Classic Lebkuchen Recipe

Helene Dsouza

Get creative with the decoration of your Lebkuchen cookies, Use icing sugar and little colorful sugar decorations to get into Christmas mood.

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

40 cookies

4.9 from 9 votes

RECIPE

Classic Lebkuchen cookies can't be missed in a German and Austrian household for Christmas.

Learn everything about Lebkuchen and how you can make them from scratch at home.

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe - German Christmas Cookies [EASY ❤] (3)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

Days

Hours

📕 What is Lebkuchen?

Lebkuchen is a German honey cake.

Lebkuchen have a firm and dense, yet soft texture, a distinct honey taste, and a wonderful aroma created by a generous blend of spices, such as ginger, cardamom, aniseed, coriander, cloves, and allspice.

It can also have almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts.

Candied lemon and orange peels are also used by some Lebkuchen bakers to refine their confection.

There are Oblaten Lebkuchen, which are placed on a communion wafer, a legacy from when nuns and monks were the Lebkuchen bakers.

There are some variations on the basic Lebkuchen, such as the Elisenlebkuchen, which is made with less flour than the regular Lebkuchen.

In fact, the Elisenlebkuchen must contain no less than 25 percent nuts and less than 10 percent wheat flour.

History

Cakes made with honey have been baked since antiquity before the industrial production of sugar made it an available and affordable ingredient.

Honey cakes have been found in Roman, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations and were often believed to have magical protection powers as sweet honey was regarded as a blessing from the gods.

The honey acts not only as a sweetener but also as a leavening and preservative.

The German Lebkuchen was invented by nuns and monks in the 13th century.

The city of Nuremberg was at the forefront of Lebkuchen manufacturing and has produced the famous Nürnberger Lebkuchen that is still made today.

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe - German Christmas Cookies [EASY ❤] (5)

🆚 Lebkuchen VS Gingerbread

Gingerbread is similar to Lebkuchen as it is also made with spices, but gingerbread does not usually contain nuts.

Gingerbread cookies are also made with molasses, comapred to Lebkuchen cookies which contain honey.

Gingerbread houses originated in Germany in the 16th century and their popularity increased when the Brothers Grimm wrote Hansel and Gretel, where the witch lived in a house made of cookies and candy.

You can make a gingerbread house from Lebkuchen dough, just make sure to keep it a bit longer in the oven so that it becomes firmer and is able to hold the shape better.

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe - German Christmas Cookies [EASY ❤] (6)

🎉 Decoration

Because of the firmness of the dough, Lebkuchen cookies lend themselves well to being decorated with different patterns.

Modern

People usually decorate their Lebkuchen cookies with candied cherry halves and almond halves.

Icing sugar is also commonly used in combination with small sugar decorations.

Lebkuchen are also often glazed or covered in dark chocolate.

Tradition

Special delicately carved wooden Lebkuchen molds that depict flowers, geometric patterns and Christmas motives are used.

The earliest molds had Biblical themes and were used to educate the public about the Gospel at a time when most people were illiterate and books were written by hand and expensive.

Different rulers also used to emboss their portraits on Lebkuchen and distribute them among people to increase their popularity.

Lebkuchen are still popular today and Lebkuchen hearts that have declarations of love inscribed with icing are a popular item at fairs and Christmas markets.

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe - German Christmas Cookies [EASY ❤] (7)

🍱 Storing

Traditionally, in Germany, Lebkuchen are stored in a tin box between layers of parchment paper.

If you live in a cool and dry climate, you can place apple peels in the tin box for a nice aroma and to retain cookie moisture.

Keep in a dry and cool place away from direct sunlight for up to 1 month.

But in hot and tropical countries, it would be best to consume the Lebkuchen soon after baking to prevent them from going bad.

They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of weeks.

Can you hang a lebkuchen on the Christmas tree as a deco?

