German Christmas Cookies: Lebkuchen
User Reviews
5
German Christmas Cookies: Lebkuchen
Description
German Christmas Cookies: Lebkuchen bring together a unique combination of spices, including cinnamon, lemon and orange zest, anise, and cloves, mingled into a honey-sweetened dough. The recipe involves preparing a spiced dough that rests chilled to develop flavor before being rolled out and cut into various shapes. Baking at around 180 °C until golden creates cookies with a crisp outside and a moist inside.
The cookies deliver a complex spice profile with aromatic notes balanced by the natural sweetness of honey and sugar, complemented by the bright citrus zest. Their texture is soft and slightly chewy inside with a subtle crunch on the edges.
They are traditionally enjoyed during the Christmas season, paired well with hot drinks like tea, coffee, or mulled wine. Their firm texture also makes them suitable for creative decorating or as edible holiday gifts.
For storage, keep them in an airtight container with a slice of apple to maintain moisture, replacing the apple as it browns. They can be kept at room temperature for up to two weeks or frozen for longer storage. The recipe can be adapted for vegan diets by substituting egg, butter, and honey accordingly, and gluten-free flour blends can replace regular flour if needed.
Ingredients
For the Lebkuchen spice mix:
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest ground
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest ground
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds ground
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds ground
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 10 cloves ground
For the Lebkuchen:
- 5 oz or 159 g (7 tablespoons) honey
- 1/4 cup or 150 grams sugar
- 1/4 cup or 50 grams butter
- lemon zest of 1/2
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lebkuchen spice mix
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cup or 250 grams all-purpose flour you might need more or less than that to form the dough
Instructions
- First, you need to combine all ingredients for the spice mix or if you are using a store-bought lebkuchen spice, you can skip this step.In a saucepan, combine honey, sugar and butter and cook on medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, stirring constantly. Let cool to room temperature. Add 1 egg, lemon zest and Lebkuchen spice mix. Add baking soda, baking powder and flour and knead into a firm dough. Wrap the dough in plastic foil and let it rest for at least 1 hour 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C or 355 ºF. Knead the dough again. Roll thick on floured surface (4-5 mm or 1.5-2 inches). Cut the dough with cookie cutters of your choice.
- Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Increase the baking time if you like harder cookies. Immediately remove from the baking tray. Let cool and decorate with glaze or leave plain. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use an airtight container with an apple slice inside to keep the cookies soft; replace the apple when it browns.
- Roll the dough thinner if you want harder cookies suitable for gingerbread houses.
- The recipe yields about 20-25 medium-sized cookies, depending on cutter size.
- Cookies freeze well for up to two months when stored airtight.
- To make vegan, substitute egg with flax meal and water mixture, use vegan butter and maple syrup instead of honey.
- Gluten-free flour blends can replace all-purpose flour.
- Cookies pair nicely with coffee, tea, mulled wine, or hot chocolate.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 352 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 352kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 36mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 195mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 142mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 221IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 52mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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