Glazed Lebkuchen Buttons

Traditional soft and chewy lebkuchen full of spices and coated in lemon glaze – perfect for gifting and eating.

Ingredients:

• 2 + 1/4 cups (310 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 + 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (100 grams) ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied peel (optional)
• 1/2 cup (160 grams) honey
• 1/2 cup (160 grams) molasses
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons brandy or rum

For the glaze (for 50-60 cookies) – make two batches to dip them all

• 250 grams) icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• small decorations to top the cookies (optional)

– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients – 

Equipment:

• Small saucepan
• Bowls and spoons
• small round (1 and a half inch) cookie cutter
• Cookie sheets lined with baking paper

Directions:

Sift the flour, baking soda, grond almonds and salt into a large bowl. Add the peel (if using) and mix everything together.

In a saucepan melt together the molasses, honey and spices. This will give the spices a chance to warm up and release more flavour.

When everything is melted and lovely – it should only take a few minutes – add the brandy to the hot liquid. Be careful as it may spatter a bit. Mix it together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Mix it all together with a wooden spoon. The dough will still be a bit warm.

Once the dough is mixed pack it into a container and pop it in the fridge for AT LEAST 24 hours. Preferably 48 hours or longer if you’re organised.

When you’re ready to bake get the dough out and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 160C (320F). Line cookie sheets with baking paper.

Roll the dough out on a sheet of baking paper until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Use a small round cutter – about an inch and a half in diameter – to cut out as many tiny cookies as you can.

Pop them onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are dry on top and starting to brown at the edges. They will puff up a little bit but not much so you can put the pretty close together.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Be careful lifting them off the paper as they can stick a bit while they’re warm. While the cookies are cooling make the glaze. In a shallow bowl mix the ingredients until the glaze is smooth.

It should be loose as we are going to dip the cookies.

When the cookies are cold use two forks to dip each one in glaze. I found it much easier to make two smaller batches of glaze or it’s a bit unmanageable – make the recipe at the bottom, dip as many cookies as you can then make another batch.

Make sure you tidy up any excess glaze and then leave the cookies on a wire rack until just touch dry on top. Move them to a sheet of baking paper to dry fully. If you leave them on the rack the whole time they will glue themselves there.

Let the cookies get completely dry before transferring them to an airtight container or packaging them up for gifting.

Cook’s Notes:

• How dark and liquorice-y these cookies taste will depend on how strong your molasses is. The flavour will vary between brands so make sure you taste it before baking so you know what to expect. In NZ the Red Seal brand is by far the strongest flavour of the ones I’ve tried.
• The peel really does add an extra dimension but I know there are people who don’t like it – if you do leave it out these cookies will still be delicious but not as complex.

 – The flavour of these cookies improves with age – just make sure to store them somewhere cool and dry  – 

Adapted from The Christmas Cook by William Woys Weaver.

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