Yes, can you make beautiful Christmas tree decorations made of Lebkuchen if you live in a cold climate. In tropical countries, it would be best to consume the Lebkuchen soon after baking to prevent it from going bad. They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of weeks.

Dear Reader, how are you planning to decorate your Lebkuchen cookies?

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe was first published on the 23rd of December 2012 at masalaherb.com!

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

You missed out!

📖 Recipe

Get creative with the decoration of your Lebkuchen cookies, Use icing sugar and little colorful sugar decorations to get into Christmas mood.

4.89 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: German

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 40 cookies

Calories: 114kcal

Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

For the dough:

▢ 7 Tablespoons Honey
▢ ¾ cup Brown Sugar
▢ ½ stick Butter
▢ 2 ¾ cups All Purpose Flour
▢ 1 ½ Teaspoon Baking powder
▢ 1 Egg Yolk
▢ dash Lemon Peel freshly grated or dried
▢ 1 cup Walnuts ground
▢ 5 Teaspoons Lebkuchen spice blend or homemade Lebkuchen spice mixture
▢ 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon Ground

For the Icing:

▢ 1 Egg White
▢ 2 cups Powdered Sugar

to decorate...

▢ Colorful Sugar Decoration as shown
▢ Candied fruits
▢ Nuts

US - Metric

Instructions

Place the Honey, brown sugar and butter together into a bowl and melt and mix the ingredients to a smooth sticky paste.
Once the sticky mixture has cooled a bit add the white flour and baking powder and make a mold to add in your egg yolk. Keep on adding the Lemon zest, the ground walnuts, the Lebkuchen spice mix and the cinnamon powder.
Mix it all first with a spoon or something and then work it out for 10 minutes into a smooth dough.
Preheat your oven to a 180 Celsius!
Flour your working space and roll your dough to a 0.5 millimeter thickness out (don't roll out too thin!) and cut out your shapes with your cookie cutters. Make sure the dough is covered with flour, it's easier that way to cut out the shapes. Once done, dust the shapes a bit so that the extra flour falls off.
Place the lebkuchen on a baking tray. At this point you can decorate them with nuts and candied fruits by pressing the sweets lightly into the dough.
Bake smaller sized Lebkuchen cookies for about 15 minutes at 180 Celsius and then let them cool and bigger ones for 20 minutes at 180 Celsius..
In the mean while, beat your egg white to a stiff snow. Once stiff continue to mix in the powdered sugar into the egg whites, batch by batch. The Icing should be very tough and shiny sticky. (For colored batches just add 2-3 drops of food coloring drops)
Once the cookies have cooled, you can decorate them with the icing and top them with colorful and pretty looking sugar decorations. Either you pipe a thin line with the icing onto the cookies or you add a thin layer of icing onto the whole cookies surface. Just be creative and have fun!

Notes

Store the lebkuchen cookies in a tin box in a dry climate with butter paper and some apple peels to keep the moisture in the cookies. In a humid environment store the cookies in an airtight container and keep away from heat and more humidity.
Use your favorite sugar decoration
Use Candied fruits such as cherries, ginger candy, orange candy or lemon candy.
Choose between walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans etc.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe

Amount Per Serving (24 g)

Calories 114Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 13mg1%

Potassium 53mg2%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 50IU1%

Calcium 26mg3%

Iron 0.8mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Classic Lebkuchen Recipe - German Christmas Cookies [EASY ❤] (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between gingerbread and lebkuchen? ›

- Lebkuchen are a traditional German cookie given as gifts at Christmas that date back to the 1300's. - Very similar to gingerbread but much darker, more dense and rich, and chewier. Lebkuchen is never crunchy. - Made with honey, whereas gingerbread uses molasses.

Discover More ›

What is the most popular cookie in Germany? ›

Lebkuchen. This traditional German cookie is one of the most popular around Christmastime because it has those classic gingerbread flavors. The soft, chewy, and lightly glazed treats are a must-have for your cookie plate. Get the Lebkuchen recipe at A Beautiful Plate.

