Lebkuchen bars recipe

The German spice cookie lebkuchen is a holiday favorite that’s similar to a gingerbread cookie. We wanted to take the flavor profile of traditional Lebkuchen and turn the cookie into a thick, soft bar, one that would be warmly spiced and defined by the hearty flavor and chew that molasses provides; in other words, we wanted gingerbread squared. A combination of butter and shortening gave us the right balance of rich flavor (from the butter) and cakey chew (from the shortening). Generous spice, most notably from a whopping tablespoon of cinnamon, gave the dough a serious kick while some lemon zest served to brighten the warm spice flavor. Many versions of Lebkuchen are iced, and we thought the flat bar shape of these cookies was the perfect format for showcasing a light glaze. Adding some lemon juice to the glaze gave it a pleasant tang. To test for doneness, make sure that the edges of the bars are set and the top is covered with many tiny cracks.