German Gingerbread Hearts Recipe Lebkuchen Holiday Lebkuchenherzen Wiesn Herz or when sold at Oktoberfest

These large, decorative heart-shaped cookies are a beloved tradition at German Christmas markets. While often used as edible ornaments, their spicy, honey-sweetened flavor makes them a treat to eat as well. Visitors wear them with ribbons around their neck at German Christmas markets and Oktoberfest.

Ingredients:

7 tbsps. (100 g) butter

3/4 cup (180 ml) honey

5/8 cup (125 g) sugar

2 1/2 tbsps. (15 g) cocoa powder

1 tbsp. (15 ml) gingerbread spice mix

5 cups (600 g) flour

1 1/2 tsp. (7.5 ml) single- or double-acting baking powder

1/4 tsp. (1.25 ml) salt

1 egg

Directions:

1. Bring the butter, honey, sugar, cocoa powder and gingerbread spice mix to a boil in a medium-size saucepan.

2. Boil for several minutes until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and cool slightly.

3. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt into a bowl.

4. Make a depression in the bowl and add the egg, then pour the honey mixture over the flour and mix on low speed until a ball of dough can be.

5. The ball of dough might still be shaggy but will form a smooth dough as it cools down, so do not add extra flour.

6. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and put in a safe place at room temperature for 4 to 48 hours. (This dough should rest overnight before baking for best results.)

7. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

8. Roll out half the dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured board.

9. Use a large, heart-shaped cookie cutter or your own template to cut out large, heart shaped cookies.

10. If you want to hang these hearts from a ribbon, create one or two holes about 3/4-inch below the rim of the cookie before you bake it.

11. Repeat with the rest of cookie dough. This dough does not re-roll well, so take care to roll it into the right size the first time.

12. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are set in the middle and lightly browned on the bottom.

13. Bake the trimmed scraps to use for practice decorating.

14. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They will harden as they cool.

15. Use tinted royal icing to decorate the cookies. Place the icing in a decorator bag with a leaf tip attached to make the border, and a writing tip for the words. Decorate as you like.

Some Common German Phrases to write on the cookies:

Romantic and Affectionate Phrases