This take on the classic German holiday cookie is packed with complex spices and citrusy notes. Note that the dough needs to chill for a full day prior to baking. The final result is firm and chewy when fresh, and after about two days, they firm up more but remain delicious.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: German
Keyword: cookies, gingerbread, holiday, lemon
Author: Beth Cato
Ingredients
Cookies
3/4cupbrown sugar packed
1/2cuphoney
1/4cupunsalted butter half stick
1/4cupdark molasses
2teaspoonsespresso powder
1large egg
3/4cupground almonds sifted
1/2cupcandied orange slices chopped, or candied orange peel
3 1/2cupsall-purpose flour 15.75 ounces
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonground cardamom
1/2teaspoonground cloves
1/4teaspoonginger
1/8teaspoonsalt
Glaze
3/4cupconfectioners' sugar
2teaspoonslemon juice
1 1/2teaspoonswater
Instructions
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, constantly stir together the brown sugar, honey, butter, and molasses until the sugar is dissolved. Make sure it doesn't come to a boil. Transfer the mixture to large bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Add the espresso powder and egg to the cool sugar mixture. Follow that up with the ground almonds and candied orange bits.
In a separate bowl, stir together the rest of the dry ingredients. Gradually combine the two bowls until just mixed. Lift it up and knead it for a minute or so to make sure no flour remains at the bottom.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and stash in the fridge for at least a day.
Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Cover two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide dough into 4 portions. Keep the other portions chilled while rolling 1 out into a 8x6-inch rectangle. Cut (a pizza slicer or bench knife are great) into 3x1-inch bars. Transfer to baking sheet, setting them an inch apart.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until firm. If cooking both sheets at once, switch their positions about halfway through.
As soon as the cookies are out, mix up the glaze. Drizzle glaze back and forth over the warm cookies. Let glaze set for an hour before packing up cookies in sealed containers.