Lebkuchen – Traditional German Cookies
, Updated Dec 13, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make my Lebkuchen recipe and fall in love with these traditional German cookies. Soft, chewy, full of festive spices and perfect for gifting!
🌟 Want to create an international Christmas cookie platter this year? Pair these German cookies with Austrian Linzer Cookies, Greek Melomakarona, Belgian Speculoos and classic American Sugar Cookies!
What are Lebkuchen?
Lebkuchen (pronounced layb-koo-kuhn) date back to medieval Germany, particularly in the city of Nuremberg, often made by monks in cathedral kitchens. They are kind of a cross between a biscuit and a cake – chewy, spiced, nutty and utterly irresisitble. Over time, they became a beloved holiday tradition. Many versions use Lebkuchengewürz (a German spice mix), but outside Germany, we often replicate it using cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom.
What makes them truly special is how their texture and flavor deepen as they age – the aroma intensifies, the spices soften, and the chew becomes more forgiving. For me Lebkuchen truly embody the essence of Christmas and once you take a bite I am sure you will agree!
Here’s What You’ll Need
- Honey & brown Sugar – The sweet heart of the dough. Honey gives chew and flavor; brown sugar adds depth and moisture.
- Butter and egg – Enrich the dough and bind everything together.
- Ground almonds – Help with texture, add nutty depth and help the cookies stay fresh as they mature.
- Flour and leaveners (baking powder, baking soda) – Keep the lebkuchen cookie-like but with a light lift.
- Spices and zest – Cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and citrus zest give warmth and festive aroma.
- Glaze – A thin lemon sugar glaze adds gloss, sweetness and helps seal the cookies. You can also cover them in chocolate (see tip box).
- Optional Decorations – Almond slivers, sanding sugar, chocolate drizzles for festive sparkle.
How to Make Lebkuchen
- Measure the honey and sugar in a mixing bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 second bursts. Stir together vigorously until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the cubed butter and citrus zest and stir until the butter melts.
- Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and the beaten egg.
- Add the flour and ground almonds. Mix until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough. Mist a spatula or your hands with oil 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°F (180°C) and prepare the glaze. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl until you have a thin and runny glaze.
- Divide the dough into thirds. Roll the dough on a silicone baking mat to a thickness of 2cm (just under an inch). Cut shapes using round, star or heart cookie cutters. Space the cookies out on the silicone mat and bake for 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough and bake in batches.
- Transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack and brush with the glaze while they are still a little warm. Leave the glaze to dry and add a second layer if you like. I added a little sanding sugar to some of my cookies and sprayed them with silver luster powder to give them a little sparkle!
- Put the cookies in a cake tin, separated by parchment paper so that they don’t stick. Place a few strips of orange peel in the tin. The lebkuchen will become more delicious the longer you keep them, making them the ideal festive gift!
How to Cover Lebkuchen with Chocolate
Lebkuchen are traditionally simply brushed with a thin glaze made with icing sugar and lemon. They are usually just left plain or decorated with almond slivers. You can also cover the cookies with melted chocolate if you prefer – or combine the two and drizzle the glazed cookies with chocolate!
- Melt half a cup (90g) dark chocolate chips by placing in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Take the pan off the heat once the chocolate chips have almost melted and add another half a cup (90g) dark chocolate chips. Stir gently until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
- Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate and place on a cooling rack to dry before storing.
How to Freeze Lebkuchen Cookies
Lebkuchen actually freeze really well for up to six months, so you can bake ahead and still enjoy that soft, spiced texture later.
- Let the cookies cool completely after baking. It’s best to freeze them without glaze or icing, as it can become sticky or crack once thawed.
- Arrange the undecorated cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze until firm.
- Transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, placing parchment or wax paper between layers. Label with the date and what’s inside.
- Thawing: Let the lebkuchen defrost at room temperature, either in their closed container or on a wire rack. A slow thaw helps keep their soft, chewy texture and reduces condensation. Once thawed, you can glaze or ice them as desired.
- Let them mellow: Just like fresh lebkuchen, frozen-then-thawed cookies still benefit from a little “rest” in a tin. Store them in a cookie tin with parchment once thawed and enjoy over the next week or two.
Lucy’s Pro Tip
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If your dough is too stiff, add some lemon juice, a little at a time. Remember to let the dough rest overnight before rolling out.
- Avoid overbaking the cookies — you want chewy centers, not hard cookies. They should look lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center. Remember that they’ll firm up slightly as they cool, so don’t wait for a hard texture in the oven.
- If the glaze is too runny, let it rest a minute before brushing or adjust by adding more powdered sugar; if it is too thick, thin with a drop of water or lemon juice.
- Be patient! Lebkuchen really benefit from aging so they are perfect for baking a couple of weeks before the holidays and storing for a week or even longer. The wonderful aroma of the spices intensifies as the cookies become softer and even more delicious as they age! Serve with a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate or with mulled wine!
