Lebkuchen Cookies

23/12/2020

The festive season just wouldn't be the same without these traditional German inspired honey-sweetened spiced biscuits. They are delicious eaten on their own but also ideal for dunking in your tea or coffee. Our recipe uses less sugar and honey nonetheless they taste amazingly good. We've fallen for them after just one bite. Who wouldn't?

Makes: about 35

Prepare: 15 minutes, plus chilling

Cook: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 100g clear honey
  • 70g dark brown sugar
  • 65g butter
  • 115g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 115g rye flour
  • 75g ground almonds
  • 1 medium organic egg
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom seeds (from about 5 pods)
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 25g mixed peel
  • pinch of fine sea salt

To decorate:

  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • about 5 glacé cherries, quartered
  • about 15 blanched almonds, halved or quartered

1. Put the honey, sugar and butter in a small saucepan and heat over a gentle heat until melted. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Put the rest of the ingredients (other than the decoration) in a large mixing bowl and pour over the honey mixture. Stir together with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Chill for 1 hour (this makes it less sticky and easier to work with).

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4, and line two large baking trays with parchment. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and tip the dough out onto it, then roll out to a thickness of about 0.5 cm.

3. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter (we use one around 5cm high and 4.5cm wide at the top), stamp out the biscuits and place them 2cm apart (to allow for spreading) on the prepared trays. (You can use any shape cutter, but hearts are traditional).

4. Brush the top of each one with egg white and place either a cherry quarter or some almonds in the centre of each biscuit. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and just firm to the touch. Allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Share