German Lebkuchen – pronounced LAYB-kue-chn – and sometimes called Pfefferkuchen is a German baked Christmas treat somewhat resembling gingerbread. Soft, moist and nutty German gingerbread was invented by medieval monks in Franconia, Germany (Our home “province”) in the 13th century. Lebkuchen bakers were recorded as early as 1296 in the city of Ulm and in 1395 in Nürnberg (Nuremberg). The latter being the most famous exporter today of the product that is known as Nüremberger Lebkuchen (Nürnberger Lebkuchen).
The main ingredients for baking Lebkuchen are: Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Almonds, Candied Orange and Lemon Peel, Honey, Flour, Sugar, Eggs and Marzipan.
Add to these some exotic spices from all around the world (cinnamon, cloves, anise, cardamom, coriander, ginger and mace) to make the Lebkuchen a special treat.
Lebkuchen is the general name for a variety of different cookies and pastries that are made with this combination of ingredients. Lebkuchen can be round or square or rectangular. The cookies can be glazed or not glazed. And if they are glazed it can be white or chocolate. Sometimes cocoa is mixed in with the dough for a rich chocolately Lebkuchen. Other times roasted apple or marzipan or cashews may be mixed in to add different flavours and textures.
Other traditional German Christmas treats that also fall under the umbrella of Lebkuchen: Stollen, a rich, sweet loaf, Dominosteine, Speculatius and there are other yummy pastries.
Where is the Lebkuchen made?
@ Bretzel (Canada | Victoria BC) – We start our Christmas or German Lebkuchen season in late August. The pre-dough is made at the end of august to give the ingredients enough time to develop their aroma.
Schmidt Lebkuchen (Germany | Nuremberg) – the bakery known for its fabulous assortment of decorative chests and tins. Schmidt has been baking premium quality Lebkuchen in the traditional ways for decades. Gingerbread World brings in a large order of Schmidt Lebkuchen fresh for the Christmas holiday season and ships to customers all over North America.
Fraunholz Lebkuchen (Germany | Nuremberg) – a family owned and operated wheat-free bakery in Nuremberg that provides our Gluten Free Lebkuchen cookies.
Wicklein Lebkuchen (Germany | Nuremberg) – the oldest of the three brands, Wicklein has been around for almost four hundred years. We currently carry a small offering of some of their specialty cookies like Vanilla Crescents and Cinnamon Stars and their iconic Nutcracker Tin.
Why is “authentic Nuremberg” Lebkuchen (or “Nürnberger Lebkuchen”) such a big deal?
History records Lebkuchen bakers in city of Nuremberg as early as 1395. Today’s Lebkuchen bakers in Nuremberg are known for the highest quality pastries with the highest nut content. Emperor Friedrich III held a general assembly in Nuremberg in 1487 and invited the children of the city to a special event where he presented Lebkuchen bearing his printed portrait to almost four thousand kids. And with this in mind, Lebkuchen Schmidt offers its Kaiserlein biscuit – brown Lebkuchen coated with chocolate bearing an imprint of Friedrich.
Interesting things about Lebkuchen
What do I drink and eat with Lebkuchen?
Like any other pastry, Lebkuchen is perfect with coffee or tea. But because of their spicy taste and nutty texture you may want to try them with a glass of wine and some grapes or figs. A special option would be to pair it with Glühwein – a traditional German mulled wine enjoyed at Christmas. I also enjoy crumbling the cookies over ice cream and drizzling on some liqueur like Frangelico or Disaronno to create an easy and very yummy dessert.
What is the difference between Oblaten Lebkuchen and Elisen Lebkuchen?
The difference between Oblaten Lebkuchen and Elisen Lebkuchen is mainly their respective oilseed contents, like hazelnuts or almonds. The German guidelines for Feine Backwaren (fine baked goods) regulate exactly the legal requirements for each recipe. With Oblaten Lebkuchen there is also a distinction between ‘normal’ Oblaten Lebkuchen with a minimum of 7% oilseed content and ‘premium’ Oblaten Lebkuchen with a minimum of 14% oilseed content. Schmidt only produces the high-quality Premium Oblaten Lebkuchen. Elisen Lebkuchen’s oilseed content must be at least 25% . Also, for Elisen quality Lebkuchen only so called “precious oilseeds” can be used. These are hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds.
Is there Gluten Free or Vegan or Organic Lebkuchen?
Unfortunately No. We haven’t found the right recipe yet, which meets our quality standards, but we are working on it, believe us!
What is that white papery thing on the bottom of the cookie?
That is called an Oblaten – German for a paper thin wafer. They may look familiar to anyone who has taken Communion in a Lutheran or Catholic Church. It is absolutely edible. I personally prefer to peel the wafer off the bottom of the cookie and set it aside. The wafer of non-GF Lebkuchen is made with flour so even if the Lebkuchen is made with “no wheat flour in the dough” the wafer is not Gluten Free.
Can I freeze Lebkuchen?
Yes – lots of our customers freeze some Lebkuchen to enjoy in the spring sand summer. Lebkuchen can be frozen in appropriate freezer bags. It’s important that they are defrosted gently and slowly. The more gently this is done the softer and more succulent they will be once defrosted.
When will Lebkuchen be available?
We start with the pre-dough usually in July. The dough has to sit for about 10 weeks to let the aromas unfold freely. We bake according to the principle that good things take time. In mid November we start making the original Nuremberger Lebkuchen, here in Victoria BC. Please pre order your Lebkuchen, because quantities are limited
