Swiss Gingerbread (Leckerli)
Swiss Gingerbread (Leckerli) cookies are dense, soft, and chewy honey-sweetened and infused with warm spices, candied citrus peel, almonds, and a delicate layer of sweet icing. This traditional recipe delivers an old-fashioned gingerbread flavor that feels both festive and timeless, making it perfect for holiday baking or gifting.
Servings 50 bars
Calories 94kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon gingerbread spice
- ½ cup candied orange chopped
- ½ cup candied lemon peel chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 ¼ cups ground almonds
- 1 1/3 cups buckwheat honey
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Icing:
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons kirsch or water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340º F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and gingerbread spice. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder, 1 teaspoon gingerbread spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a separate large bowl, mix the candied fruit peels, sliced almonds, and ground almonds. Set aside.½ cup candied orange, ½ cup candied lemon peel, ¼ cup sliced almonds, 1 ¼ cups ground almonds
- Add the honey and sugar in a small pot and heat over medium heat on the stove, until the mixture starts comes to a simmer and starts foaming. Pour the honey mixture into the mixing bowl with the candied fruit. Stir to combine.1 1/3 cups buckwheat honey, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- Stir the dry ingredients (flour mixture) into the honey mixture. Mix until the dough is well combined. It will be very tough and sticky, but don’t worry this is normal. You may want to use your hands to knead it until all the flour is incorporated into the dough.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a 14.5-Inch x 10-Inch rimmed cookie sheet. Place the dough on it and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Roll with a rolling pin until the dough has spread all over the cookie sheet. It won’t entirely fill the sheet, but will be about ¾ of an inch high. It won’t rise much during baking so the height you’ve rolled out too is pretty much the final thickness. The shape doesn’t matter either, as you’ll slice it up after baking. Remove the parchment paper on top and bake for 20-25 minutes until the gingerbread is fragrant and golden brown.
- Place the gingerbread in the pan on a wire cooling rack, and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Once the gingerbread is cooled, make the icing. Mix the powdered sugar with kirsch or water until no lumps remain. Brush the gingerbread with the icing and let it dry. The syrup will form crystals and a wonderful white glaze over the top that reminds me of snow.½ cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons kirsch or water
- Then cut the gingerbread into cubes of about 1 to 2 inches each. Use a serrated bread knife to cut the gingerbread, as it’s very dense.
Notes
Makes about 50 bars
Place the cut gingerbread cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. And, these are actually better a few days after they’re made. They soften up a bit and become chewier and deeper in flavor.
You can also make your own Gingerbread Spice Mix in batches. Or, if you’re just making the spice mix for this recipe, simply use ¼ teaspoon each of: · ground cinnamon, · ground ginger, · ground cloves, and · vanilla powder.
Nutrition
Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
