What is Lebkuchen?
Lebkuchen (pronounced leyb-koo-kuh n) is a centuries-old German spiced treat traditionally baked during the winter holiday season. While lebkuchen is often translated to English as gingerbread, it’s not exactly what most Americans envision when they think of gingerbread.
Sure, it belongs to the category of baked goods flavored with spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg and sweetened with honey, molasses or sugar. But unlike a crisp gingerbread man cookie, lebkuchen is soft, dense, and often nutty, with a texture somewhere between a cake and a cookie.
There are several different types of lebkuchen which vary in their ingredients (particularly their nut content), price points, and relative availability in the U.S. We highlight the main types below.
If you want to explore the different types, ingredient quality, and how production methods affect freshness, our Buying Guide offers a deep dive into what to look for when shopping.
What is Nürnberger Lebkuchen?
Nuremberg-style lebkuchen, known as Nürnberger Lebkuchen or Elisenlebkuchen in Germany, is the crème de la crème of lebkuchen, having the highest nut content -- typically comprised of almonds and hazelnuts, but also walnuts and cashews -- of all types of lebkuchen. By definition, Nürnberger Lebkuchen must contain a minimum of 25% nuts and less than 10% wheat flour.
The finest artisanal lebkuchen bakeries in Nuremberg boast close to 40% nut content, while industrial manufacturers tend to meet the bare minimum threshold of 25%.
Nuremberg lebkuchen also usually contain marzipan (or what is called almond paste in the U.S.), candied citron and orange peel, and they always have an edible wafer (collectively known as Oblaten or Backoblaten) on the bottom. They are rather large in size, most often rounded (~4” in diameter), but sometimes rectangular (~8” long x 4.75” wide).
You will often find Nürnberger lebkuchen packaged in decorative tins intended to be shared as holiday gifts. Due to its higher nut content, quality, and packaging, Nürnberger lebkuchen commands a premium price relative to other types of lebkuchen.
Imported industrial brands such as Lebkuchen Schmidt (which produces 3 million lebkuchen per day during lebkuchen season) are commonly found in the U.S. Imported artisanal brands are much harder to come by.
Leckerlee specializes in Nuremberg lebkuchen, with a 40% nut content, and our beautifully designed lebkuchen tins carry on the tradition of gift-giving.
WHAT IS OBLATEN LEBKUCHEN?
The next level down from Nürnberger lebkuchen, in terms of quality and price, is Feine (fine) Oblaten Lebkuchen. You’ll also find an edible Oblate wafer on the bottom, hence the name. This type of lebkuchen must have at least 14% nut content.
Standard Oblaten Lebkuchen -- without the “Feine” distinction -- needs to have only 7% nut content.
Oblaten Lebkuchen is industrially produced in mass quantities. Some common brands available in the U.S. include Lebkuchen Schmidt and Wicklein.
OTHER TYPES OF LEBKUCHEN
There are also types of lebkuchen which don’t come on a wafer at all and don’t typically contain any nuts.
Generally speaking, this category of lebkuchen is known as Braune Lebkuchen in Germany, and the dough is comprised primarily of wheat flour and honey. The big, decoratively frosted lebkuchen hearts (Lebkuchenherzen) sold during Oktoberfest fall into this category. So do the bags of lebkuchen pieces in the shapes of hearts and stars and pretzels, and any lebkuchen pieces that have a fruit filling. Some common brands available in the U.S. include Bahlsen, Weiss, and Lambertz.
These types of lebkuchen are fundamentally different from Nürnberger lebkuchen, and even though they are all referred to as lebkuchen, they are not directly comparable.
LEBKUCHEN HISTORY
Lebkuchen has ancient roots in the honey cake (Honigkuchen) baked by Egyptians thousands of years ago as a gift to the gods. However, lebkuchen as we know it today was first created by Franconian monks in the 13th century, in the region now known as Bavaria.
Nuremberg thrived as the center for lebkuchen production for two reasons. First, the dense forests around the city were a vast source of honey, a key ingredient in lebkuchen. Second, Nuremberg was also conveniently located at the crossroads of the ancient spice trade routes, giving it access to the then-exotic spices found in lebkuchen.
WHY LECKERLEE LEBKUCHEN STANDS APART
At Leckerlee, we bake authentic Nuremberg-style lebkuchen with an exceptional 40% nut content — the hallmark of the finest artisanal bakeries in Nuremberg.
We use only premium almonds, hazelnuts, and candied citrus peel, blended with warm spices and pure honey. Every batch is made in small quantities, finished by hand, and packaged in designs meant to be as memorable as the cookies themselves.
