Spicy Christmas Gingerbread (a traditional German Lebkuchen recipe)
By: Ashley Dew
If you want a bonafide German gingerbread experience, look no further. In Germany they call gingerbread, ‘Lebkuchen’ and this is a traditional German recipe that will impress. I moved to Germany around Christmas time and Lebkuchen (all nouns are capitalized in German, so to honor their word, I’ll stick with the capital L) and I quickly became friends. An extra bonus is that Lebkuchen is naturally paleo and gluten free (made with almonds and honey as opposed to wheat flour and sugar). Because of this, the texture is fluffy and rich, unlike the gingerbread cookies we know at home. So get yer’ lederhosen and dirndls on folks! This traditional German recipe will transport you overseas and you’ll want to be looking good when you get here.
Servings
8
Ready In:
45 mins
Calories:
369
Good For:
Snack
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
- 200g ground almonds or walnuts (a little more for rolling out)
- 0.5 tsp cream of tartar baking powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cloves powder
- 0.55 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 tsp allspice powder
- 80 ml honey or maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch(s) sea salt
Nutrition Facts
| Servings | 8 |
| Amount per Serving | |
| Calories | 54 |
| Total Fat | 3.2 g |
| – Saturated Fat | 2.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg |
| Sodium | 59 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 5.6 g |
| – Dietary Fiber | 0.3 g |
| – Total Sugars | 5.9 g |
| Protein | 0.8 g |
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C, remove the baking tray, line with baking paper and grease with 1 tsp coconut oil.
Step 2
Mix the ground almonds, spices, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Form a volcano-shaped crater.
Step 3
Melt 1 tbsp coconut oil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, melted coconut oil, and egg, then pour into the crater of the nut and spice mixture.
Step 4
Mix well with a fork from the inside out until you get a uniform mass.
Step 5
Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and leave to cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes. If you find that it is too wet to shape into a ball, you can shape it with the plastic wrap.
Step 6
Take the dough out of the fridge and sprinkle with some ground almonds. Divide into 6 balls and use your hands to form evenly round 1 inch thick flatbreads.
Step 7
Spread the flatbreads on the baking tray and place in the oven for about 14 minutes.
Step 8
Remove, let cool and enjoy.
Step 9
Once they have cooled, you can cover the gingerbread with a little dark, melted chocolate. I make mine with raw cacao powder and coconut oil melted and mixed together.
More Recipes
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Pumpkin Protein ShakeBy: Ashley DewWhether you are looking for a quick breakfast or lunch, an afternoon healthy treat, or a post-workout drink, this pumpkin pie protein shake recipe is the best of the best!! You can easily customize it to your taste or nutritional...
Apple and Brie Stuffed Chicken
Apple and Brie Stuffed ChickenBy: Ashley DewSweet apples & brie cheese are stuffed inside maple glazed chicken breasts & roasted to perfection! This apple & brie stuffed chicken is a delicious dinner that is super easy to make, takes no time to prepare,...
Creamy Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
Creamy Kale and Sweet Potato SaladBy: Ashley DewThis is a soulful dish that is perfect for the winter months. Paprika and cumin roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas are tossed through kale that is coated with a creamy cashew dressing, topped with a sprinkling of fresh...
Lemon Lavender Cake
Lemon Lavender CakeBy: Ashley DewThis has been my go-to cake for the last year. This incredible dessert will transport your taste buds to pretty cool places, as the tang of fresh lemons melds seamlessly with a delicate lavender twist. Its exotic. So whether you're...
Fig,Cranberry and Walnut Sausage Stuffing
Fig, Cranberry and Walnut Sausage StuffingBy: Ashley DewI absolutely adore stuffing/dressing. Was pure bread on it. It was always one of the highlights of Christmas and Thanksgiving meals. When I went gluten free I thought at first that those days were over but I was...
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Sausage Stuffed MushroomsBy: Ashley DewI hope you’re ready for a savory treat that’s the perfect addition to your holiday table! These sausage stuffed mushrooms are huge on flavor but contain no dairy, gluten or grains. They’re easy to put together and make the...