Lebkuchen are a traditional German Christmas cookie, characterized by their soft, chewy texture and a unique blend of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. The dough is typically made with honey, flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, which is then rolled out and cut into various shapes. Some popular Lebkuchen shapes include hearts, stars, and gingerbread men. They are often decorated with icing, nuts, and candied fruits. Lebkuchen are a festive and delicious treat that are enjoyed by people of all ages. They can also be used as edible decorations around your house and on your Christmas tree.
In this article, we will provide you with four different recipes for Lebkuchen, each with its own unique flavor and texture. The recipes include:
* Classic Lebkuchen: This is a traditional Lebkuchen recipe that uses a combination of spices to create a warm and inviting flavor.
* Chocolate Lebkuchen: This recipe adds cocoa powder to the dough, resulting in a rich and decadent chocolate Lebkuchen.
* Nut Lebkuchen: This recipe incorporates various nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts, into the dough for a crunchy and nutty flavor.
* Iced Lebkuchen: This recipe includes instructions for making a simple icing that can be used to decorate your Lebkuchen.
With these four recipes, you'll be able to create a variety of delicious Lebkuchen that are sure to impress your family and friends this holiday season.
GERMAN LEBKUCHEN
A German honey Christmas cookie made with molasses.
Provided by HILARY2000
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 8h20m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat the egg, brown sugar and honey until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice; stir into the molasses mixture. Stir in the almonds and candied fruit peel. Cover or wrap dough, and chill overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into 2x3 inch rectangles. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. While still warm, brush the cookies with the lemon glaze.
- To make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the egg white, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Brush over cookies.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 119.9 calories, Carbohydrate 26.6 g, Cholesterol 5.2 mg, Fat 1.1 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 1.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 24.1 mg, Sugar 14.6 g
LEBKUCHEN COOKIES
Classic lebkuchen cookies with a lemon glaze. Prepared in advance, these traditional German Christmas cookies are gingerbread-like in flavor and have a soft and chewy texture. These cookies are a great festive treat for the holiday season! Recipe featured from Midwest Made from Shauna Sever.
Provided by Laura // A Beautiful Plate
Categories Cookies and Bars
Time P5DT25m
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Prepare the Cookies: In a 1½ quart saucepan, combine the honey and muscovado sugar. Over medium-high heat, stir gently until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture just begins to come to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool until warm to touch. Whisk in the egg and lemon zest and juice.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- On low speed, stir in the wet ingredients until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Laura's Note: This will be slack and loose, don't worry! Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled ceramic bowl and cover with a plate - you want the dough to be able to breathe.
- Allow the dough to "ripen" at cool room temperature for 1 to 2 days - do not refrigerate. (The large amount of honey and sugar will keep bacteria at bay.)
- Position racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Roll it out to a ¼-inch/6 mm thickness. Use a bench scraper or thin spatula to get under the dough and scoot it around in the flour occasionaly to prevent sticking. Cut shapes with 2-inch/5 cm cutters and place 1 inch/2½ cm apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sweep away any excess flour with a pastry brush.
- Bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time. (Watch closely, as honey in the dough can make the edges catch and burn quickly.)
- Prepare the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, egg white, lemon juice, and salt for a smooth, thin, runny glaze. (Add a few drops of lemon juice, as needed, to achieve this consistency).
- Let the cookies firm up and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Run an offset spatula under the cookies to gently looesn them from the parchment paper, leaving them on the sheets.
- While still warm, brush the cookies with glaze and transfer to wire racks. Allow the cookies to cool and the glaze to dry completely.
- The secret to a perfect lebkuchen texture is in the resting phase: place the cookies into airtight containers in layers, seperated by parchment or wax paper. Tuck a wedge of apple in the container before sealing. Store in a cool place for at least 3 days, or up to 2 weeks, to allow the cookies to ripen once more before serving.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Calories 125 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 11 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Sodium 58 mg, Sugar 8 g, UnsaturatedFat 9 g
LEBKUCHEN VI
I brought this recipe over from Germany almost 20 years ago. It has molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, honey and brown sugar in it. This is one of my favorite memories of Germany at Christmastime.
