German Gingerbread Cookies

The Spice & Tea Exchange

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

27 minutes

Elisenlebkuchen are traditional German Christmas cookies that somewhat resemble gingerbread. German Gingerbread is soft and moist, unlike the crispy variety known in The States. While there are different varieties of Lebkuchen, the main ingredients are always a flour-free mixture of nuts, ginger, candied orange and lemon peel, eggs, sugar or honey, and a special blend of baking spices.

German Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

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    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • ½ cup honey
    • 5 large eggs

    • 1¾ cups ground hazelnuts

    • 1¾ cups ground almonds

    • 4 pieces Candied Ginger *

    • ½ cup candied lemon peel*

    • ½ cup candied orange peel*

    • 3 Tbsp Baker's Spice Blend

    • ¼ tsp Mace

    • ¼ tsp Coriander - Ground

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      • 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
      • 1 Tbsp coconut oil

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      • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
      • 2 to 3 Tbsp water or milk

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      • ¼ cup blanched almonds

      Directions

      1. Prepare Cookies. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar, honey, and eggs. Beat for about 15 minutes at medium speed until mixture has tripled in volume. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) to let the batter rest and thicken. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone mat (preferred) or parchment paper (skip this step if portioning dough directly on Oblaten wafers). Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, portion approximately 3 Tablespoons of mixture for each cookie, keeping a distance of 2 to 3 inches apart. Flatten and smooth with a wet knife or offset spatula to make a circle with a diameter between 2½ to 3 inches. Ideally, the dough should be thicker in the center and thinner at the edges. Repeat with remaining batter. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until the Lebkuchen are set but still soft in the middle and have barely started to brown around the edges. Cool completely on the baking sheet.

        Optional: Use a pastry brush to coat the surface of the cooled cookies with either glaze, below. Press blanched almonds onto the wet glaze. Allow to set completely before storing.

      2. Chocolate Glaze. Melt chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave or a metal bowl set over a saucepot of simmering water.
      3. Sugar Glaze. Combine powdered sugar and water in a small bowl; stir until smooth.
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