Name: Soft Elisenlebkuchen Without Candied Lemon and Orange Peel
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 14 Servings
Cuisine: Other

Jule’s Menu Verified

January 26, 2026

These soft, ultra-moist Elisen Lebkuchen are a luxurious take on the classic German gingerbread, made without traditional candied lemon and orange peel — instead using finely chopped dried medjool dates and apricots for natural sweetness and texture. The flavor is rich and warming, featuring a blend of brown sugar, honey, citrus zest, ground almonds and hazelnuts, and classic gingerbread spices like cinnamon and clove. Finished with either a chocolate coating or a light sugar glaze, they’re moist, aromatic, and perfect for holiday celebrations, cozy snacking, or gifting.

Soft Elisenlebkuchen Without Candied Lemon and Orange Peel

Soft Elisenlebkuchen Without Candied Lemon and Orange Peel cover

From the Cook

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Soft Elisenlebkuchen Without Candied Lemon and Orange Peel

Jule’s Menu Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 6 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Baking the Gingerbread

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) top and bottom heat. Pit the dates and finely dice them with a sharp knife, and dice the apricots as small as possible.

Place the eggs, sugar, and honey in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer for five minutes until frothy. Wash the lemon and orange thoroughly and add all of the zest to the egg mixture.

Add the nuts and spices, and gently fold them in using a spatula. Then carefully fold in the small pieces of apricot and dates.

Place the wafers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Divide 50–60 g of gingerbread dough onto each wafer and gently flatten the mounds with damp fingers. Bake the gingerbreads at 150°C (300°F) top and bottom heat for 20–22 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Then allow them to cool completely.

Chocolate Glaze

Coarsely chop the chocolate. Melt two-thirds of it over a double boiler. Then remove from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until fully melted. Dip the cooled gingerbreads upside down into the chocolate and then let them set on a wire rack or a piece of parchment paper.

Sugar Glaze

Mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water into a very thick glaze, and brush it over the lukewarm gingerbreads.

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About the Cook

Jule’s Menu

Hi, I’m Julia, and I’m the recipe developer, photographer, and author behind Jules’ Menu. I’ve spent the last eight years perfecting healthy everyday recipes so they strike the perfect balance between healthy and nourishing, simple and practical, and gourmet-level delicious.