These cookies are a healthier, vegan twist on traditional German cookies, lebkuchen or pfefferkuchen, which are sort of like gingerbread. They’re soft spiced cookies that are made at Christmas time. If you’ve been to Germany and saw those awful heart cookies that are sold at markets decorated with colourful icing, that’s a harder type of lebkuchen (and they’re disgusting, don’t buy them).
I think the main difference between these vegan lebkuchen and gingerbread is that these don’t include molasses, which I hate, so that might be their best quality. This version is dairy and egg free, much lower in sugar and fat than normal, and perfectly spicy. They have a nice crispy edge and chewy centre, and even though I think they’re just right with a little chocolate, it’s not necessary if you don’t want to add it.
If you’re not following a plant based diet, you can use an egg in these cookies in place of the arrowroot powder. If you don’t have arrowroot, don’t just leave it out! It adds chewiness to the cookies, which the egg will also do if you use it.
Here’s a good vegan gingerbread recipe if you are deeply disappointed by the lack of molasses in these lebkuchen. I won’t judge.
This post is the first of several cookie recipes I’ll be sharing this week. I know I’ve been a little less present lately – I’ve been working a lot, but wanted to get some holiday themed posts out there before the holidays are over and there are no cookies! Graham, who is a total cookie monster, is thrilled.
More great Christmas cookie recipes:
Vegan Spice Sugar Cookies
Almond Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spiced Orange Shortbread
Honey and Oat Cookies
Chocolate Orange Macaroons
Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Or take a look at this collection of healthy Christmas cookies for it all in one place!
Let’s connect! For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email. If you make this recipe, I’d love to see! Tag your instagram versions with @occasionallyeggs.
Vegan Lebkuchen
Ingredients
- 150 grams light spelt flour
- 50 grams hazelnut meal
- 100 grams coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder*
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg**
- 1 cardamom pod crushed
- Pinch salt
- 60 ml olive oil***
- 2 tablespoons oat or nut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 50 grams dark chocolate, melted, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, hazelnut meal, sugar, arrowroot, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the oil, milk, and maple syrup. Whisk in the egg as well if you’re substituting it for the arrowroot.
- Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until everything is combined. Take about two tablespoons of dough and and use your hands roll it into a ball, repeating until the dough is used. Place them 6 cm (2 inches) apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Let the cookies cool on the pan for ten minutes before removing to cool completely on a rack.
- Once the cookies are cool, use a spoon dipped in the melted chocolate to drizzle lines over them. Cool them in the fridge after adding the chocolate before packing them up in a sealed container. The cookies will keep for about 5 days on the counter, and freeze well.
Notes
** If you use pre-ground nutmeg and cardamom, use 1/2 teaspoon and 1/4 teaspoon respectively.
*** Other oils can be used in place of olive oil. I’ve used grapeseed and melted coconut oil with good results. Using coconut oil will result in a denser cookie once it cools.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Your home away from home sounds just perfect, Alexandra.. the light, dog, forest, pottery… sublime. Aleppo… it's horrible, horrific. So much crap going on in the world, including in the US. Sometimes it's hard to see beyond it. I've had to make a concerted effort lately to focus on the good because the bad and worry is so prevalent. Meditation and spending time in nature helps. These cookies are sublime.. they look so rich and just what I need right now. Looking forward to more cookies Alexandra. Hugs and love. xo
Alexandra Daum says
It was wonderful, Traci! I miss it now that we're back home. Jeepers, I'm late replying to this and now so much more has happened with Trump and everything else that's happening – it's getting harder and harder to focus on the good. Thank you sweet lady <3
Diana Dsouza Udani says
Hello Alexandra,
After quite an extensive search, I checked the vegan dairy free recipes on your website and am quite happy.
I am not a vegan, but my husband and some friends are, so now I will be able to bake these versions of baked goods. Thanks for the efforts you have put in and your very helpful suggestions.
I have one question though, if I have to double the recipe, will I have to double the arrow root powder I.e. for 2 eggs = 2 table spoons arrow root powder. Your reply will be most appreciated. Could you help me please.
Have a great Christmas with your family.
Regards,
Diana
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Diana! I’m so happy to hear that you’ve found some recipes you’d like to try. Yes, if you are doubling the recipe, double the arrowroot powder as well to make sure the structure of the cookie stays the same. Happy Holidays!
Anonymous says
Easy to make, they taste great and look perfect! (Replaced sugar by 2 more tablespoons honey and the arrow root by tapioca flour as it’s what I had underhand).
Nuno Dias says
Do you think this would work with wholemeal spelt flour or some other whole grain flour instead of all or at least some of the light spelt flour?
Alexandra says
They definitely won’t be as cookie-ish but it would work okay. Something like whole wheat pastry flour would be easiest, but I’d say you could do half wholemeal spelt without problems.
Aub says
Really lovely biscuits! I used almond flour instead of hazelnut and (by accident) wholemeal spelt flour but they still came out delicious, thank you!
Beth Marie says
Hi Alex, I was excited to find this recipe for vegan Lebkuchen. I am of German descent on both sides of my family, yet my mom never really prepared German food. Lately, I have been on a quest to try veganized versions of German classics. I made these cookies with great success. I substituted the spelt flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour blend and used almond flour instead of the hazelnut flour. With the exception of them not browning (typical for gluten free items), they turned out stellar. I would suggest flattening them slightly with the back of a spoon before baking as they don’t seem to spread that much. Also, I would suggest adding some coconut oil to the dark chocolate before melting to thin it a bit and using a plastic baggie with one of the corners snipped in order to apply the chocolate. The taste is perfection. I find these cookies a flavor combination of the classic snickerdoodle and the gingerbread cookie.