Description
Aromatic spiced cookies inspired by Swiss gingerbread, these chewy Leckerli are made with honey, warm spices, chopped nuts, and candied citrus peel, then glazed with a lemony icing for a festive finish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped candied orange or lemon peel
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice or water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the honey, brown sugar, and water over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Stir in the chopped almonds or hazelnuts and candied peel.
- Add the cooled honey mixture and mix to form a stiff dough. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the dough is firm and lightly browned.
- While the cookies are still warm, brush them with a glaze made by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice or water.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into small rectangles or diamond shapes.
Notes
- For best flavor, allow cookies to sit for a day to let spices meld.
- Store in an airtight container to maintain softness.
- Substitute almonds with hazelnuts or pistachios for variation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
