I’ve loved this slightly chewy, soft gingerbread cookie (in contrast to the crisp, snappy variety) since enjoying is as often as I could in the Czech Republic. Besides beautifully decorated showpieces, every grocery store stocked multiple varieties single serving cakes filled with your selection of jam and glazed in a thin veneer of chocolate. Years later, I even imposed upon my friend Jennifer to bring me back some from her annual trip to Austria, along with marzipan and plum paste. (That’s sort of a lot, isn’t it?)
These cookies are so easy to make–it’s whirred up in the food processor and frozen for at least four hours to stiffen it up a little. I left mine in the freezer a full twenty four hours, and you can see how soft and viscous it is even after that–so don’t skip that step or you may turn an easy cookie making venture into a frustrating one.
Scooping out with a cookie scoop is definitely helpful (see that part about being sticky and viscous above), but the good news is even as imperfect as my scoops started looking, they all baked up into lovely rounds. Even my younger son enjoyed helping–that’s his cute little hand.
The frosting is as simple as can be–sugar held together by milk and a bit of butter. It’s nothing but pure saccharine, which actually is the perfect icing for such complex and rich cookies. Everyone I shared these cookies with gave them rave reviews, and I hope you enjoy them as much as we all did!
Lebkuchen (Austrian Gingerbread Cookies)
- Total Time: 4 hours 32 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These Central European soft gingerbread cookies, known as Lebkuchen, are rich with spices, candied ginger, and a touch of marmalade, making them perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups blanched whole almonds
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
- 1/2 cup marmalade
For the frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, or toast, stirring frequently in a hot dry skillet for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool completely.
- In a food processor, pulse the toasted almonds until finely ground. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and salt, and pulse to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, molasses, eggs, lemon zest, candied ginger, and marmalade until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a large piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk, and wrap tightly. Freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours to firm up the dough.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and just set. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and melted butter until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let set before serving.
Notes
The cookies can be stored between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezing the dough is essential to manage its sticky texture. Using a cookie scoop helps in portioning the dough evenly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Central European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 15
Informative article, just what I was looking for.