Lebkuchen

Deep in the heart of Bavaria, Germany, the snowy cobblestone streets of Nuremberg come to life every holiday season as locals and tourists visit the bustling alleys of the Christkindlesmarkt, Nuremberg’s world-renowned holiday market. Among the labyrinth of rustic wooden stalls, market-goers purchase everything from steaming plates of bratwurst to artisanal ceramics, but one holiday treat reigns supreme: lebkuchen. Packed with honey, black pepper, cocoa, and all manner of warm winter spices, these centuries-old cookies may be native to Nuremberg, but they’ve become a global holiday staple.

Descended from honey cakes baked by the ancient Egyptians and Romans, lebkuchen as we know them today date back to the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, monks living in