Few Christmas treats capture the warmth of the season quite like Nuremberg Lebkuchen. Fragrant with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, honey, citrus, and toasted nuts, these classic German Christmas cookies are wonderfully soft, richly spiced, and perfect for a holiday cookie platter.
Unlike the familiar American gingerbread cookie, Nuremberg-style lebkuchen is especially nutty and tender. Ground hazelnuts and almonds form much of the base, while candied citrus peel adds little bursts of bright flavor among all those warming Christmas spices.
For an especially festive finish, make the cookies in two styles: coat some with glossy dark chocolate and decorate the others with a simple white icing drizzle. You can even drizzle the white icing over the chocolate-covered cookies for the beautiful bakery-style look pictured above.
If you love traditional Christmas baking, you can find even more festive ideas in our Christmas Recipes collection.
🎄 What Is Nuremberg Lebkuchen?
Lebkuchen is Germany’s famous spiced Christmas gingerbread, but there are many different varieties.
Nuremberg is particularly associated with Elisenlebkuchen, a luxurious style made with a high proportion of ground nuts and comparatively little flour. Almonds, hazelnuts, honey, candied citrus peel, and aromatic spices create cookies that are softer and more substantial than ordinary gingerbread.
They are traditionally baked as rounds, often on thin edible baking wafers called Oblaten, and may be finished with sugar glaze, chocolate, almonds, or left plain.
The result is somewhere between a cookie, a soft gingerbread cake, and a nut confection — and it is absolutely wonderful with coffee or tea at Christmastime.
🍪 Traditional Nuremberg Lebkuchen Recipe
| Recipe Details | |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Resting Time | 30 minutes |
| Bake Time | 12–15 minutes |
| Decorating Time | 20 minutes |
| Total Time | About 1 hour 35 minutes |
| Yield | 18–20 lebkuchen |
| Cuisine | German |
| Course | Dessert / Christmas Cookies |
🛒 Ingredients
For the Lebkuchen
- 1¾ cups (175 g) finely ground hazelnuts
- 1¼ cups (125 g) finely ground almonds or almond flour
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (75 g) finely chopped candied orange peel
- ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped candied lemon peel
- 2 ounces (about 60 g) marzipan, finely crumbled
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 18–20 round baking wafers or Oblaten, about 2¾–3 inches wide, optional
For the Dark Chocolate Topping
- 5 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil
For the White Icing Drizzle
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1–2 teaspoons water, as needed
🥣 How to Make Nuremberg Lebkuchen
1. Prepare the Nut Mixture
In a large bowl, combine the ground hazelnuts, ground almonds, flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
Stir until all of the spices are evenly distributed.
Finely chop the candied orange and lemon peel. You want the pieces quite small so every cookie receives a little citrus without any large chewy chunks.
Add the candied peel and lemon zest to the nut mixture.
2. Prepare the Marzipan
Finely crumble or grate the marzipan.
If your marzipan is particularly firm, pulsing it briefly in a food processor with the candied citrus peel makes it easier to distribute throughout the batter.
Add it to the nut mixture and toss gently.
3. Beat the Egg Whites
Place the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat until they become foamy and begin forming soft peaks.
Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. Continue for several minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and glossy.
4. Add the Honey and Apricot Preserves
Gently beat or fold the honey and apricot preserves into the egg-white mixture until combined.
The honey provides that characteristic warm sweetness, while the small amount of apricot preserves contributes moisture and a subtle fruity note.
5. Combine the Batter
Gradually fold the nut mixture into the egg whites.
The finished batter will be considerably thicker than ordinary cookie dough. It should be soft and sticky but firm enough to hold its shape when spooned onto the baking wafers.
Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to rest for about 30 minutes.
This gives the ground nuts time to absorb some of the moisture and lets the Christmas spices begin mingling together.
🔥 Shape and Bake the Lebkuchen
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
If you’re using Oblaten, arrange them approximately 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of lebkuchen mixture onto the center of each wafer.
Using the back of a damp spoon or slightly damp fingers, gently spread the mixture almost to the edge of each wafer, creating a thick round cookie.
No wafers? You can spoon the mixture directly onto parchment paper instead. Keep the cookies approximately 3 inches wide and leave a little space between them.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are set and the edges are very lightly browned.
Don’t wait for the cookies to become dark or crisp. Lebkuchen should remain wonderfully soft inside.
Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before decorating.
🍫 Make the Chocolate-Coated Lebkuchen
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water, or microwave in short 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
Once smooth and glossy, dip the tops of half of the cooled lebkuchen into the melted chocolate.
Alternatively, spoon chocolate over each cookie and gently spread it to the edges.
Place the cookies on parchment paper and allow the chocolate to set.
🤍 Make the White Icing
Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Whisk until smooth, adding water ½ teaspoon at a time until you have a thick but drizzleable icing.
Transfer the icing to a small piping bag, zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, or simply drizzle it from the end of a spoon.
Drizzle thin white stripes back and forth across the remaining plain lebkuchen.
For the beautiful mixed presentation shown in the photo, drizzle some of the chocolate-covered lebkuchen with white icing too.
Allow the icing to set completely before stacking or storing the cookies.