HAVE YOU MADE MY LEBKUCHEN RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Lebkuchen Cookies
Make a batch of Lebkuchen and you are sure to fall in love with these traditional German cookies! Heavenly spiced soft cookies that are cross between a biscuit and a cake and only get better with age.
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Lebkuchen
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- 1 cup (200 g) dark soft brown sugar (Muscovado sugar)
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp white pepper (optional)
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) flour all-purpose / plain
- 1 cup (100g) ground almonds (almond flour)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice use only if dough is a bit dry
- 1 tsp vegetable oil , for the bowl
For the glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste (adjust as needed)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rum optional
To decorate (optional)
- sprinkles or sanding sugar
- flaked almonds
To store
- Orange peel strips
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- Measure the honey and sugar in a mixing bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 second bursts. Stir together vigorously with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves.½ cup (170 g) honey, 1 cup (200 g) dark soft brown sugar
- Add the cubed butter and zest and stir until the butter melts.¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, 1 tsp orange zest
- Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices, zest and egg.1 large egg beaten, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp ground allspice, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp grated nutmeg, ⅛ tsp white pepper, 1 tsp lemon zest
- Add the flour and ground almonds. Mix until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough, adding a little lemon juice as needed.2 ½ cups (300 g) flour, 1 cup (100g) ground almonds, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Mist a spatula or your hands with oil 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.1 tsp vegetable oil
Bake the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare the glaze: mix together all the ingredients in a bowl until you have a thin and runny glaze.
- Divide the dough into thirds. Roll the dough on a silicone baking mat to a thickness of 2cm (just under an inch).
- Cut shapes using round, star or heart cookie cutters. Space the cookies out on the silicone mat and bake for 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering up any scraps and rolling out again and bake in batches.
Glaze
- Combine the ingredients for the glaze,1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp rum
- Transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack and brush with the glaze while they are still a little warm.
- Leave the glaze to dry and add a second layer if desired. Add sanding sugar, sprinkles or slivered almonds to decorate if you like. Check the recipe notes if you want to cover the lebkuchen in chocolate.sprinkles or sanding sugar, flaked almonds, 1 tbsp lemon juice
Store
- Put the cookies in a cake tin, separated by parchment paper so that they don’t stick. Place a few strips of orange peel in the tin. Lebkuchen become more delicious the longer you keep them making them the ideal festive gift!Orange peel strips
Notes
Chocolate glaze
- To cover the Lebkuchen in chocolate, melt half a cup (90g) dark chocolate chips by placing in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Take the pan off the heat once the chocolate chips have almost melted and add another half a cup (90g) dark chocolate chips. Stir gently until the chocolate chips have melted completely. Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate and leave to dry on a wire rack before storing.
Nutrition
Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Absolutely fantastic. Chocolate glaze made it even special.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Any recommendations for those without microwaves?
You can heat the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat
Absolutely delicious – even without the glaze! I needed to put the dough in the fridge to firm it up a bit.
Hi! Just wandering, can you sub the ground almonds for more flour?(and maybe a little ameretto?) I made a batch and LOVE them but my sister has a nut allergy and so I can’t give her any..
I did fiddle with the recipe slightly, with the size cutters I had there was no way I was getting 30 cookies from the dough so I rolled to a little over 1cm and baked for 9-10 mins but they came out brilliant! Much better recipe than I tried last year!
The almonds make the cookies moist – if you add more flour they will be quite dry. If your sister tolerates any other type of nut you could substitute with that
Can you use almond flour?
Not entirely
I did 1.5x the spices and would probably add even a bit more next time as I am used to Lebkuchen being a quite spiced cookie, but otherwise these are delicious.
We only got 15 cookies out of 1 batch though, they did spread a little as they baked though so we could have used a smaller cookie cutter, the one we used was approx 7cm and the cookies were 9cm when baked.
Thank you for the recipe!
Making these now. Afraid to leave raw egg out overnight? Is it bad to put it in the refrigerator?
You can put it in the fridge if you like
I accidentally bought almond flour instead of almond meal….will this make a huge difference? Or can I use the flour? Thanks
No that’s should be fine 👍🏻
My 2 cents: These are not identical to an authentic Nürnberger Lebkuchen (my mom comes from the area, so I grew up on those things at Christmas), but they are absolutely delicious! I like the lemon flavour that comes through with the spices… It’s different and well-balanced. Mine came out much lighter in texture than the original, which I liked.
My dough was very sticky though so I had to add a few TBS more flour, and in the end I just rolled it into a tube and divided the dough into good sized (large!) rounds. They made perfectly round, lightly fluffy cookies and I did half in the lemon glaze and half in chocolate.
They’re lovely and I will be making them again and again.
Everyone at work is raving about these! Im making more as i only took in half the batch and they disappeared very quickly. I have a recipe for lebkuchengewurz so added that instead of the spices here. They came out perfect.
Would love your recipe for lebkuchengewurz if you don’t mind to share!
On my list!