This gluten-free vegan Lebkuchen recipe comes to you thanks to a winter holiday recipe request made by Carina and Paul, who asked for a recipe for gluten-free, dairy-free Lebkuchen. Carina said, "Miss Lebkucken from my gluten-filled childhood!" And Paul had the following request: "I'd love a gf recipe for Pitzel cookies and the german spice cookie called Lebkuchen..My mom used to make the Pitzel's every Christmas season and even sent them to me after I left home..The lebkuchen's..well..just an awesome Christmas season cookie..." So I set out to see what I can do here ;)
Lebkuchen, or "honey cakes," were always a favorite at our house growing up too, and so you can understand my excitement when I suddenly had an excuse to re-create this childhood treat!
These cookies are really easy to make, and would be great to make with kids. There are so many types of Lebkuchen out there though, that it was hard to narrow it down to one recipe. I fashioned these after my favorite version, but I'm also including suggestions for variations in the notes at the end of the recipe, so hopefully you can find a way to make these to your heart's content :)
Gluten-Free Vegan Lebkuchen Cookies
Adapted from this classic recipe by BBC Good Food. Gluten and dairy-free version of tasty lebkuchen, or "honey cakes" cookie recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: approx. 30 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Cookie:
- ½ cup dairy-free butter
- ¾ cup maple syrup {or Honey Bee Free since honey is traditional}
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend {I recommend Pamela's Artisan Flour Blend}{or make your own by combining: ¾ cup brown rice flour, ¾ cup tapioca starch, ½ cup sweet rice flour, ½ teaspoon guar gum}
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 tsp GF baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- tiny pinch {⅛ of a tsp} of each of the following: cloves, nutmeg, black pepper
- zest of 1 lemon
Icing:
- ⅔ cup icing sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Place non-dairy butter and maple syrup in a small sauce pan and warm on low heat until the butter is totally melted. When mixture begins to lightly simmer, let it simmer for 1 minute and then remove from heat.
- In the meantime, combine all remaining cookie ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Once butter mixture is ready, give it a stir to mix the butter and maple syrup together. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine everything into a smooth batter {it will be runny at this point}.
- Place the mixing bowl in the freezer, and allow the mixture to chill for 1-2 hours {see additional notes for more details}. Alternatively, you can let the batter chill in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Pull the mixture out of the freezer. Scoop out about 1 ½ tablespoon batter using a spoon, and roll into a ball with your hands {batter should be very firm, but soft enough for rolling out with hands without sticking -- see additional notes for more details}. Flatten the ball into a disc. Place on the cookie sheet and repeat with the rest of the batter. Space cookies out at least 1-2 inches apart.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and place the tray on a cooling rack. Cookies will harden a bit as they cool.
- Prepare the icing by combining icing ingredients in a bowl {see additional notes for icing variations}. Brush each cooled lebkuchen cookie with a bit of the icing. Let the cookies sit for 1 hour to allow the icing to set. Enjoy!
Notes
Notes on batter: I've made this recipe several times now, testing the consistency of the batter. If you only chill it for 30 minutes in the freezer prior to baking, it will be rather soft. I was still able to roll it into a ball {albeit my hands were very sticky} and bake them. They spread out into a thin and very delicious cookie that way, but they certainly did not resemble a traditional Lebkuchen. I recommend making them this way if you're in the mood for a regular ginger cookie -- be sure to space them out at least 3 inches apart though {and needless to say you will therefore be making more than 2 trays...}
For a traditional look, chill batter for 1-2 hours. It should be firm enough to roll into a ball without sticking to your hands. They will not spread out much on the tray this way, so they can be spaced 1-2 inches a part.
