Lebkuchen are traditional German Christmas cookies, spiced with the flavors of gingerbread, studded with candied citrus peel, and topped with a sweet sugar-and-milk glaze. To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in a 350°F oven for about ten minutes.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 1/2 dozen

　　

for the cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

　　1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

　　1/2 teaspoon mace

　　1 3/4 ounces blanched whole almonds, toasted (1/3 cup), plus more untoasted for decorating

　　1 1/2 ounces blanched hazelnuts, toasted (1/4 cup)

　　1/3 cup diced good-quality candied orange peel

　　1/3 cup diced good-quality candied lemon peel

　　4 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped

　　3 ounces almond paste, broken into small pieces

　　1/3 cup apricot jam

　　3 large eggs

　　3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

　　

for the glaze

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

　　2 tablespoons whole milk

　　

Step 1

Make cookies: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and mace in a bowl. Place almonds and hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped. Add peels and dates and pulse until finely chopped. Add almond paste and pulse to combine. Add jam and pulse to combine. Add eggs and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Add dry ingredients; pulse to combine. Cover mixture and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.

　　

Step 2

Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, scoop mounds onto baking sheets lined with a nonstick baking mat (such as Silpat). Place 3 almonds close together on top of each cookie (they will spread while baking). Bake until golden brown, about 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on sheets on a wire rack.

　　

Step 3

Make glaze: Mix confectioners’ sugar and milk in a small bowl. Brush all over tops of cookies and let set. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

　　Martha Stewart's Cookies