High Altitude Lebkuchen (German Spice Cookies)
These traditional lebkuchen are soft and chewy, heavily spiced, with hints of honey, lemon and almonds.
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Medium Cookie Scoop with Release Lever (1 1/2 - 2 tbsp capacity)
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup almonds, finely ground
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
Dough
- In a saucepan, combine the butter, honey and brown sugar. Over medium heat, warm the mixture, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- Add the melted butter mixture, the beaten eggs and the lemon juice, stirring into a dough.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for one hour.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a medium scoop with a release lever (1 1/2 - 2 tbsp capacity) to scoop equal portions of dough. Roll the dough balls smooth between your hands. If you don't plan on glazing the cookies after they bake, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar. Don't flatten the balls.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet, leaving several inches between each. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are browned and the centers are set. Cool on the baking sheet for one minute, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Glaze
- In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice, until smooth.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over the warm cookies. Let the cookies sit until the glaze dries.
Notes
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
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