• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Vegan Larder logo

  • Recipes
  • Cook Books
  • About
  • Work
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cook Books
  • About
  • Work
  • Connect with us...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cook Books
    • About
    • Work
  • Connect with us...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Christmas Baking

    Vegan Lebkuchen Gingerbread Cookies

    Published: Nov 12, 2021 · Modified: Oct 7, 2022 by Louise-Claire Cayzer · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 7 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    I just adore Christmas baking, and these Vegan Lebkuchen (German Gingerbread Cookies) are not only one of my favourites to make, but to eat too! They make the house smell glorious when they're being baked, which is always a bonus, and can be decorated in a variety of ways too!

    A tray of decorated vegan lebkuchen with both glazed and chocolate covered ones on it. this recipe

    Lebkuchen are traditionally made in Germany as part of the festive season. Often households will make a variety of different cookies, including lebkuchen (between 7 and 12 types!) to share with guests or to take as a gift when visiting friends and relatives. It can get quite competitive, in the nicest possible way. Fortunately, the cookies tend to store quite well, so you can make them well ahead of time. The lebkuchen are also easily made vegan, so everyone can enjoy them.

    If you want to compete in your own vegan version of the German Cookie baking, why not try these easy Mince Pie Baklava for a Christmas twist on the classic baklava. Or try these simple but delicious Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

    Jump to:
    • 🍪Key Ingredients
    • 👩‍🍳How-To
    • 🥄Troubleshooting
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 🥨Similar Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍪Key Ingredients

    These yummy Christmas spiced cookies use simple ingredients but are very effective.

    • Spices: Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Mixed Spice and Nutmeg all combine to create the classic Lebkuchen 'Gingerbread' style spice mix. The smell when baking is just heavenly.
    • Brown Sugar and Agave Syrup: Traditional lebkuchen is made with honey. I substitute a mix of these two sweeteners for the stickyness and depth of flavour.
    • Flour: You can use all purpose flour or even spelt flour.
    • Ground Almonds: these provide a pleasing texture and slight nuttiness.
    • Vegan Butter: I like to use Naturali butter, but you can choose your favourite vegan butter block.
    • 1 Lemon: juice and zest. For a lovely fragrance that really 'lifts' the cookie taste!
    • Icing Sugar/Powdered Sugar: Mixed with a little water, this becomes the classic glaze that the lebkuchen are dipped into.
    • Optional: Chocolate for dipping or decorating. Chocolate goes really well with the lebkuchen spices, but you don't have to use it, it's a personal preference.
    Close up of A tray of decorated vegan lebkuchen with both glazed and chocolate covered ones on it.

    👩‍🍳How-To

    For the full recipe and ingredients for these Vegan Lebkuchen, head to the recipe card below!

    A bowl of melted butter, sugar and syrup to make the lebkuchen cookies.
    The flours poured into a bowl ready to mix.
    1. First melt your butter, sugar and agave syrup. Mix until the sugar is properly melted

    2. In a large bowl, sift in the flour and spices. Then mix the butter/sugar mix into the flour.

    Image showing adding lemon juice to the mixture.
    The sticky lebcucken dough mixture.

    3. Add the bicarb soda, the lemon zest and slowly add the lemon juice until you have a sticky dough.

    4. You will end up with a sticky dough, so to help with rolling out, Chill the dough in the fridge for half an hour- or even overnight.

    Lebkuchen dough rolled out to 5mm thick with shapes cut into it.

    5. On a non-stick mat or board, roll the dough out to about 5mm thick.
    Now you can cut out pretty shapes. Make sure to use quite simple shapes as the dough is quite fragile.

    6. Lay the shapes on a lined baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until just turning golden. Leave to cool completely on a rack.

    Showing dipping a lebkuchen cookie into the icing sugar glaze.
    Showing dipping a lebkuchen cookie into melted chocolate.

    7. To glaze, mix the icing powder with water and dip the cookies in.

    8. Then if you choose to add chocolate, you can now dip or drizzle the chocolate over the lebkuchen cookies! Be sure to cool the chocolate covered ones on a non-stick baking sheet or they will stick to the tray (I know this from silly experience!)

    🥄Troubleshooting

    Rolling out the dough- The dough is quite sticky, so make sure the dough is chilled before rolling it out! If it's too wet, add a tiny amount of flour to help it out.

    Making the dough- When adding the lemon juice, do it bit by bit. Not all lemons are the same size so you might end up with more juice than you need! You'll know the dough is ready when it comes together in a sticky mass, that can still be smooshed together into a smooth ball.

    Cutting out the cookie shapes- the lebkuchen dough is quite fragile so I suggest using a simple cookie cutter shape (a plain star for example, rather than a fancy pants one). A good non-stick surface to roll out on is also essential. I like this silicon mat for pastry work.

