Homemade Lebkuchengewürz (German Gingerbread Spice)

Homemade Lebkuchengewürz (German Gingerbread Spice)

Written on 3 December, 2015 by Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet

Many of you will have no idea what this is. Others of you will be cheering because you know exactly what it is and what it’s for.

Lebkuchen Gewürz is a German gingerbread spice blend with an exceptionally beautiful depth and complexity of flavor. It’s unrivaled by anything comparable. It’s an essential ingredient for a variety of German baked goods during the Christmas season, most notably Lebkuchen. (Any guesses what to expect for upcoming recipes? :)

For those of you who are familiar Lebkuchengewürz and live outside of Germany or western Europe, you’ll know how nearly impossible it is to find it. And if you do, it’s expensive. Amazon carries one, and only one, and it’s $13 for just 3 half-ounce packets. So if you prefer the convenience of store-bought, there’s an option.

BUT, if you a cheaper option (if you use the spices in your cooking anyway) AND a superior flavor (if you buy whole spices and grind them yourself), this recipe is for you!

Now, I know what you may be thinking: I don’t want to buy all of those spices just to make this Lebkuchen-Gewürz and then the rest goes to waste!

NOT TRUE!

Most of these spices have sooooo many different uses for a wide variety of cuisines. For example, I can think of one cuisine that regularly uses every single one of these spices: Indian.

Need some great Indian recipes? I’ve got you covered! Some Great Indian Recipes.

And of course you’re not just limited to Indian food, these spices are super duper versatile. Just type in their names one at a time into the search box above or Google them and see what you find!

Some of these spices you can find in your local grocery stores but many you won’t. Most good health food stores will though. And again, if at all possible go for the whole spices so you can grind your own for better flavor.

If you don’t have a well-stocked health store nearby, Amazon is a great place to find all of these spices and at a reasonable cost. Here’s what you’ll need (and don’t cut corners and leave anything out because each of these spices plays an important role). You can buy pre-ground but I always buy whole spices and grind them myself in a coffee/spice grinder for a far superior flavor for any dish I’m making.

Cinnamon

Allspice

Cloves

Coriander

Star Anise

Ginger

Mace

Cardamom

Nutmeg

Whether using pre-ground or grinding your own as pictured below in a coffee/spice grinder, you simply combine the ingredients together.

Keep the Lebkuchengewürz stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and it will keep for up to a year.

For best flavor though, only make what you need for a period of a week or two because the flavors will dissipate over time.

That’s it!

Your Lebkuchengewürz is ready to use. And I’m going to be sharing some authentic German recipes with you shortly that will allow you to put this magical spice blend to good use!

Homemade Lebkuchengewürz (German Gingerbread Spice Blend)

: Kimberly Killebrew, www.daringgourmet.com

Serves: About 4 tablespoons

Ingredients

• 2½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground green cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground star anise
• ¼ teaspoon ground mace
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Combine the spices together and store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

For superior flavor results, grind these spices from whole spices (see post above for details). Using the freshly ground blend within a few days is optimal.

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