Monika's Oma's Lebkuchen Men

4.0
(1)
1 Review
2 Photos

This German Christmas cookie recipe comes from my college's much-loved German language resident. She hung them up on the walls as Christmas decorations, and we used to sneak them off to eat during class. For the best flavor, put them aside in a tin for a few weeks before eating them.

Submitted by Sinopa2
Published on June 19, 2020
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Additional Time:
2 hrs 25 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs
Servings:
30
Yield:
30 gingerbread cookies
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 30 servings

  • 2 cups ground almonds

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • ½ cup white sugar

  • 2 teaspoons cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 6 ½ tablespoons butter

  • ¼ cup honey

  • 1 egg

Icing:

  • 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

  • 2 tablespoons boiling water, or as needed

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two baking sheets.

  2. Mix ground almonds, flour, white sugar, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to rub in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add honey and egg; mix together to form a dough.

  3. Dust work surface with flour. Roll out dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with a floured cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

  4. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

  5. Combine confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a bowl. Mix in enough boiling water to make a smooth and spreadable icing. Spread icing on cooled cookies using a table knife. Set aside until icing hardens, about 2 hours.

Cook's Notes:

Substitute ground hazelnuts for the almonds if preferred.

If you plan to hang the cookies, make a small hole at the top of their heads before baking.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

160 Calories
9g Fat
19g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 30
Calories 160
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 68mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 3g 7%
Calcium 38mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 102mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.