Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 15 votes

German Christmas Cookies: Lebkuchen

German Christmas Cookies, also called Lebkuchen or German gingerbread cookies, are an authentic German cookie that is spicy, soft and incredibly flavorful. You can give them as gifts to your family and friends! Easy to make with aromatic lebkuchen spice mix.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 352 kcal
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

For the Lebkuchen spice mix:
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground anise
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 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
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  • These German Christmas Cookies or Lebkuchen are spicy, soft and incredibly flavorful. This recipe doesn't require long waiting times, but still results in the most amazing spiced cookies that are crunchy from the outside and soft from the inside.
  • They make a perfect holiday snack and a nice homemade Christmas gift.
  • If you plan to make a gingerbread house, Lebkuchen would fit well. You need to roll the dough thinner, so that it is harder when baked.
  • Feel free to decorate your Lebkuchen as you wish. I left them plain and they are still beautiful in their simplicity. You can use this simple lemon cookie glaze if you wish.
  • Feel free to experiment with shapes. I made stars, hearts, reindeers and donkeys.
  • This recipe makes about 20-25 medium-sized cookies. The exact amount depends on the size of your cookie cutter.
  • Serve German Christmas cookies with a cup of tea or coffee, a steaming glass of Glühwein (mulled wine), fruit punch, hot chocolate, or a Cranberry Moscow Mule. They can be a great decoration to these 15-minute pomegranate parfaits.
  • Store the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of apple inside, to keep them from drying. When the apple gets brown, replace it. You can store the Lebkuchen for up to two weeks on the counter.
  • You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
  • To make this recipe vegan, replace egg with 1 tablespoon  flax meal whisked together with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until thickened.
  • Replace regular butter with vegan butter.
  • Replace honey with maple syrup for extra flavor. That will also help you to turn this recipe into vegan.
  • You can use a gluten-free flour blend instead of regular flour for this recipe.
  • Use any kind of sugar you like: brown sugar, Demerara sugar, coconut sugar, or regular white sugar.

Nutrition Information

Calories 352kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 65g (22%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 36mg (12%) Sodium 195mg (8%) Potassium 142mg (4%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 18g (36%) Vitamin A 221IU (4%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 52mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 352

% 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.