View Details ›

What is the traditional German holiday selection lebkuchen? ›

Traditionally, you'll find the Nürnberger Lebkuchen, the Elisen Lebkuchen, the Lebkuchenherzen, the chocolate-filled ones, the ones with candied citron, the ones with ground nuts, and the list goes on. These are among the many of the traditional German Christmas cookies found at Christmas markets throughout Germany.

Find Out More ›

What is a heart cookie in Germany? ›

However, there's another special treat you will see being sold in the Bavarian Markets during the festival: Lebkuchenherzen. Lebkuchen refers to German gingerbread, while herzen means heart! These hearts are adorned with names or sweet sayings similar to Valentine's cookies, and given to loved ones.

Discover More Details ›

What is the most famous Lebkuchen? ›

Lebkuchen was invented by monks in Franconia, Germany, in the 13th century. Lebkuchen bakers were recorded as early as 1296 in Ulm, and 1395 in Nürnberg (Nuremberg). The latter is the most famous exporter today of the product known as Nürnberger Lebkuchen (Nuremberg Lebkuchen).

Discover More Details ›

Is Pfeffernusse the same as Lebkuchen? ›

Pfeffernusse and lebkuchen are both similarly flavored with honey and lots of warm baking spices but pfeffernusse are almost always small, rounded cookies coated with a powdered sugar glaze, while lebkuchen may be shaped like regular cookies or cut in bars and are generally glazed with chocolate.

Find Out More ›

What is the 1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

See Details ›

What is the oldest known cookie in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

What is classic German Christmas food? ›

Treat guests to a traditional German Christmas dinner with classic dishes like roasted goose legs, braised red cabbage. and dumplings, and don't forget the mulled wine and platter of gorgeous, festive cookies.

Explore More ›

What day do Germans eat Christmas dinner? ›

The meal on Heiliger Abend (Christmas Eve), to many people in Germany, is just as important as the one served on Christmas Day itself. Traditionally, people eat fish with Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) and Sauerkraut.

Learn More ›

What is a favorite saying to have on a Lebkuchenherz? ›

You can use the most popular German phrases for these cookies, or their English translations: "Ich liebe Dich" (I love you) "Ich mag Dich" (I like you) "Spatzl" (Little sparrow)

What is the symbol of Christmas cookies? ›

For so many around the world, cookies symbolize that spirit of giving. In all shapes and flavors, they're a bite-size emblem for generosity, solidarity, and seasonal joy. Here is the recipe for the first recorded American Christmas cookie.

What is on the bottom of German gingerbread cookies? ›

Oblaten Lebkuchen are distinguished by a signature edible wafer (collectively called Oblaten in German) on the bottom. The wafers are made from wheat flour, starch, and water.

View Details ›

Why is gingerbread called Lebkuchen? ›

The root meaning of the name Lebkuchen has been lost, although there are many plausible explanations. While kuchen is 'cake' in German, the particle 'leb' may refer to Old German expressions for crystallized honey, sweetness, or even loaf. These spiced honey cakes first appeared in monasteries in the late Middle Ages.

Tell Me More ›

What are the three types of gingerbread? ›

The three distinct types of gingerbread are brown gingerbread, wafer-based gingerbread and honey gingerbread.

BROWN GINGERBREAD.
WAFER GINGERBREAD.
HONEY GINGERBREAD.

Show Me More ›

What is the German name for gingerbread? ›

Lebkuchen - pronounced LAYB-kue-chn - and sometimes called Pfefferkuchen is a German baked Christmas treat somewhat resembling gingerbread. Soft, moist and nutty German gingerbread was invented by medieval monks in Franconia, Germany in the 13th century.

What is gingerbread in Germany? ›

"Lebkuchen" (gingerbread) is also known as "Honigkuchen" (honeycake) in some parts of Germany.

View Details ›