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German Gingerbread - Elisenlebkuchen from Nuremberg

Written by Kathrin (Leave a Comment)

With this recipe it is easy to make traditional German gingerbread yourself. The Elisenlebkuchen from Nuremberg without flour become deliciously moist and soft!

Easy homemade german gingerbread recipe

Once you get a taste of original German gingerbread you can't get enough!

Gingerbread belongs to the particularly fine Christmas classics in Germany. Aromatic and spicy - and because most Elisen gingerbread recipes are without flour, deliciously soft and moist too!

In Germany, you can buy them at every corner. But as you can imagine, this is about something much better: homemade Elisen gingerbread!

Jump to:
  • Taste and Occasion
  • Ingredients
  • How to make the German Gingerbread
  • Top Tip
  • Recipe Card
  • Similar Recipes
  • Nutrition
Elisen Lebkuchen from Germany

Taste and Occasion

Since I went among the gingerbread bakers a few years ago, I have always enjoyed trying out new varieties. For example, the almond gingerbreads without nuts and flour and the soft gingerbreads without soaking.

This year it was the turn of traditional Elisenlebkuchen. These are exceptionally high-quality wafer gingerbreads. Nothing with masses of cheap flour, glucose-fructose syrup, flavors and artificial additives. What is to be offered to the public under the name Elisenlebkuchen must meet certain criteria.

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Even if I cannot call my alternative the original Nuremberg Elisenlebkuchen, because they were not made in Nuremberg: Taste and consistency correspond in my opinion to the quality standard 😉 .

German Christmas Gingerbread recipe

Ingredients

And what's in it? The guidelines for fine pastry and confectionary of the German Food Book state that "finest wafer gingerbread" must contain at least 25% almonds, hazelnuts and/or walnuts. No other oil seeds and less than 10% cereal.

The foundation of my flourless gingerbreads are candied orange and lemon peel (which fit here, although I don't like them otherwise), nuts and almonds as well as brown sugar and honey.

In my baking books I have found gingerbread recipes that use up to 250 grams of sugar for the same amount of nuts. You can't taste anything of the gingerbread anymore!

The result with this recipe so pleasantly sweet, as well. And incredibly tempting! Juicy Elisen-Gingerbreads, homemade, don't have to rest but are immediately ready to eat and soft.

German Gingerbread easy recipe

How to make the German Gingerbread

Let's start with a short summary on how to make the delicious German Gingerbread. Chop the candied orange peel and candied lemon peel very finely - preferably with a good kitchen shredder or food processor.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 302°F / 150 °C. Beat eggs with sugar until the mixture is frothy. Add honey and all other ingredients and mix them briefly to a homogenous mass.

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Fold in the candied orange peel and candied lemon peel. If the dough is extremely moist, use 1 extra tablespoon of almonds / nuts. Now, pour the gingerbread dough with a gingerbread bell onto approx. 25 small wafers with a diameter of 2 inches (5 cm) or 15 wafers with a diameter of (2.75 inches) 7 cm.

Alternatively, spread the dough slightly dome-shaped with any other tool you have at hand. Bake the gingerbread for about 20 minutes, depending on the size. Let the gingerbread cool down and spread it with liquid chocolate coating or icing as desired.

Nuremberg Christmas market gingerbread recipe

Top Tip

To spread the mixture, I use my gingerbread bell. (Yeah, in Germany we got stuff like that.) But you will see: Making German Christmas gingerbread yourself is really not difficult at all!

Recipe Card

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5 from 1 vote

Easy German Gingerbread Recipe

Wonderful moist and aromatic German gingerbread without flour - much better than the purchased ones! The Elisen gingerbreads taste pure, with sugar icing or white or dark chocolate.
Prep Time15 mins
Baking Time20 mins
Servings: 25 gingerbreads
Calories: 114kcal

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 80 grams (½ cups) candied orange peel
  • 80 grams (½ cups) candied lemon peel
  • 3 eggs, medium-sized
  • 80 grams (0.4 cups) brown sugar , or coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey , liquid
  • 270 grams (2.3 cups) hazelnuts , ground; and/or almonds
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon gingerbread spice
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, grated

For the coating

  • 100 grams (3.5 oz) couverture

Instructions

  • Chop the candied orange peel and candied lemon peel very finely - preferably with a good kitchen shredder or food processor. Preheat oven to 302°F / 150 °C.
  • Beat the eggs with the sugar until frothy. Add honey and all other ingredients and mix briefly to a homogenous mass. Fold in candied orange peel and candied lemon peel. If the dough is extremely moist, use 1 tablespoon more almonds / nuts.
  • Pour the gingerbread dough with a gingerbread bell onto approx. 25 small wafers with a diameter of 2 inches (5 cm) or 15 wafers with a diameter of (2.75 inches) 7 cm; alternatively, spread the dough slightly dome-shaped. Bake the gingerbread for about 20 minutes, depending on the size.
  • Let the gingerbread cool down and spread with liquid chocolate coating or icing as desired. Store in a tin can.

Ingredient substitutions

Do you want to replace some ingredients? Here you find tips for baking ingredient substitutions!

Similar Recipes

The Elisen gingerbread is a traditional snack in Germany, especially popular during Christmas season. In case you are looking for some more Christmas baking inspiration, how about a quick recipe for Christmas cookies?

Homemade German Gingerbread

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy German Gingerbread Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 114 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 15mg1%
Potassium 89mg3%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 31IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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  • About Kathrin & Jan

    It's like a little miracle to me every time. Seemingly simple ingredients are made into something that can brighten up your life. Butter, sugar, eggs, and flour melt into an airy biscuit, a fine tart, a juicy cake, or a crispy biscuit. Baking simply makes you happy. Welcome and enjoy our blog!

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Hi, we're Kathrin & Jan!

It's like a little miracle to me every time. Seemingly simple ingredients are made into something that can brighten up your life. Butter, sugar, eggs, and flour melt into an airy biscuit, a fine tart, a juicy cake, or a crispy biscuit. Baking is what makes us happy.

Welcome and enjoy our blog!
Learn more about us. →

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