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Lebkuchen: A Holiday Favorite Around the World
A classic German Lebkuchen recipe is all about comfort, tradition, and just the right balance of spice and sweetness. It starts with a rich base of honey and brown sugar, gently heated until smooth, then mixed with a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and sometimes a hint of cardamom, ground almonds or hazelnuts add richness and depth.
Once cooled, the finishing touch: a shiny sugar glaze or a dip in dark chocolate. Some bakers even add candied citrus peel or a dusting of powdered sugar. The result? A soft, chewy, deeply spiced cookie that tastes like Christmas and carries a little piece of history in every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 38 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: germany
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups finely ground almonds or hazelnuts
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest or orange zest
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp pinch of ground black pepper (Optional)
  • ¼ candied citrus peel, finely chopped (optional)
Topping:
  • Chocolate glaze (melted dark chocolate or couverture)

    Sugar glaze (powdered sugar + lemon juice or water)

Equipment

  • Parchment paper or Oblaten wafers (optional, ~70 mm diameter)

Instructions
 

  1. Heat honey and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let it cool slightly.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, zest, and cooled honey mixture.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients, including nuts and spices.
  4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gradually until a thick, sticky dough forms. If you're using candied citrus peel, fold it in at this stage, making sure it’s evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  5. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight for better flavor.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
  7. Use a spoon or wet hands to scoop and shape dough into mounds (about 2-inch rounds). Place - 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 15–18 minutes until set and lightly golden. They’ll firm up as they cool.
  9. Let cool on a wire rack. Glaze with melted chocolate or sugar icing once completely cool.

Notes

Let the dough rest. This is key! Resting the dough overnight (or longer) gives the spices time to bloom and blend. The result is a deeper, more complex flavor.
Tastes even better after a few days. Lebkuchen softens and mellows as it sits. Make them ahead of time for peak flavor by day 3 or 4.
Use good honey. Since honey is a main flavor, choose a mild, high-quality one. Strong, dark honeys can overpower the spices.
Fresh spices = better cookies. Old ground spices can taste dull. If yours have been sitting in the pantry for years, it's time to replace them!
Nuts matter. Ground almonds or hazelnuts are traditional. Use blanched nuts for a smoother texture or leave skins on for more rustic depth.
Don’t overbake! Lebkuchen should be soft and chewy, not crisp. They may seem underdone when you pull them out, but they firm up as they cool.
Oblaten wafers are traditional but optional. They help prevent sticking and give that authentic German touch, but parchment works fine too.