Lebkuchen

By Tamipri

Unblanched nuts are nuts with their skins left on. The cookie dough will be very sticky and the final cookie will have a soft, chewy, and slightly cakey texture. If the glaze begins to dry out and set up as its sits, simply stir in water as needed, 1 tsp. at a time, to loosen. The bowl of cookie dough can be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days; let ist soften at room temperature, then portion and bake the cookies as directed. The dough can also be portioned and shaped into balls and frozen; when they are frozen solid; transfer them to a large ziploc bag. To bake, arrange the frozen dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (do not thaw) and bake as directed, increasing the baking time to 18-23 minutes.

Ingredients

• Cookies:
• 1 1/4 c. unblanched hazelnuts, toasted and cooled
• 1 c. unblanced whole almonds, toasted and cooled
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3 Tb. grated zest from 2 oranges
• 2 Tb. grated zest from 2 lemons
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 Tb. Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 6 Tb. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Powdered Sugar Glaze:
• 1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. whole milk
• or Chocolate Glaze:
• 10 oz. semisweet chocolate

Preparation

Step 1

1. FOR THE COOKIES: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Process toasted nuts, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg together in food processor to fine meal, 30-60 seconds. Add orange and lemon zests and continue to process until combined, about 15 seconds.

2. Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt together in small bowl. In stand mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time and add vanilla until combined, scraping down bowl and beater as needed.

3. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in ground nut mixture until just incorporated (bowl will be very full).

4. Working with 2 Tb. of dough at a time, roll dough into balls and lay them on prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2" apart. Bake cookies until edges are set and beginning to brown but centers are still soft and puffy with tiny cracks, 13-18 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. (Cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone.)

5. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough using cooled, freshly lined baking sheets.

6. FOR THE GLAZE: When cookies are cool, whisk powdered sugar and milk together in a medium bowl until smooth. Using pastry brush, brush thin layer of glaze over tops of cookies and let sit until glaze over tops of cookies and let sit until glaze has set, about 10 minutes, before serving. For CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Melt 10 oz. semisweet chocolate in heatproof bowl set over pot of simmering water. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dollop about 1 tsp. chocolate onto center of cookie, then use back of spoon to spread chocolate into even layer. Refrigerate cookies until chocolate sets, about 15 minutes, before serving.