Provided by Debi
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 10h
Yield 72
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey and molasses. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the citron and hazelnuts. Cover dough and chill overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into small rectangles and place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Brush the icing over the cookies while they are still hot and quickly remove them to wire cooling racks. Store in airtight container with a cup of orange or apple for a few days to mellow.
- To make the icing: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar. If icing becomes sugary while brushing cookies, re-heat slightly- adding a little water until crystals dissolve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 60.6 calories, Carbohydrate 13.8 g, Cholesterol 2.6 mg, Fat 0.5 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 14.7 mg, Sugar 8.7 g
AUTHENTIC GERMAN LEBKUCHEN
This recipe is over 150 years old and has been baked by my family for many generations for Christmas. They are much easier to make than other lebkuchen and ingredients have been updated to what's available now. They are made with almond flour, hence are gluten free and also contain no dairy.
Provided by Ruth
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 1h10m
Yield 25
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange backoblaten (German baking wafers) on top, leaving a 1-inch space between them.
- Combine almond flour, sugar, eggs, ground hazelnuts, candied lemon and orange peel, ground cinnamon, vanilla sugar, and ground cloves and mix into a firm dough.
- Shape mixture into balls. Arrange balls on the prepared wafers; press gently to flatten into 1/2-inch-high rounds.
- Bake in the preheated oven until light brown in color, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Place chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Cover the top of each lebkuchen with chocolate.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 211.4 calories, Carbohydrate 24.8 g, Cholesterol 23 mg, Fat 11.7 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 4.1 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 9.3 mg, Sugar 17.1 g
LEBKUCHEN
It's tradition for my family to make these German treats together. The recipe came from my great-grandmother's cookbook, and judging from the amount of requests I get, it has certainly stood the test of time. -Esther Kempker, Jefferson City, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 50m
Yield 3 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with parchment., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses, buttermilk and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice, cardamom and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in walnuts., Place raisins, dates, lemon peel, coconut, orange peel and pineapple in a food processor; pulse until chopped. Stir into batter; press into prepared pan. Bake 25-28 minutes or until lightly browned., For glaze, in a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk in confectioners' sugar. Spread over warm bars. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts :
AUTHENTIC GERMAN LEBKUCHEN (NüRNBERGER ELISENLEBKUCHEN)
One of Germany's most popular and beloved Christmas confections, get ready to fall in love with these delicious and traditional German Lebkuchen!
Provided by Kimberly Killebrew
Categories Dessert
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Toss the candied lemon and orange peel with about 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to keep it from sticking together and then pulse in a food processor until finely minced. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add the sugar, honey and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the ground almonds and hazelnuts, salt, baking powder, Lebkuchengewürz, and candied lemon and orange peels and stir vigorously until thoroughly combined. (You can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for about 2 minutes). The mixture will be wet but if it is too thin to scoop onto the oblaten add some more almond or hazelnut meal.
- Scoop the mixture onto the Backoblaten, smoothing down the top and leaving just a slight space around the edges. Set them on a lined cookie sheet.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet and allow to cool completely.
- Once cooled, place a wire rack over a cookie sheet (to catch the drippings). Dip half the Lebkuchen in the chocolate glaze and half in the sugar glaze, letting the excess drip back into the bowl and then place the Lebkuchen on the wire rack. Arrange 3 almonds on each Lebkuchen while the glaze is still wet. Let the Lebkuchen dry completely until the glaze is hardened.
- Keep stored in an airtight container. Will keep for several weeks and the flavor improves with time.
- Makes about 35 if using 70mm Backoblaten and about 25 if using 90mm Backoblaten.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 elisenlebkuchen, Calories 175 kcal, Carbohydrate 22 g, Protein 3 g, Fat 9 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Cholesterol 23 mg, Sodium 34 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 19 g
LEBKUCHEN IV
This is a recipe I got from my husband's mother several years ago.
