German Gingerbread (Lebkuchen)

Soft, spiced honey and nut gingerbread biscuits with a sugar glaze, a Christmas market favourite.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 50 minutes
Vegetarian
✅
Nuts
✅
Serves
20 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 150g soft brown sugar
  • 150g runny honey
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 200g ground almonds
  • 100g ground hazelnuts
  • 150g plain flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 50g mixed candied peel, finely chopped
  • 20 round wafers (Backoblaten, from German delis or online) or baking paper
  • For the glaze: 150g icing sugar and 2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Line two baking trays with baking paper.

  2. Whisk the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes until thick and pale. Whisk in the honey and lemon zest.

  3. Mix the almonds, hazelnuts, flour, spices, baking powder and candied peel, then fold into the egg mixture to make a thick, sticky batter.

  4. Place wafers on the trays, or mark 7cm circles on the baking paper. Spoon the batter into mounds, spreading each to a neat round 1cm thick.

  5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool on the trays.

  6. Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice to a smooth glaze and brush over the cooled biscuits. Leave to set. Store in a tin for up to 2 weeks.