Name: Brown Butter & Cardamom Lebkuchen Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 100g salted butter; 150g light brown soft sugar; 200ml honey; 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 100g ground almonds; 1 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground cloves; ¼ tsp ground allspice; ¼ tsp ground ginger; Pinch of ground mace; Pinch of ground nutmeg; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 egg; 1 lemon, zested; 200g icing sugar, sifted; 1 egg white

Introduction

These brown butter and cardamom lebkuchen are fragrant, spiced German cookies perfect for the holiday season. With a rich blend of warming spices and a nutty brown butter base, they offer a delightful balance of sweetness and depth. Decorated with a smooth icing, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious.

A white plate with dark red floral patterns holds an assortment of gingerbread cookies decorated with white icing. The cookies are shaped like stars, hearts, trees, and stockings, all with different icing designs like dots, stripes, and snowflakes. Some cookies rest on a round wooden slab under the plate. To the right, a red and gold round tin with a vintage carousel design is partially opened, revealing more gingerbread cookies inside, some peeking out. In the background are blurred green pine branches and gold ribbon on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

100g salted butter

150g light brown soft sugar

200ml honey

350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

100g ground almonds

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp ground ginger

Pinch of ground mace

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 egg

1 lemon, zested

200g icing sugar, sifted

1 egg white

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir regularly as it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown, about 7 minutes, until it smells nutty. Remove from heat.

Step 2: Stir in the sugar and honey, then return to low heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, nutmeg, cocoa powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda.

Step 4: Whisk the egg into the cooled butter mixture, then pour this into the dry ingredients along with the lemon zest. Mix well to form a dough ball. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/gas mark 4. Dust a work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to about 1cm thick. Use cutters in shapes like hearts, stars, or gingerbread people (5-8cm) to cut the cookies.

Step 6: If you wish to hang the cookies, poke a small hole near the top of each with a skewer. Place cookies spaced apart on lined baking trays.

Step 7: Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden at the edges and just set. Allow to cool completely on the trays.

Step 8: To make the icing, whisk the icing sugar and egg white to a smooth, pipeable consistency. Transfer to a piping bag and decorate the cooled cookies. Let the icing set for at least 1 hour before storing.

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, try adding a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest along with the lemon zest.

If you prefer a milder spice profile, reduce the cloves and allspice to ⅛ tsp each.

Use almond flour instead of ground almonds for a finer texture.

Decorate with melted dark chocolate instead of icing for a rich alternative.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare and chill the dough for up to 24 hours before rolling and baking. Just keep it wrapped tightly in the fridge.

Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted?

Yes, but reduce or omit any additional salt in the recipe since salted butter adds seasoning to the dough.

Dessert

Brown Butter & Cardamom Lebkuchen Recipe