One thing I did notice though is that they get the "crinkle crack" look when frozen longer. I actually quite liked that, but if you want a smoother cookie, chill the batter less long so it stays more soft and relaxed -- that's why I narrowed the freezing time to 1-2 hours. For a smoother and slightly flatter look, chill closer to an hour. I wanted the more domed look, so I chilled the batter for 2 hours, which makes it easier to handle and shape. Another option is to chill batter for 2 hours, and then take a few extra moments rolling each cookie ball in your hands to warm the batter up a little. Decisions, decisions... ;)
Notes on spice level: I loved the spice balance in this recipe, though if you're used to a stronger flavor, feel free to increase the amount of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Notes on baking time: The original recipe asks for a much longer baking time, though as per the comments and as per my experience 12 minutes was the perfect time each time I made a batch. Perhaps the longer time they recommend is to create a harder cookie, though I don't feel like it's needed. Mentioning it in case you're feeling adventurous though and want to bake them longer ;)
Notes on other traditional ways of making these: Feel free to press in 1-3 almonds into the top of each cookie prior to baking
- Use non-dairy milk instead of water in the icing for a whiter looking icing
- Use lemon juice instead of water in the icing for a fruitier/zingier Lebkuchen
- Melt some chocolate and dunk each cookie in the chocolate mixture {either whole cookie, or just the bottom half} for a traditional chocolate coated Lebkuchen
Notes on refined sugar-free version: Traditional Lebkuchen do not require sugar as they are a honey-based cookie {though some people like to add some brown sugar to the mix}, therefore this Lebkuchen recipe is naturally refined sugar-free. The icing is another story though -- I did attempt to make a refined sugar-free version using a mixture of maple syrup and coconut oil, and that didn't turn out great. So I resorted to a more traditional icing using powdered sugar. Feel free to skip the icing if you'd rather keep the cookies refined sugar-free. They taste great either way.
Notes on butter and other non-dairy alternatives: Some people commented that they had success using coconut oil in place of butter in this recipe. I haven't tried it, but just wanted to put the option out there if you'd prefer that over the non-dairy butter alternatives. I'd go with a neutral tasting coconut oil.
Happy baking!
xo Audrey
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Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate links to the gluten-free flour blend used.
Sharon Obrien says
I haven't made yet, but wonder if I can use oblaten on these? I don't need GF and really want that traditional bottom.
Thanks
The Real Person!
Hi Sharon, I'm not sure I understand the question. Had to look up "oblaten" and I gather it's a type of German wafer cookie (never tried it!). I'm not clear on whether you mean add that to the bottom of this cookie? Or did you mean something else?
Shawn says
Excellent cookie!!!! Love lebkuchen and try a lot of recipes each year. i saved yours. Just wish they'd last long enough to glaze them. Maybe the next batch?? Loved the breakout of the alternate flours. I never seem to have the proper type a recipe calls for so i go without. Not this time! Now...a giant batch so i can freeze teh dough and have warm cookies on cold days!
The Real Person!
Hi Shawn, thanks so much for the lovely feedback. I'm glad you're enjoying these :)
Nic says
My kid is avoiding nuts as well as gluten and dairy. Can I just sub out the ground almonds for more flour? Is there a better alternative? Will it significantly affect taste? Poor kid loves his Lebkuchen!
The Real Person!
Hi Nic, I haven't tried, but I suspect it should work fine. You won't need to add as much flour as the almond flour (since regular flour absorbs a lot more moisture than almond flour, and you don't want the mix to get too dry). If you give it a try and it works out, would love to hear what you did and how your kid liked these! :)
Sara T says
My eye caught these and I'm so ready to try making them. Haven't had one in years and miss them. Wondering though how I should adjust the spicing if I can't have nutmeg (not AIP compliant)? Also wondering if palm shortening would work?
The Real Person!
Hi Sara, you can just omit the nutmeg or add a bit more cinnamon if you'd like. As for shortening, I haven't tried, but my guess is it should work fine. If you give it a go, let me know how it turns out :)
Penny says
Hi Audrey, I’m really excited to make this recipe but do you have it anywhere in grams or imperial rather than cups? I’m in the UK and it looks complicated to convert... thank you!
The Real Person!
Hi Penny, no I don't measure things out in grams unfortunately, so my process would be same as yours. I'd recommend just getting a set of measuring cups / spoons to make things easier, otherwise it'd be a matter of looking the weight equivalents of each ingredient online. Sorry can't be of much more help. If you give it a go and have the metric measurements, feel free to share them here in case it's helpful for others.
Anita says
If someone doesn't want to make a glaze for these cookies the other alternative is to toss them in powdered sugar when they're still warm from the oven.. This is what I do at Christmas!
