Lebkuchen Cookies Recipe

Name: Lebkuchen Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 d 27 min
Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients: 6 Tablespoons honey; 7 Tablespoons dark brown sugar; 2 Tablespoons salted butter; ½ large egg; 1 Tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon all-spice; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 Tablespoons water

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Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
1 d
Total Time
1 d 27 mins
Servings
24 cookies
Calories
85 kcal
Course
Baked Goods
Cuisine
German

Lebkuchen Cookies Recipe

Nicole Henderson

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Learn how to make Lebkuchen cookies with this easy recipe! Chewy, sweet and flavored with cozy winter spices, these classic German treats are the perfect addition to a holiday cookie tray.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Dough

6 Tablespoons honey
7 Tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
2 Tablespoons salted butter
½ large egg see notes below
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon all-spice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons water

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Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine honey and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Allow to cool (should only be warm to touch), about 15 minutes.
Once cooled, whisk in the half of an egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Add the honey mixture and stir to form a sticky dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest 24 hours in the refrigerator.
After chilling, remove dough from refrigerator and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut desired shapes and place 2-inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake until lightly browned, about 11-13 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on pan, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
For the icing, whisk sugar and water until smooth. Brush warm cookies with sugar glaze and allow to set.

Notes

To achieve half and egg, whisk the egg in a small bowl, then divide the whisked egg in half either by measuring or weighing.
You will need one lemon to zest and juice for today's lebuchen recipe. Use our tips and tricks on how to zest a lemon for best results!
The dough may appear very sticky, but it will thicken and firm up as it sits in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Letting the dough rest is a crucial part of making lebkuchen cookies. It not only allows the dough to achieve a perfect consistency, but also helps the flavors mingle and develop.
Use basic shaped cookie cutters as the dough puffs as it bakes. Save your intricate cookie cutters for our perfect sugar cookies instead!
Bake your cookies with a watchful eye. If they are looking done early, take them out as the honey may get burnt if overcooked. For best results, use an oven thermometer!
If you want to flavor your icing, using apple juice, fresh lemon zest or juice instead of water, minced fresh ginger, or Brandy are great options.
Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks (these cookies stay fresh a long time if kept airtight). The German trick to fresh cookies is to stick a wedge of apple into the airtight container. The moisture from the apple keps the cookies soft and fresh. If cookies begin to harden, replace the apple wedge with a fresh piece!
Lebkuchen are traditional German cookies, similar to gingerbread, but softer, chewier, and dense.

Nutrition Information

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Serving 1cookie Calories 85kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 6mg (2%) Sodium 37mg (2%) Sugar 12g (24%)