    Simply decorated vegan lebkuchen with a thin glaze only.

    ❓ FAQ

    How long do the lebkuchen store for?

    Up to a month in an airtight container, or probably longer. They're designed to stay soft and slightly chewy.

    What are those stars you have on the lebkuchen cookies?

    These are fun little vegan sprinkles that we found on Amazon.

    Do you have to glaze the lebkuchen?

    No, you do you! Eat them plain and unglazed. Or just dipped into chocolate.

    My glaze is so much thicker than yours!

    Add a little more water for a thin coating, or it's also just as nice to make a thicker coating.

    I've made my dough too wet. What should I do?

    Add a little more plain flour and mix well, bit by bit until the dough is able to easily be moulded into a smooth ball. Refrigerate for a bit to make it easier to roll out.

    🥨Similar Recipes

    Why not make lots of cookies or treats for Christmas, alongside these vegan lebkuchen to hand around to your friends just like they do in Germany! Who knows, you might start your own friend's tradition!

    1. Coconut Shortbread Stars
    2. The Best Vegan Gingerbread People
    3. Granny's Famous Rum Balls made Vegan!
    4. Vegan Cinnamon and Macadamia Biscuits with White Chocolate Drizzle

    If you love this recipe, please share this post with your friends on Pinterest or Facebook, or tag me on Insta! Don't forget to also please comment and star ⭐this recipe too!

    Love & Vegan Yummies,

    Louise xx (P.S. Follow me on Insta and Tik Tok!)

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Lebkucken on a plate with some Christmas decorations around.

    Vegan Lebkuchen Gingerbread Cookies

    Louise-Claire Cayzer
    Yummy vegan gingerbread cookies traditional in Germany. These lebkuchen are so delicious you'll want to make them every year!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Chilling time 30 mins
    Course Afternoon Tea, christmas, Snack
    Cuisine German, Vegan
    Servings 35 pieces
    Calories 101 kcal

    Equipment

    • Silicon Non-stick mat
    • Baking Tray
    • Rolling Pin

    Ingredients Note:

    For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.

    (Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)

    Ingredients

    For the Cookies

    • 100 g (½ cups) brown sugar
    • 100 g (3 ½ oz) agave or maple syrup (I used agave, but maple is fine too)
    • 200 g (1.6 cups) plain flour
    • 85 g (3 oz) vegan butter (I like naturali block, but use your favourite)
    • 100 g (⅞ cups) ground almonds
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated is nicest)
    • 1 lemon, juice and zest

    For the Decorating

    • 100 g (⅞ cups) icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
    • 2 tablespoon warm water
    • 100 g (3 ½ oz) Dark vegan chocolate (totally optional!)

    Instructions

    To make the lebkuchen Cookies

    • Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6
    • Melt the butter and mix in the syrup and brown sugar. Make sure the sugar is properly melted.
    • Remove from the stove, and mix together all the dry ingredients, including the zest of the lemon.
    • Carefully mix the melted butter mixture into the flour mixture. It will be not quite wet enough.
    • Now carefully add in lemon juice bit by bit. You'll end up with a soft sticky dough.
    • Form the dough into a ball and refridgerate for half an hour. This makes it easier to roll out.
    • Once the dough is cooled, roll out onto a non-stick surface and press out the cookies into shapes.
    • Put the cookies onto 2 lined baking trays and bake for around 15 minutes.
    • Depending on your cookie shape, you might need to do 3 trays of cookies! You can keep rolling the dough out until there is none left. I have even cheated with the leftovers and just rolled up with my hands and squished out onto the tray !
    • The cookies are ready when they are slightly puffed up and gently golden. They will still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven, so let them cool before handling them.
    • Allow to properly cool on a rack before decorating.

    How to decorate the Vegan Lebkuchen

    • Allow the lebkuchen to cool.
    • Mix together the sugar and water. How much water you add will affect the thickness of the glaze so do how you wish!
    • Dip the cookies into the glaze and allow to set. Add little stars here if you want.
    • Alternatively, melt chocolate and dip the cookies in the chocolate, allowing to dry on non-stick baking paper.

    Video

    Notes

    Depending on your cookie shape, you might need to do 3 trays of cookies! You can keep rolling the dough out until there is none left. I have even cheated with the leftovers and just rolled up with my hands and squished out onto the tray !

    Nutrition

    Calories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 30mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword biscuit, christmas, cookie, Lebkuchen
    Tried this recipe and loved it? Follow and Mention @vegan_larder or comment and ⭐ below

    More Christmas Baking

    • Craisin and white chocolate cookies ready to eat.
      Vegan Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
    • Chocolate Croissan Wreath ready to eat.
      Vegan Chocolate Croissant Wreaths
    • Dried fruit in a jar with liqueur.
      Boozy Fruits: Alcohol-Infused Fruit
    • 30+ Delicious Vegan Christmas Desserts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Katherine says

      November 12, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      I adore lebkuchen and can't wait to make this vegan version!

