These Lebkuchen Bars are soft, chewy and loaded with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger. Topped with an orange glaze and they taste even better after a few days!
GERMAN SPICED COOKIE BARS
Okay so I know these are traditionally a Christmas cookie from Germany, but I’m sharing them in the middle of winter anyway because they’re just too good to wait until December! These remind me of gingerbread but softer and chewier. The wild thing about Lebkuchen is they actually taste better the longer they sit. Like, you can eat them right away and they’re good, but wait a week and suddenly they’re amazing! The spices just keep getting deeper and more intense. I made these for the first time after the holidays were over and now I refuse to wait a whole year to make them again!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What do Lebkuchen bars taste like?
Think soft gingerbread meets a chewy cookie bar. The honey and brown sugar make them really moist, and the cinnamon and ginger give you all those cozy warm spice flavors. The orange glaze on top adds a nice bright citrus note.
Why do I have to let the dough sit overnight?
The spices need time to bloom and develop their flavor. Plus the dough is super sticky when you first mix it, so chilling it makes it way easier to spread in the pan.
Can I skip refrigerating and just leave it on the counter?
Some traditional recipes do that, but there’s a raw egg in this dough and I’m just not comfortable leaving that out all night. Refrigerating works perfectly fine and the bars still turn out great.
Can I use different spices?
Absolutely! I keep mine simple with just cinnamon and ginger because that’s what I like. But the old-school German version uses cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg too. Make it however you want.
Are the almonds and candied peel necessary?
Nope, totally optional. I usually skip the candied peel because I don’t always have it on hand. The almonds add a nice crunch though.
How long do these actually stay good?
These will last up to a month in a sealed container on your counter. Seriously. And they keep getting better for the first couple weeks.
Can these be frozen?
Yes! Wrap them well and they’ll freeze for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- honey – this is what makes these bars so soft and chewy.
- dark brown sugar – make sure you pack it into your measuring cup.
- granulated sugar – just regular white sugar.
- unsalted butter – you don’t need much but it adds richness.
- all-purpose flour – spoon it into your measuring cup, don’t pack it down.
- baking soda – check the date on your box to make sure it’s still good!
- ground cinnamon and ground ginger – the stars of the show. Buy good quality spices for this one.
- egg – let it sit on the counter for a bit so it’s room temperature.
- orange juice – fresh squeezed is best but store-bought is fine.
- orange zest – I use a microplane to get really fine zest.
- vanilla extract – just the regular stuff.
- sliced almonds – optional but they add texture.
- candied orange peel – also optional. If you use it, chop it up small.
- confectioners’ sugar – for the glaze on top.
- fresh ginger – just a tiny bit grated for the glaze.
HOW TO MAKE LEBKUCHEN BARS:
Get a big saucepan and put it on the stove over medium-low heat. Throw in your honey, both sugars, and butter. Stir everything around until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. It’ll get all syrupy. Pull it off the heat and let it cool down for about 15 minutes.
While that’s cooling, grab a bowl and whisk together your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger. Set that aside.
Once your honey mixture has cooled off, crack in your egg and add the orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla. Stir it all together. If you’re using the almonds and candied orange peel, toss those in now too.
Pour in your flour mixture and stir until everything comes together into a sticky dough.
Now here’s where you wait. Press some plastic wrap right onto the surface of the dough, then cover the whole pan with another piece of plastic wrap. Stick it in the fridge and let it hang out overnight. At least 8 hours.
The next day when you’re ready to bake, turn your oven to 350F degrees. Grease up a 9×9-inch pan and dust it with flour.
Pull your dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes. It needs to warm up a bit so it’s easier to spread.
Dump the dough into your prepared pan and spread it out as evenly as you can. It’s gonna be sticky so just do your best.
Bake it for 20-30 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you can stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
While the bars are in the oven, make your glaze. Just whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, grated ginger, and vanilla until it’s smooth.
When the bars come out, set the pan on a cooling rack. Right away, brush or spread that glaze all over the top while everything’s still warm.
Let the whole thing cool down completely before you cut it. The glaze needs to set up.
Here’s the kicker – these are good now, but if you can stick them in a container and ignore them for a week, they’ll be even better. I know it’s hard to wait but it’s worth it!
Lebkuchen Bars
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sliced unblanched almonds optional
- 1/3 cup finely chopped candied orange peel optional
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter. Stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
- Once honey mixture has cooled, add 1 large egg, 2 Tablespoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. If using, add 1/2 cup sliced unblanched almonds and 1/3 cup finely chopped candied orange peel. Stir to combine.
- Add flour mixture and stir until a sticky dough forms.
- Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dough and cover the pan with another piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Spread dough evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While bars are baking, whisk together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tablespoons orange juice, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack. Immediately brush or spread glaze evenly over the warm bars.
- Let cool completely and allow glaze to set before cutting.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. These bars can be eaten right away but the flavor develops and improves over time. They’re best 1-2 weeks after baking.
Notes
- Traditional lebkuchen uses a blend of spices: 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger.
- Feel free to try this if you want the classic flavor.
- These make great care package treats since they stay fresh and actually get better with time.
- Don’t ship these in hot weather because they contain butter and honey.
