Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Food processor for grinding nuts
• •Small saucepan
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Sheet pans with parchment paper
• •Wire cooling racks
• •Double boiler or heatproof bowl for chocolate
• •Airtight tin for storage

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast and grind the nuts

   Spread almonds and hazelnuts on separate sheet pans. Toast in a 325°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway, until fragrant and barely golden. The hazelnuts will color faster than the almonds, so watch them carefully. Cool completely. Grind each in a food processor until very fine but not oily. You want powder, not paste. Stop before you create nut butter.

   Store-bought almond flour works in a pinch, but freshly ground nuts have superior flavor and moisture content.
2. 2

   Prepare the fruit and spices

   Mince the candied citron and orange peel as finely as your patience allows. Larger pieces create uneven texture. Combine all ground spices in a small bowl: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, allspice, and that pinch of white pepper. This is your Lebkuchen gewürz, the soul of the cookie. Smell it. The aroma should transport you to a German Christmas market, all woodsmoke and mulled wine.

3. 3

   Warm the honey mixture

   Combine honey and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just begins to simmer. Remove from heat immediately. You're not making caramel. You're simply liquefying the sugar so it incorporates smoothly. Let cool for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Build the dough

   In a large bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, minced candied fruits, both zests, the spice mixture, baking powder, and flour. Make a well in the center. Beat the eggs lightly with the rum. Pour the warm honey mixture and the egg mixture into the well. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything comes together into a thick, sticky dough. It will look rough. That's correct.

   The dough firms as it cools. If it seems too loose, refrigerate for 30 minutes before shaping.
5. 5

   Rest the dough

   Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if time permits. Traditional bakers let their Lebkuchen dough rest for up to a week, claiming the spices bloom and deepen. Even one hour improves the texture noticeably. The dough should be firm enough to handle without sticking to everything it touches.

6. 6

   Shape the cookies

   Preheat your oven to 350°F. Arrange the Oblaten wafers on parchment-lined sheet pans, leaving an inch between each. Wet your hands lightly. Take a generous tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten it slightly and press it onto an Oblaten. The dough should cover the wafer but not extend past the edges. Smooth the top into a gentle dome. The cookie will spread slightly as it bakes.

7. 7

   Bake until set

   Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The Lebkuchen are done when the tops appear dry and matte, with the faintest golden tinge at the edges. They will feel soft. Do not overbake. These cookies are meant to be chewy, almost fudgy. They firm as they cool but should never turn crisp. Transfer the pans to wire racks and cool completely before glazing.

8. 8

   Prepare the chocolate glaze

   Chop the chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl with the coconut oil. Set over a pot of barely simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water. Stir occasionally until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat. Dip the top of each cookie into the chocolate, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place chocolate-side up on the rack. Press a blanched almond half into the center before the chocolate sets.

9. 9

   Prepare the white glaze

   Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the lemon juice and water. Whisk until smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable. If too thick, add water a few drops at a time. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. Spread over the cooled cookies with the back of a spoon or drizzle artfully. The glaze should be opaque white, not translucent. Decorate with almonds while wet.

10. 10

    Cure and store

    Let the glazed cookies set completely at room temperature, about 2 hours. Layer them in an airtight tin with parchment between layers. Add a slice of fresh apple or a small piece of bread to the tin to maintain moisture. Store at cool room temperature for up to 4 weeks. The cookies soften and improve over the first week as the spices marry and the honey does its work.

    Replace the apple slice every few days to prevent mold while keeping the cookies perfectly soft.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out Oblaten wafers at German delis, specialty baking shops, or online retailers. In a pinch, bake directly on parchment and trim any spreading edges, but the wafer base is worth finding.
• •The quality of your honey matters here. Use a robust wildflower or forest honey, not the plastic bear from the supermarket. German bakers prize their local Waldhonig.
• •Candied citron from a proper bakery supplier tastes nothing like the fluorescent green pebbles sold ingrocery stores at Christmas. Italian citron or German Zitronat have genuine flavor.
• •For gift giving, pack the cookies in decorative tins with the apple slice trick. They ship beautifully and arrive soft, a tradition that dates back centuries.
• •Traditional Nuremberg bakers make three varieties: Elisenlebkuchen (nearly flourless, the finest grade), regular Lebkuchen, and Braune Lebkuchen (with more flour). This recipe falls between the first two.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor actually improves with time.
• •Unglazed baked cookies keep for 1 week in an airtight container before glazing.
• •Fully glazed and stored cookies improve for 1 to 2 weeks and keep up to 4 weeks in a sealed tin with apple slice for moisture.
• •Freeze unglazed cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw and glaze before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 57g)