✨ How to Get That Beautiful Christmas Bakery Look
The easiest way to create a gorgeous holiday cookie platter is to vary the finishes.
Try making:
- One-third with dark chocolate coating and white drizzle
- One-third plain with white icing drizzle
- One-third with chocolate only
Arrange them on a vintage serving plate or Christmas cookie tray and scatter a few cinnamon sticks, star anise, or whole almonds around the cookies for decoration.
The contrast between the golden lebkuchen, dark chocolate, and snowy white icing makes these especially pretty for Christmas entertaining.
🎅 What Do Nuremberg Lebkuchen Taste Like?
Expect a very different cookie from ordinary gingerbread.
These lebkuchen are:
Soft and chewy rather than crisp.
Nutty, thanks to the generous amount of almonds and hazelnuts.
Warmly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
Citrusy from candied orange, candied lemon, and fresh lemon zest.
Sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet, especially when topped with dark chocolate.
They are exactly the sort of cookie that seems to taste even more Christmassy the day after you bake them.
☕ What to Serve With Lebkuchen
Lebkuchen makes a lovely addition to a Christmas dessert platter alongside other European holiday treats.
For a German-inspired Christmas spread, serve them with our Traditional Dresden Stollen.
They are also delicious with:
- Freshly brewed coffee
- Espresso
- Black tea
- Chai tea
- Hot chocolate
- Mulled cider
- Glühwein
- Warm milk
And if you’re in the mood for even more Christmas spice, try our Traditional Christmas Gingerbread Cookies.
🎁 Lebkuchen Make Wonderful Homemade Christmas Gifts
These cookies are made for Christmas cookie tins.
Once the chocolate and icing have completely set, layer the lebkuchen between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in a decorative tin.
Add a ribbon and gift tag and you have a homemade Christmas gift that feels far more special than anything picked up at the last minute.
They also pair beautifully with Traditional Raspberry Linzer Cookies in a European-inspired Christmas cookie box.
🫙 How to Store Lebkuchen
Place completely cooled and decorated lebkuchen in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment or waxed paper.
Keep them in a cool room away from direct sunlight and heat.
One of the loveliest things about lebkuchen is that the flavors settle and deepen after baking, so don’t be afraid to make them a day or two before you plan to serve them.
For the prettiest presentation, wait until the chocolate and white glaze are completely firm before stacking the cookies.
💡 Recipe Tips
Don’t overbake them. The centers should remain soft. They’ll continue to firm slightly as they cool.
Finely chop the citrus peel. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the cookies.
Toast your hazelnuts first. A few minutes in the oven can deepen their flavor considerably. Let them cool before grinding.
Use fresh spices. Because spice is one of the dominant flavors in lebkuchen, spices that have been sitting in the cupboard for years won’t provide the same aroma.
Don’t make the icing too thin. A thick white drizzle creates the beautiful contrasting stripes seen on traditional holiday cookies.
Use dark chocolate if you like contrast. Its slight bitterness works particularly well against the honey, nuts, and sweet spices.
❓ Nuremberg Lebkuchen FAQ
Is Lebkuchen the same as gingerbread?
They’re related, but they’re not quite the same. The German term Lebkuchen encompasses several styles of spiced baked goods. Nut-rich Nuremberg-style lebkuchen can be much softer, thicker, and nuttier than the rolled gingerbread cookies familiar to many American bakers.
What are Oblaten?
Oblaten are thin edible baking wafers commonly placed underneath certain styles of German lebkuchen. They help support the soft nut-rich mixture during baking.
They are useful for this recipe but not essential for making a delicious homemade version.
Can I make lebkuchen without hazelnuts?
Yes. Replace the hazelnuts with an equal amount of ground almonds. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Can I leave off the candied citrus peel?
You can, although citrus is an important part of the classic flavor. If you strongly dislike candied peel, use additional fresh orange and lemon zest instead.
Can I make these ahead for Christmas?
Definitely. In fact, lebkuchen is an excellent make-ahead Christmas cookie because the spices taste even more harmonious after the cookies have had time to rest.
Should lebkuchen be soft or crunchy?
This style should be soft and tender in the middle with only a lightly baked exterior. If your lebkuchen becomes hard and crunchy throughout, it has probably been baked too long.
🎄 A Taste of a German Christmas
There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about a tray of homemade lebkuchen at Christmas.
The combination of toasted nuts, honey, citrus, and warming spices fills the kitchen with the unmistakable aroma of holiday baking, while the glossy chocolate and delicate white icing make the finished cookies beautiful enough for any Christmas table.
Make a batch for your family, tuck a few into Christmas cookie tins, and save several to enjoy with a quiet cup of coffee beside the tree.
And if you’re planning a full afternoon of holiday baking, browse our Christmas Recipes for even more cookies, cakes, candies, drinks, and festive treats.
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- Traditional Dresden Stollen Recipe
- Traditional Christmas Gingerbread Cookie Recipe with Warm Spices
- Traditional Raspberry Linzer Cookies Recipe
- Christmas Recipes: Holiday Baking, Dinner, Desserts & Drinks
- How to Say Happy Christmas in German