The Real Person!
Hey Anita. I love doing this too, especially for Russian Tea Cookies, etc. It's a great suggestion. Instead of powdered sugar, for those trying to avoid that type of sugar in general, you can also use dairy-free coconut milk powder, which also looks great :)
Here are a few recipes I did that in (for visual reference):
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/almond-crescent-cookies-gluten-free-dairy-free-refined-sugar-free/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/alfajores-gluten-free-grain-free-dairy-free-refined-sugar-free/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/mexican-wedding-cookies-vegan-gf/
Jasmine Hayes says
Just made these for my boyfriend as he misses them from Christmas. They’re soooo good! I used normal flour as we’re not gluten free. I also added about a tablespoon of cocoa and swapped a tiny bit of the maple syrup for a little molasses as I wanted a darker colour. I’ve brushed them with the glaze and half dipped in dark choc. Can’t wait for him to get in from work later 😁😁😁
The Real Person!
Jasmine, love the molasses addition for a darker color -- that sounds lovely. Thanks so much for sharing all your swaps. Hope he enjoyed them :)
Anita says
I love this recipe. I have a non-vegan friend and these are her favorite too. I cut the amount of butter in half and it doesn't affect the recipe at all. I chill them in the fridge for an hour and they're fine to be rolled out.
The Real Person!
Hi Anita. Thanks so much for sharing -- great to hear it works with half the butter! I'm sure that'll make some people happy :)
Melissa says
Hello Audrey ,
I don't need to make these gluten free but I'm confused as to whether I can just use normal flour? Can you advise?
Thanks
Melissa
x
The Real Person!
Hi Melissa, I haven't tried regular flour, but based on reader feedback on similar recipes it should work just fine (a 1:1 substitution). Enjoy! :)
Anita says
I always use regular flour for almost all the recipes and they come out fine.
The Real Person!
Oh, that's great to hear too! So many people ask, and I don't typically have the ability to respond from experience because I can no longer bake with wheat. I usually rely on reader feedback like this. Thanks for sharing.
Ilva says
Hello dear, I love your blog so much! I just wanted to ask if I should change the flour measurements when I use normal white flour or if they stay the same?
Thank you so much xx
The Real Person!
Hi Ilva. Thank you so much. You can keep them the same -- measure-for-measure.
Nia says
These look amazing! I have just been diagnosed with celiac disease, so desperately looking for gluten free Christmas goodies I could bake. I cannot print the recipe though. The print sign goes to a print page but I cannot print it. Can you help please?
The Real Person!
Hi Nia, thanks so much! I'm so glad to hear you found some gluten-free goodies you can enjoy for the holidays :)
If you haven't seen this already, here's a link to all the gluten-free Christmas recipes that can be found on this site: https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/tag/christmas/ or see here just for cookies: https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/tag/christmas-cookies/
As for printing, when you click the print button it should take you to a page where the information is displayed in a format suitable for printing. Then in your browser window click "File" and then "print" -- that'll do the trick. {If it's still not working for some reason, let me know}.
Happy baking and happy holidays! :)
Julia @ Swirls and Spice says
These cookies look amazingly good! I'll use the traditional honey. And make them I will!
The Real Person!
Dear Julia -- so sorry for the super late response here. I just discovered my site has been throwing a whole lot of genuine comments into the spam folder and I just noticed them all in there today, yours included! : /
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy them with the traditional honey -- happy baking :)
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Audrey, oh my goodness, dear! You are on a roll with these phenomenal dessert recipes. Love this one! Confession ... I've only enjoyed lebkuchen once and it was just so good. And here's the unbelievable thing about that lebkuchen. A relative brought it back from a trip to Germany. They had gluten-free lebkuchen! :-) Can't wait to try this recipe with our bees' honey. I hope to make it for my tea on Saturday. If not then, right after. ;-)
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe on Gluten-Free Wednesday, Audrey.
Shirley
The Real Person!
Nice! The photo of the Lebkuchen from Germany you showed me looked incredible -- don't know if I can compete with that ;) But I was so pleased when I made these that I'm sure you'll love them too -- especially with your own bees' honey {now I'm jealous!}.