Step 1

Combine the ground spices in a small bowl or jar.

Step 2

Cover and set aside.

Step 3

This recipe makes a little more spice mix than you need for these cookies. Feel free to add more spice mix to the cookies if you'd like a stronger flavor.

Step 4

Wash oranges and lemons.

Step 5

Zest the citrus using a microplane.

Step 6

Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat.

Step 7

Add zest and stir.

Step 8

Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 9

Strain out the liquid and let the candied zest cool in a small bowl.

Step 10

Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

Step 11

This recipe will likely make a little more candied zest than you need for these cookies. Feel free to add more if you'd like a stronger flavor.

Step 12

Use a food processor to grind the almonds and hazelnuts until they're like crumbs. (But be careful that you don't grind so long that they turn into nut butter! It's ok if you have some larger nut chunks.They don't all have to be the same size.) Set ground nuts aside.

Step 13

Add the brown sugar, Lebkuchen Spice Mix, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl (or the food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer). Mix with a whisk or spoon until combined

Step 14

Add the candied zest and mix again.

Step 15

Add the nuts and mix.

Step 16

Add the spice mix and stir.

Step 17

And then add the honey and mix again.

Step 18

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then add the eggs to the dough and mix again.

Step 19

The dough should be pretty thick at this point.

Step 20

At this stage you can cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. Or you bake your cookies right away.

Step 21

When you're ready to bake your cookies, pre-head your oven to 325F/160C.

Step 22

Place the Oblaten wafers on a lined baking tray (if using).

Step 23

If using the 70mm size, spoon 2 tablespoons dough onto the middle of each wafer. If your dough immediately flattens out and spills out over the wafer, add more ground nuts (try grinding another 1/4 to 1/2 cup).

Step 24

Ideally you want the baked cookies to cover the entire wafer while keeping a domed shape. You can use lightly damp fingers to gently spread the dough towards the edge of the Oblaten. I just barely spread the dough towards the edges.

Step 25

For the cookies you want to eat plain (no glaze), you can press almonds into the dough at this stage. I totally forgot to do that so my plain cookies are very plain (still tasty, though)!

Step 26

Bake the cookies for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are browned. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.

Step 27

Add powdered sugar, water, vanilla extract, and rum extract (optional) to a small bowl and mix until there are no lumps. Adjust powdered sugar and water as needed. The sugar glaze in the recipe below should be enough to glaze half of the cookies, so double it if you want to use it for all of the cookies.

Step 28

Chop the dark chocolate and add a bit of oil (vegetable, coconut, etc). Slowly melt the chocolate in the microwave on 15-20 second intervals or in a double boiler on stove (or place a glass bowl over a saucepan that has simmering water it in). Stir frequently. When 3/4 of the chocolate has melted, simply keep stirring to melt the rest. If you want all of your cookies to have a chocolate glaze, double the recipe.

Step 29

Use a pastry brush to apply the sugar or chocolate glaze to the top of the cookies. You can also dip the cookies in the glaze (I found it easiest to use the pastry brush).

Step 30

Add almonds (whole blanched, slivered or sliced) to decorate the top of the cookies before glaze sets.

Step 31

Let the glaze dry on the cookies for 12-24 hours. Store in an airtight container with wax paper between layers of cookies. They'll keep for at least a couple weeks, longer in the freezer.