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Lebkuchen Recipe

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4.9 from 18 reviews

Lebkuchen are traditional German spice cookies with a delightful blend of warm spices, ground almonds, and candied citrus peel, finished with a sweet lemon glaze. These soft, fragrant cookies are perfect for the holiday season or any time you crave a flavorful treat.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs

Add-ins

  • 1/4 cup candied orange peel, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup candied lemon peel, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, and all the ground spices until evenly distributed.
  3. Heat Honey and Sugar: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey and brown sugar together just until the sugar dissolves fully. Remove from heat and let this mixture cool slightly.
  4. Combine Ingredients: Add the warm honey mixture, eggs, chopped candied orange and lemon peels, and slivered almonds into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until a consistent dough forms.
  5. Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch diameter balls and place them spaced on prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with your hands or a fork.
  6. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the cookies are set.
  7. Cool Cookies: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth and brush this glaze over the cooled cookies evenly.
  9. Set Glaze: Let the glaze set and harden completely before serving the Lebkuchen cookies.

Notes

  • You can substitute ground walnuts for ground almonds if preferred.
  • Ensure the honey and sugar mixture is warm, not hot, when adding to the eggs to prevent curdling.
  • Rolling the dough balls uniformly helps the cookies bake evenly.
  • The glaze can be adjusted in thickness by adding more lemon juice or powdered sugar.
  • Store the cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to one week.

Find it online: https://sweetworldtastes.com/lebkuchen-recipe/