Recipe Details

Ilse’s Bakery Recipe: Lebkuchen

Lebkuchen, often referred to as German gingerbread, has a long and storied history that dates back to the Middle Ages. Originating in Franconia, Germany, in the city of Nuremberg around the late 13th or early 14th century, Lebkuchen is one of the oldest forms of German baking tradition.

The city of Nuremberg, a major trading hub located on the spice routes, played a significant role in the development of Lebkuchen. The availability of spices such as ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, which were crucial ingredients in Lebkuchen, contributed to Nuremberg becoming the most famous producer of this delicacy by the 14th century.

The tradition of baking Lebkuchen continues to this day, especially during the Christmas season. Nuremberg still holds the title for being famous for its Lebkuchen, and the cookies are exported all over the world.

Ingredients

• Dough
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ground
• baking
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Icing
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Decorating
• Candied citrus peel or nuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Dough
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the honey, molasses, brown sugar, softened butter, egg, and lemon zest.
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing well until a dough forms.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Icing
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and ground cinnamon to make a smooth icing.
8. Baking
9. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
10. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
11. Cut out Lebkuchen shapes using cookie cutters or a knife.
12. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them.
13. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
14. Decorating
15. Once the Lebkuchen cookies have cooled, drizzle the icing over the top. You can also add candied citrus peel or nuts for decoration.
16. Allow the icing to set before serving or storing the cookies.

Prep time: 3 hours

Cook time: 12 minutes

Total time: 3 hours, 12 minutes

Serves: 24 Cookies

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: German

Updated: 3 months ago