10 Steps To Making Traditonal Lebkuchen Gingerbread

Viennese gingerbread, also known as Lebkuchen, is a traditional Austrian and German holiday treat. It’s a spiced and often honey-sweetened gingerbread cookie that can be enjoyed during the Christmas season. Here’s a recipe to make authentic Viennese gingerbread:

Ingredients:

For the Gingerbread Dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ground almonds or hazelnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 large eggs

For the Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds or hazelnuts, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add Honey and Eggs: Add the honey to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until well combined. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. The dough may be slightly sticky. If it’s too sticky to handle, you can refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.
6. Shape the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use gingerbread cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie.
7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Be careful not to overbake to keep the cookies soft.
8. Make Icing: While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if needed.
9. Decorate: Once the cookies are completely cooled, drizzle or spread the icing over the cookies. Allow the icing to set before storing the gingerbread.
10. Store: Store the Viennese gingerbread in an airtight container. The flavors tend to meld and improve after a day or two.

Enjoy these authentic Viennese gingerbread cookies with a cup of tea or coffee during the festive season. The spices and honey give them a rich and warm flavor that is characteristic of traditional European gingerbread. —Vita Daily