Spiced Honey Squares – German Christmas Cookies

Spiced Honey Squares
These simplified German gingerbread squares are brushed with honey and decorated with ground walnuts. A great German Christmas cookie based on traditional Lebkuchen, adapted for the home baker.
Course Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1-2/3 cups unsalted butter 200g
  • 1 cup sugar 125g
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4-1/2 cups flour 500g
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons gingerbread spice Lebkuchengewürz
  • 2 oz candied lemon peel 50g
  • 2 oz candied orange peel 50g
  • 1 cup milk 250 ml
  • 1 packet Dr. Oetker baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons rapeseed honey
  • 4 tablespoons grated hazelnuts
  • unsalted butter for cookie sheet

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Beat the butter until fluffy. Add 4 tablespoons of honey and sugar and stir until smooth. Add eggs and combine well.
  • Blend the flour with the cocoa powder, cinnamon, gingerbread spice and baking powder and combine with butter-egg mixture. Add the candied orange and lemon peel and combine thoroughly. Add the milk and mix until smooth.
  • Evenly spread out the dough on the buttered cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.
  • Brush the warm cake with rapeseed honey and sprinkle with grated hazelnuts. Let cool and cut into squares or strips.