German Lebkuchen (Soft Gingerbread Cookies) Recipe
These German Lebkuchen are soft, spiced gingerbread cookies made with buckwheat flour, ground almonds, and naturally sweetened with date syrup. Enhanced with apricots and coated in rich dark chocolate, this dairy-free and vegan-friendly treat offers a perfect balance of warm spices and chewy texture, ideal for holiday celebrations or cozy snacking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16-18 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 12 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 100 g buckwheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 100 g finely ground almonds (or hazelnuts)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 4 tsp gingerbread spice
- 2 tsp orange zest
Wet Ingredients
- 150 g date syrup (or maple syrup)
- 50 g almond butter (or nut/seed butter of your choice)
- 180–200 ml dairy-free milk
Add-ins and Coating
- 70 g dried apricots (chopped into small pieces)
- 150 g dairy-free dark chocolate
- 2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Mold: Preheat your oven to 180 °C (356 °F) and lightly grease a silicone cookie mold shaped as you prefer, such as donuts, hearts, or gingerbread men.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, finely ground almonds, baking powder, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice, and orange zest. Stir well to evenly distribute all the dry components.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the date syrup, dairy-free milk, and almond butter into the dry mix. Stir thoroughly to combine and create a thick batter, then fold in the chopped dried apricots gently to incorporate them evenly.
- Fill Mold: Spoon the cookie batter into the silicone mold, filling each cavity. Tap the mold gently against the countertop to remove any large air bubbles and ensure an even spread of batter. The batter should yield 12 large cookies, each weighing about 60 grams.
- Bake: Place the mold in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes until they are soft but set. Once baked, remove the mold from the oven and transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt Chocolate Coating: Melt the dairy-free dark chocolate together with the coconut oil using a double boiler or in the microwave in short 10-15 second increments, stirring between each until smooth.
- Dip and Set: Dip each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off. Place the dipped cookies onto a parchment-paper-lined plate and transfer them to the fridge to allow the chocolate coating to set firmly.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once the chocolate shell has hardened, the German Lebkuchen cookies are ready to be enjoyed as a delicious, spiced treat.
Notes
- You can substitute buckwheat flour with all-purpose flour if preferred.
- Use any nut or seed butter you like in place of almond butter for different flavor variations.
- For the dairy-free milk, almond, oat, or soy milk are good options.
- Make your own gingerbread spice by mixing cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge to keep the chocolate coating intact.
