Lebkuchen Recipe

4.67 from 6 reviews

Traditional German cookies with hazelnuts, almonds, candied orange and lots of warm spice. The vanilla glaze adds a sweet finish.

Prep Time20

Bake Time10

Total Time30

Servings:48 cookies

Ingredients

Dough

4 oz almond paste
12 oz confectioner's sugar (3 cups)
4 large egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon lemon extract
2 oz ground hazelnuts (⅓ cup)
2 oz ground almonds (⅓ cup)
3 oz candied orange peel
3 ¾ oz all purpose flour (¾ cups, see note)
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Glaze

4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
1 oz water (2 tablespoons)
1 ½ teaspoons corn starch
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Have a ½ sheet pan and a sheet of parchment paper ready. Don't place the parchment into the sheet pan yet.
Cream 4 oz almond paste with 12 oz confectioner's sugar. Add 4 large egg whites, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon lemon extract.
Add 2 oz ground hazelnuts, 2 oz ground almonds and 3 oz candied orange peel. Add 3 ¾ oz all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Spread the dough over the parchment sheet. It will be very thin (1/4") and should cover the entire sheet of parchment.
Slide the parchment onto the sheet pan and bake until set all the way to the center of the sheet, about 10 minutes.
To make the glaze, combine 4 oz granulated sugar and 1 oz water in a small sauce pan. Bring the syrup to to a boil. Boil to 220 °F. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 ½ teaspoons corn starch and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Use a pastry brush to coat the entire surface of the cooled cookie with the glaze. Allow the glaze to set then cut into 48 bars.

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

Nutrition