Grain-Free Lebkuchen Cookies with Coconut Flour
These traditional German spice cookies are made with coconut and almond flour and are naturally grain-free, gluten-free, and wholesome. Soft, moist, chewy, and perfectly spiced, they’re the kind of treat that makes your kitchen smell like Christmas. Perfect for holiday baking days, they make a wonderful addition to your healthier Christmas cookie platter.
Equipment
- Box grater or microplane.
- Large heat-safe mixing bowl and silicone spatula.
- Saucepan to use a double boiler.
- Cookie baking tray, parchment paper, and cookie cutters (optional).
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- ¾ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup butter unsalted
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup almond flour
- 80 grams coconut flour Bob's Red Mill
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch pepper optional
For the glaze (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients. Finely grate the lemon and orange peel using a box grater or microplane; squeeze 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and set aside.
- Fill a saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat. When the water begins to warm, set your heat-safe mixing bowl on top to create a double boiler. Once the water reaches a gentle boil, reduce heat to low.
- Add the honey and brown sugar to the bowl. Stir continuously over the double boiler until softened and fully combined.
- Add the butter and keep stirring until melted. Continue mixing until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
- Remove the bowl from heat. Stir in the spices, salt, citrus zest, and lemon juice until evenly combined.
- Add the almond flour and coconut flour and mix until roughly incorporated. Then add the eggs and mix well with a spatula until everything is well mixed.
- The dough will be sticky and fairly soft — this is exactly how it should be. The dough will firm up as it chills. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and gently knead it with your hands. The dough should still be tacky but able to hold together and form a ball. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll the dough into about 20 balls, roughly 1½ inches each. Keep your hands slightly wet to prevent sticking. Place the balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet leaving enough space between each. You will likely need to bake in two batches.
- Using wet hands or the bottom of a lightly damp cup or jar, gently flatten each ball to about ½ inch thick.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. The cookies will still be soft when you remove them, that’s perfect. Let them cool directly on the baking sheet until firm enough to move without breaking.
To glaze the cookies (optional)
- While the cookies bake, whisk together ½ cup powdered sugar and about 1 tablespoon of lemon (or orange) juice. Add juice slowly until a brushable glaze forms.
- Brush or spoon glaze over the cookies while they are still warm but firm. Spread into a thin, even layer.
- Allow glaze to set at room temperature or chill briefly in the fridge before serving.
Notes
Weighing the coconut flour with a kitchen scale rather than measuring with cups will give you the most consistent results, since coconut flour is extremely absorbent. I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour for best texture and flavor.
Refrigerating the dough before shaping the cookies is not optional. This step allows the coconut flour to fully absorb the liquid so the dough becomes firm and easy to shape.
I’ve found that the simplest and most reliable shaping method is rolling the dough into balls and gently flattening them into rounds. You can also roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about ½-inch thickness and use cookie cutters (flowers, stars, hearts, etc.) to cut out shapes. Because coconut flour dough is more delicate than traditional wheat dough, be gentle when removing the cut cookies from the cutters. Smooth any cracks with slightly wet fingers.
Lebkuchen cookies are traditionally finished with a simple lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. The bright citrus flavor contrasts beautifully with the warm spices and sweetness of the cookies. For a different twist, you can substitute orange juice for the glaze or dip the cookies in melted dark chocolate instead.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can also freeze baked (unglazed) cookies or shaped, unbaked dough for up to 3 months. To bake frozen cookies, bake directly from frozen and extend the baking time to about 15 minutes.