Provided by Nancy Haugen
Categories German Recipes
Time 8h40m
Yield 72
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together honey and molasses. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. Stir the ingredients from the pan into the bowl and blend well. Mix in the walnuts and candied citron. Cover the dough and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
- Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into small rectangles. Place the rectangles 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Brush with glaze while hot from the oven. To make the glaze: Combine the 1 cup of sugar with water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Brush over hot cookies.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 64.3 calories, Carbohydrate 14.3 g, Cholesterol 2.6 mg, Fat 0.7 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 16.3 mg, Sugar 8.7 g
CHOCOLATE LEBKUCHEN
Having lived in Germany, I try to keep my German cooking as authentic as possible. This lovely lebkuchen recipe is a culinary Christmas custom. -Cathy Lemmon, Quinlan, Texas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h15m
Yield about 1-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine water and vanilla; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/16-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325° until set, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. , For topping, in a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and oil. Combine the oats, flour, nuts, cocoa, baking powder and spices; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in candied peels. , Drop 1 rounded tablespoon topping onto each cookie; gently press down. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325° until set, 13-16 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. , In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in airtight containers.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 238 calories, Fat 14g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 32mg cholesterol, Sodium 122mg sodium, Carbohydrate 27g carbohydrate (15g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 4g protein.
LEBKUCHEN IV
This is a recipe I got from my husband's mother several years ago.
Provided by Allrecipes Member
Categories German Recipes
Time 8h40m
Yield 72
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together honey and molasses. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. Stir the ingredients from the pan into the bowl and blend well. Mix in the walnuts and candied citron. Cover the dough and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
- Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into small rectangles. Place the rectangles 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Brush with glaze while hot from the oven. To make the glaze: Combine the 1 cup of sugar with water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Brush over hot cookies.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 64.3 calories, Carbohydrate 14.3 g, Cholesterol 2.6 mg, Fat 0.7 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 16.3 mg, Sugar 8.7 g
LEBKUCHEN
Categories Cookies Nut Dessert Bake Christmas Almond Spice Winter Honey Hazelnut Gourmet Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes about 32 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Make nut flour:
- Finely grind nuts with remaining nut flour ingredients in a food processor.
- Make dough:
- Beat together brown sugar, honey, and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in nut flour at low speed until just blended, then stir in candied fruit.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Arrange rice-paper rounds, shiny sides down, on 2 large baking sheets. Roll level 2-tablespoon amounts of dough into balls with dampened hands, then put 1 on each paper round and flatten slightly (dough will spread to cover paper during baking).
- Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until surface no longer appears wet, about 15 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.
- Ice cookies:
- Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then stir in water until smooth. Evenly brush tops of cooled cookies with icing. Let icing set, about 1 hour.
- Available at Fauchon (212-308-5919) or The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836).
Tips:
- Mise en Place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all of your ingredients and equipment ready. This will help you stay organized and avoid any scrambling.
- Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest ingredients possible for the best flavor. This is especially important for the spices, which can lose their potency over time.
- Follow the Recipe: Lebkuchen recipes can vary slightly, so it's important to follow the recipe you're using carefully. Don't substitute ingredients or change the measurements unless you know what you're doing.
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing the dough can make the lebkuchen tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough before baking helps it to firm up and makes it easier to work with. You can chill the dough for up to 24 hours.
- Bake at the Right Temperature: Lebkuchen should be baked at a moderate temperature (350°F) so that it has time to cook through without burning.
- Don't Overbake: Lebkuchen is done baking when it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Overbaking can make the lebkuchen dry and crumbly.
- Let the Lebkuchen Cool: Let the lebkuchen cool completely before frosting or decorating it. This will help to prevent the frosting from melting.
Conclusion:
Lebkuchen is a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for the holiday season. With a little planning and effort, you can make your own lebkuchen at home. Just follow these tips and you'll be sure to enjoy delicious and beautiful lebkuchen that will impress your family and friends.
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