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Lebkuchen

This recipe crafts traditional German Lebkuchen, featuring a fragrant, spiced dough enriched with finely ground toasted hazelnuts and almonds, brightened by generous citrus zest. Baked into soft, aromatic cookies, they are finished with a simple confectioners' sugar glaze, perfect for holiday indulgence or a comforting snack.
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Course Snack
Cuisine central europe
Servings 18 people
Calories 5589.7 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Food Processor For grinding nuts finely
  • 1 Electric Mixer Stand or hand mixer for creaming butter and sugar
  • 2 Large Mixing Bowls For dry and wet ingredients
  • 2 Baking Sheets For baking the cookies
  • 1 Microplane Zester For citrus zest

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 6 oz Hazelnuts unblanched toasted and cooled (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 6 oz whole almonds unblanched,toasted and cooled (about 1 cup)
  • 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar 5 1/4 ounces
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp grated zest of 3 orange
  • 2 tbsp Grated zest of 2 lemon
  • 1 1/2 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 7 1/2 ounces
  • 2 tbsp Cocoa Dutch-processed
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened 3/4 stick
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar 5 1/4 ounces
  • 4 x eggs large
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 3/4 cup Confectioners Sugar Glaze 7 ounces
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk for glaze

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  • Toast hazelnuts and whole almonds on a baking sheet until fragrant and lightly browned (about 8-10 minutes). Let them cool completely.
  • In a food processor, combine the cooled toasted nuts with the granulated sugar and pulse until finely ground. Be careful not to over-process into a paste.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the unbleached all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, freshly grated nutmeg, Dutch-processed cocoa, and salt.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the softened unsalted butter with the light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract and the grated orange and lemon zests.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture and the finely ground nut mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Drop rounded tablespoons of the soft dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookies are lightly browned. They will still be soft in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once cookies are completely cool, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and whole milk until smooth. Dip or brush each Lebkuchen with the glaze and let it set on the wire rack before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

For authentic Lebkuchen, ensure hazelnuts and almonds are toasted thoroughly and cooled before grinding; this deepens their flavor significantly. Grind nuts with the granulated sugar to prevent them from turning into paste. When zesting citrus, use a microplane and extract only the colored zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Do not overmix the dough once flour is incorporated, as this can develop gluten and lead to tough cookies. The dough will be soft; chilling can help with handling, though Lebkuchen is often dropped or spread. Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting. For best results, allow the glazed Lebkuchen to rest for a day or two in an airtight container; the flavors meld and the texture softens beautifully, characteristic of traditional German Lebkuchen.