Whether you are choosing lebkuchen for your own holiday table or sending a present to someone special, there’s a format to suit every occasion.
Our Shop features both our signature collectible tins and our sturdy, gift-ready boxes.
The tins are beautifully designed keepsakes that can be treasured long after the cookies are gone, while the boxes are perfect for refilling a tin you already own or enjoying lebkuchen without extra packaging.
You can choose from traditional, mini, and gluten-free varieties, along with seasonal designs such as the Nutcracker, Winter Haus, and Alpine Meadow tins.
For personal gifting, our Personal Gifts service makes it simple to send to friends and family anywhere in the U.S., and our Corporate Gifts team can manage large-scale orders from selection through delivery.
LEBKUCHEN CALORIES
Our classic and chocolate mini lebkuchen have 170 and 200 calories each, respectively. Our classic and chocolate lebkuchen, which are substantial portions weighing 3.0oz and 3.4oz respectively, have 370 and 450 calories each.
You can find additional nutritional information for Leckerlee lebkuchen here.
HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE LEBKUCHEN?
In German, lebkuchen is pronounced [ leyb-koo-kuh n], with a soft, almost clearing-the-throat “kh” sound at the end.
HOW TO MAKE LEBKUCHEN COOKIES?
Authentic lebkuchen takes time, skill, and exceptional ingredients, which is why many people prefer to leave the baking to experts.
Traditional recipes call for finely ground almonds and hazelnuts, candied citrus peel, fragrant spices, and often a delicate edible wafer on the bottom. The dough benefits from resting so the flavors can fully develop, and each cookie is then baked and glazed or coated in chocolate.
At Leckerlee, we follow the classic Elisenlebkuchen method, using 40% nuts and no unnecessary preservatives or fillers. Every batch is baked in small quantities to preserve quality, and each cookie is finished with care, just as it would be in a Nuremberg bakery.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF LEBKUCHEN?
Lebkuchen has ancient roots in the honey cake (Honigkuchen) baked by Egyptians thousands of years ago as a gift to the gods. However, lebkuchen as we know it today was first created by Franconian monks in the 13th century, in the region now known as Bavaria.
Nuremberg thrived as the center for lebkuchen production for two reasons. First, the dense forests around the city were a vast source of honey, a key ingredient in lebkuchen. Second, Nuremberg was conveniently located at the crossroads of the ancient spice trade routes, giving it access to the then-exotic spices found in lebkuchen.
HOW LONG DOES LEBKUCHEN LAST?
Lebkuchen has a naturally long shelf life, and we don’t use any artificial preservatives in our products.
For the best texture and taste, enjoy them within a few weeks.
HOW TO STORE LEBKUCHEN?
For short-term enjoyment, store lebkuchen in a cool, dry place, ideally in an airtight container or in their original packaging. This helps preserve their soft texture and rich flavor for several weeks.
If you want to keep them for longer, Oblaten Lebkuchen such as Nürnberger lebkuchen freeze exceptionally well. Many customers buy them at the end of our season and freeze them to enjoy later. For best results, wrap each lebkuchen individually in plastic food wrap and place them in an airtight container before freezing.
When ready to enjoy, thaw them in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature. This slow defrosting helps maintain the texture, and for chocolate-covered lebkuchen, it also prevents drastic temperature changes that could affect the chocolate’s appearance and consistency.
WHAT IS ELISENLEBKUCHEN?
Elisenlebkuchen is the highest quality category of lebkuchen, made with little or no flour and a high percentage of ground nuts — at least 25% by German regulation, though at Leckerlee we use 40%. This gives the cookies a rich flavor and soft, almost cake-like texture.
WHAT IS ON THE BOTTOM OF LEBKUCHEN?
Oblaten Lebkuchen are distinguished by a signature edible wafer (Oblaten in German) on the bottom. The wafers are made from wheat flour, starch, and water. Franconian monks in the Middle Ages used communion wafers to prevent the lebkuchen dough from sticking to baking sheets. Modern-day Oblaten evolved as a substitute and remain common in German baking today.
We’ve found that many Americans instinctively peel the wafer off — but please don’t! The Oblaten are completely edible and an integral part of the lebkuchen-eating experience.
WHERE CAN I BUY LEBKUCHEN?
Fresh, small-batch lebkuchen can be ordered directly from our shop during our baking season in the fall and winter. We also offer a variety of collectible tins, gift boxes, and gluten-free options.