4 of an inch thickness to right under 1 inch.

  10. 10

    Cut out circles using a cookie cutter.

  11. 11

    Space the cookies out on the silicone mat and bake for 12 minutes.

  12. 12

    Repeat with remaining dough, gathering up any scraps and rolling out again and bake in batches.

  13. 13

    Transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack and brush with the glaze while they are still a little warm using a pastry brush.

  14. 14

    Allow the glaze to dry and add a second layer (if desired). Check the recipe notes if you want to cover or dip the Lebkuchen in chocolate.