It’s funny to put “Homemade” in the title of this post, as if anything on this blog wasn’t going to be. But the qualifier feels necessary here, because Lebkuchen is something that I never think of as homemade! Lebkuchen around the holidays is a family tradition, and in the past we’ve gotten it from Germany. But last year, my Dad ordered some, and because it’s Germany and they love fees and rules, the shipping fee was enormous, and sort of soured the experience. Justifying the special order also requires ordering a lot, which is hard to eat amidst all the other things being eaten. So I figured this was the year to try making some from scratch!
It has always felt like something that just can’t be made from scratch, and I was trying to identify why that is. And I think it really is just because they have those wafer bottoms, which aren’t something I’ve ever seen available for purchase. Well… turns out those are called Back Oblaten (baking wafers), and they’re available on Amazon! All of a sudden, a bit of mystique gone.
I saw one recipe say that you could use communion wafers, which feels… illegal and sacrilegious. Even if Back Oblaten are essentially the same thing… and it’s not like the Lebkuchen are going through the rite of communion, but… I’ll be calling them Back Oblaten.
The other thing that gave Lebkuchen a bit of a mystique is just how different they are from American gingerbread. I felt like there had to be some behind the scenes magic happening. And there probably is. But I think the big difference is that Lebkuchen useshoney instead of molasses. The spice blend is also a bit different than most of the gingerbread recipes I was consulting – there’s a bit less ginger and more nutmeg than American recipes.
They also are dipped in either chocolate or glaze, and feel very professionally made. The chocolate and glaze are also a big reason why they’re so delicious!
Homemade Lebkuchen are part of my operation High Key Christmas – an effort to raise Christmas spirit without breaking the bank amidst my family’s otherwise “low key Christmas.”
And I was surprised by how “low key” these were to make! A very quick bowl recipe, on the stovetop, and then they bake for 12 minutes. It could not be simpler! Who would have thought! I guess traditional foods have to be simpler… it’s not like they had stand mixers and all the bells and whistles back in the day.
Based off of my family’s reviews of these cookies, I think they’re going to be added to the permanent rotation. They all declared them even better than the ones we get from Germany. I’m not sure I can accept such high praise, but I do think making them at home allows them to be extra fresh and moist! And with them being so easy to make, I certainly look forward to making them again!
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PinIngredients
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- If you don’t have (or want to buy) all the spices, you can also use: 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp cloves, and 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 package Back Oblaten (wafers), in the size you desire (I did 70mm, and they were the standard size)
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rum (optional)
For the Chocolate:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
Instructions
- In a pot over low-medium heat, mix the honey and sugar and stir together just until the sugar dissolves.
- Immediately add the butter and stir until the butter melts. Turn off the heat and remove from the stove.
- Stir in the baking powder, soda, salt, spices, and egg.
- Add the flour and ground almonds. Mix until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough. Be careful not to add too much because you will be rolling the dough, just enough to where it’s not dry.
- Spray your hands with cooking spray and gather the dough into a ball.
- Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and leave to rest for at least an hour or even overnight at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Space the Back Oblaten out on the silicone mat, and then scoop the dough out into small mounds on top of them, and smooth out the top, making sure the dough doesn’t quite reach the edge of the Back Oblaten. (They will spread and rise a bit in the oven. It may help to do a few test cookies to get an idea of how they will spread on the wafer.)
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Mix together all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until you have a thin glaze. Also melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.
- Dip the cookies in glaze or chocolate, and allow them to dry. You can add a second layer of glaze if desired.