Lebkuchen

These cookies should be made a month to six weeks before they are to be given. They will keep for another month after that.

Yield: about 50 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup honey
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Grated peel of 1 lemon
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sliced almonds or whole blanched almonds

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 to 5 tablespoons water

Instructions

Cookies

1. Heat honey until bubbling. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then beat in the sugar, egg, lemon juice and peel; set aside until lukewarm.
2. Combine the flour with the spices and seasonings; add the honey mixture and stir well to blend. Cover and refrigerate from 8 hours to 2 days.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Set them 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Press flat with the bottom of a wet glass. Press in 1 or 2 almond slices or 1 whole almond.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Brush with glaze while still warm, then allow to cool.

Glaze

1. Combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 4 to 5 tablespoons water, stirring to make a runny glaze.
2. Store in airtight containers for a few weeks.
3. These cookies start out hard and soften as they mature.

Attribution

Tulsa Tribune - November 13, 1991