Lebkuchen Cookies, aka traditional German Christmas cookies, are deliciously spicy, soft, gingerbread-like cookies made with molasses, warm spices, and nuts. Dressed up with almonds and a cherry, then brushed with a shiny sugar glaze, they will be the prettiest cookies you bake this holiday season!
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Christmas Season Traditions
These traditional German Christmas cookies, known as German Lebkuchens or Pfefferkuchen, have been a tradition in my family for years. They were my dad's favorite cookie reminding him of his much-beloved gingerbread. Of course, he wouldn't pass up other holiday favorites like my Peanut Brittle or Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies either.
Not only are these German spice cookies delicious and beautiful to look at but the scent of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice as they're baking will make your mouth water! It's the perfect way to bring the scents of the Christmas season into your home.
I have to warn you, this traditional lebkuchen recipe does take a little bit of work but they are worth every minute of your time. You can even bake them several weeks ahead of time to get some of your holiday baking out of the way. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature and they'll stay as soft and chewy as the day you baked them.
TIP: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container with an apple wedge. The apple will help to keep the cookies soft and delicious.
What is Lebkuchen
Lebkuchens are known as German gingerbread cookies. It's believed they were invented by German monks back in the 13th century, at which time they were known as a honey cake. In 1395, Nuremberg was given the honor of being named the home of the original lebkuchen. It is now the main exporter of what they like to call the nuremberg lebkuchen.
These traditional German cookies can be made in a variety of shapes, round being the most common. The cookies can be small like a regular cookie or extremely large and cake-like. They are flavored with honey and plenty of lebkuchen spice, commonly contain nuts, candied orange peel or lemon peel, and/or crystallized ginger (or the more common citron). Plus they are one of the only cookies with no fat other than eggs. Today they are one of the most popular German cookies sold in the German Christmas markets and baked around the world at Christmas time.
Frequently asked questions
I like to make them about 1-2 weeks ahead of time to allow the spice flavors to permeate the cookie. They're good the next day but get even better as they age!
Absolutely! The uncooked dough can be frozen for 6-8 months. Just make sure to wrap it in plastic wrap then secure it in a plastic freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling out and baking.
You can also freeze the baked cookies for the same 6 months. Place unglazed cookies in an airtight resealable freezer bag with parchment paper between cookies and freeze. When you remove them from the freezer, thaw them in the refrigerator then top with either lemon glaze or melted chocolate glaze.
The wafer is placed underneath the cookie dough to prevent sticking and is usually not eaten. Instead of the wafer, you can bake them on parchment paper or a silicone mat and get the same result much easier.
Ingredients for Lebkuchen
Flour - I use all-purpose flour which gives me the best results in creating soft, chewy cookies.
Baking Soda - leavening agent
Molasses - adds sweetness, flavor, and aids in keeping the cookies soft
Honey - plays the same role as molasses
Brown Sugar - sweetens the cookies and enhances the molasses flavor
Allspice, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg - warming spices lend a gingerbread flavor to these cookies
Salt - enhances all the flavors
Almonds - add flavor and crunch
Candied Citron - adds moistness
Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest - adds a touch of citrus flavor that complements the lemon glaze
Confectioners' Sugar - is the base of the glaze
Cream - aids in making a smooth, thin glaze
How to Make German Christmas Cookies
- Combine the dry ingredients- flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat honey, molasses, and sugar to boiling and stir continuously until sugar has dissolved. You can test this by running a spoon through it and checking to see if any sugar crystals are present. If they are, boil a little longer.
- You will see it foam up and get a beautiful golden brown color.
- Let cool slightly. Then add egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cooling the liquid will prevent the egg from solidifying when added.
- Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
- Mix until well combined.
- Add chopped nuts and citron.
- Stir well. It will be a very thick and sticky dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Finishing the cookies the next day makes cutting the shapes from the dough much easier.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Divide into smaller batches and roll about a quarter of the dough at a time. Work on a lightly floured surface and roll to about ¼" thickness. Use cookie cutters and cut into your favorite shapes. I used a round one with a 2-½" diameter.
- Place the cutout cookies on a greased baking sheet. I like to decorate my lebkuchen cookies with 3 sliced almonds and half of a candied cherry in the center. It makes the cookies look even more Christmassy and pretty. If you would like to cover the cookies with a melted chocolate glaze you can omit this decorating step. Now bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Prepare the icing sugar glaze while the cookies are baking. Just mix powdered sugar with cream and a little lemon juice in a bowl. Once the cookies are out of the oven, while still warm, brush on the sugar glaze with a pastry brush.
Note: If opting for a chocolate glaze, let the cookies cool, then heat 3 ounces of dark chocolate and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave oven in 30-second increments, stirring in between until melted. Dip the tops of the cookies in the chocolate, add a few almonds into the warm chocolate if you desire, and let them harden before storing.
Move them to a cooling rack and let them set until the surface is shiny and hard. When cool, place them in an airtight container for about a week to enhance the spice flavors.
However, I'm pretty impatient when it comes to eating something this delicious so, I know from experience, that they are almost as yummy eaten right away. It was no hardship to test that theory out. Enjoy!
TOP TIP: Make sure the glaze is dry before storing. Putting parchment paper between the layers of cookies keeps them all looking perfect.
These spiced cut-out lebkuchen cookies are a great addition to your holiday cookie tins. Their gingerbread-like flavor is so different from the standard collection of Christmas cookies which makes them an extra special addition to your cookie tins.
They make the perfect treat on a cold December day with a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. And don't be surprised when they're the hit of your holiday baking. Enjoy!
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Pinwheel Peppermint Cookies - peppermint-flavored cookies all decked out in holiday red and white
Pistachio Meltaway Cookies - are buttery soft cookies made with pudding mix and dotted with cherries
Reindeer Rice Krispies are a fun treat for the kids and the perfect addition to any holiday cookie exchange.
Almond Cloud Cookies - are chewy & light almond cookies with a touch of sweet
Turtle Thumbprint Cookies - soft chewy chocolate cookies filled with caramel and drizzled with chocolate
Check out more of the best cookie recipes for Christmas. Happy baking!
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Lebkuchen Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup molasses
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup almonds, chopped
- ¾ cup diced candied citron
- Garnish: sliced almonds, red candied cherry halves (or optional chocolate glaze - see notes)
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (more can be added to get to the right spreading consistency)
- 3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine honey, molasses and sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Cool then stir in egg, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Add to dry ingredients and beat with mixer until smooth.
- Stir in chopped nuts and citron.
- Wrap dough in moisture proof paper or plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.
- When ready to bake, roll out the dough in small batches, on a floured surface, to about ¼” thickness. Cut with a round 2-½” diameter cookie cutter or your favorite cookie cutter.
- Place on prepared cookie sheets and decorate each with 3 almonds and a half cherry in the center.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- White baking, prepare lemon glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, heavy cream and lemon juice. Add more sugar or cream to get a nice spreading consistency.
- While still hot, brush lebkuchen with sugar glaze. Let cool just slightly then move to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store in airtight containers for at least a week before using. They also freeze well, ship well and keep for weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated. It was first published on December 19, 2017.