      Reply
      • Louise-Claire Cayzer says

        November 15, 2021 at 12:42 pm

        We hope you like making them as much as we did!

        Reply
    2. Mirlene says

      November 12, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      These looks so good! I have never tried the German version of gingerbread cookies. I'm sure these are even more tastier!

      Reply
      • Louise-Claire Cayzer says

        November 15, 2021 at 12:43 pm

        They're really yummy. I hope you like them!

        Reply
    3. Lily says

      November 12, 2021 at 7:36 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies look beautiful, delicious, and like the perfect cookie recipe to make with my 3 year old! She will love cutting out the cookies and decorating them.

      Reply
      • Louise-Claire Cayzer says

        November 15, 2021 at 12:43 pm

        Such a fun thing to make (and eat!) with your family.

        Reply
    4. Nathan says

      November 12, 2021 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are so adorable, and I don't think I've seen a recipe for vegan gingerbread so this is a great find. Thanks so much for the tips!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Louise-Claire! I believe vegan and plant-based food should be easy to make, never scary and above all, absolutely delicious. Also, it's for everyone, not just for vegans!

    Louise-Claire Cayzer portrait image.

    I'm a photographer, recipe developer and gardener. You'll find me in the kitchen, in the studio or wandering the garden, picking delicious veggies to make recipes for you! So why not stay a while, check out some of my recipes and try one or two for yourself...Find out more on my About Me page.

    Vegan Air Fryer Recipes

    • Butternut squash halved on a tray stuffed with sage and chickpea stuffing.
      Chickpea and Sage Stuffed Butternut Squash; Air fryer or Oven method
    • Cauliflower and broccoli being served on a plate.
      Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower
    • Plates of roasted tomato and white bean stew ready to eat.
      Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew
    • Crispy Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms

    Tofu Lover? These are for you...

    • Collage of smoked tofu dishes.
      Delicious Vegan Smoked Tofu Recipes
    • Sticky Miso Tofu in a bowl with some chopsticks picking up a piece.
      Sticky Miso Tofu- Air Fried or Oven Baked
    • Collage of different silken tofu recipes including cheesecake, frittata and mini frittatas
      Silken Tofu Recipes - Our Top 40
    • Vegan Sesame Prawn toasts on a plate
      Vegan Sesame Tofu 'Prawn' Toast

    Vegan Dinner Inspo

    • A bowl of spaghetti arrabbiata ready to eat.
      Spicy Spaghetti Arrabbiata Pasta
    • Tomato soup with black beans in a bowl ready to eat.
      Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup with Black Beans
    • A bowl of cream harissa pasta with a fork in it, ready to eat.
      Creamy Harissa Pasta with White Beans
    • Butterbean Stew with a spoon scooping up some stew.
      Easy Smokey Butter Bean Stew

    Craving something sweet?

    • A piece of vegan carrot cake with a fork.
      Yummy Vegan Carrot Cake with Aquafaba: Egg Free
    • Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondie Squares ready to eat.
      White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies
    • A tray of just baked vegan pumpkin brownies with a hand reaching in to pick one up.
      Vegan Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
    • Apple cake on a cooling rack. It has been cut into pieces and a bite is taken out of one piece.
      Apple Cake Tray Bake
    • Citrus Cake on a plate, decorated with slices of orange and lemon ready to cut.
      Vegan Lemon & Blood Orange Upside Down Cake
    • chocolate vegan Zucchini muffins in a stack
      Chocolate Vegan Zucchini Muffins
    Join the facebook group.

    Recipes you're all loving!

    • A piece of cake with vegan cream cheese frosting on it.
      Easy Dairy Free Cream Cheese Frosting
    • A plate of butter bean hummus with some crackers next to it.
      Creamy Butter Bean Hummus
    • Vegan Banana Raspberry Muffins ready to eat o n a plate.
      Banana Raspberry Muffins with Choc Chips
    • A stack of biscoff flapjacks on a plate ready to eat.
      Easy Biscoff Flapjacks (Dairy Free & Vegan)

    Lovely Lentils

    • A bowl of lentil bolognese with spaghetti.
      Basic Vegan Lentil Bolognese
    • Two bowls of lentil soup and some flatbread on the side.
      Lentil and Tomato Soup (Lentils Monastery Style)
    • A bowl of swede and carrot soup with a hand scooping up a spoon of soup.
      Classic Swede (Rutabaga) and Carrot Soup
    • A lentil and beetroot burger on a bun.
      Amazing Beetroot & Lentil Burgers
    • Contact Us
    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy, Cookies, Ads & T&C's

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Our Story

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • What we Do

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 The Vegan Larder on the Cravings Pro Theme