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Lebkuchen: A Delicious Holiday Treat from Germany

History of Lebkuchen

Honey-sweet, richly spiced ginger Lebkuchen can be traced back to the early days of the European spice trade when sugar was an expensive luxury and honey the common sweetener.

Although gingerbread has been baked in Europe for centuries, of all the European countries, Germany is the one with the longest and strongest tradition of baking flat, shaped gingerbreads known as Lebkuchen.

Lebkuchen were first baked in the city of Nuremberg in 1395 where the first Lebkuchen bakery was documented. During the Middle ages, the spices used for baking the gingerbread reached Nuremburg via the famous spice routes which were inspected by city-employed spice inspectors at the gates to the city.

It took until 1643 before the city of Nuremburg approved the establishment of a "sworn" Lebkuchen Baker's Guild which began with 14 master gingerbread bakers who were bound by strict regulations.

Up until 1867, Lebkuchen were made by hand. Since the beginning of free commercial trade in Bavaria after this date, it has been made by automated processes. However, many of Nuremburg's bakeries still produce some of their Lebkuchen specialties by hand. Today around 2,000 Lebkuchen per minute are produced in Nuremburg by approximately 4,000 employees. Some are made by major companies and some by family-run bakeries, but all use traditional recipes passed down from generation to generation. The oldest gingerbread recipe from the 16th century is housed in the Germanic National Museum.

In 1996, Nuremburg gingerbread was declared a "protected geographical indication" and is authorized to use the EU stamp.

The main ingredients of Lebkuchen are:

Honey, flour, sugar, eggs, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, candied orange and lemon peel, marzipan, spices (cinnamon, ginger, aniseed, cloves, pimento, coriander, cardamom).

Examples of German Lebkuchen Available in the US:

  • Nuremburg Lebkuchen


    Only Lebkuchen produced within the city limits of Nuremburg may be called "Nuremburg Lebkuchen" as laid down by the Berlin District court in 1927. Nuremburg gingerbread is also a "protected geographical indication" according to EU rules (as of 1996).

  • Brown Lebkuchen


    All types of Lebkuchen not baked on a wafer with or without milk/dark chocolate glaze.

  • Elisen Lebkuchen


    Gingerbread cookies baked on a wafer. Named after the daughter of a Nuremburg guild member.

  • Choco Pfeffernüsse


    Sugar-glazed gingerbread cookies with a dark chocolate coated base and dark chocolate drizzled over the top.

  • Dominosteine


    Chocolate-coated spiced Lebkuchen cakes with a jelly and marzipan filling.

  • Hearts and Stars or Stars and Pretzels


    Gingerbread cookies shaped as hearts and stars covered in chocolate.

  • Gingerbread Trees


    Gingerbread cookies shaped as Christmas trees.

  • Pfeffernüsse


    Sugar-glazed gingerbread cookies.

  • Zimtsterne


    Cinnamon-flavored hazelnut gingerbread stars.

Where to Find Lebkuchen

Online:

Stores (for a full listing check our retailer database):

 Gingerbread Lebkuchen House

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