Magenbrot are a traditional German spice cookie, popular at German Christmas markets and local fairs. Their soft, chewy texture and delicious chocolate-gingerbread flavour make them an irresistible holiday cookie choice. Magenbrot cookies are easy to make - no fiddling or shaping - just roll into logs, bake, ice, and slice. They turn out fantastically with gluten-free flour, too.
Christmas time in Germany is cookie time! Lots of different cookies - little nuggets of sweet, spicy goodness that make the house smell like Christmas while they're being baked and make the heart feel like Christmas while they're being eaten.
The flavourful bite of a chewy, spicy, morsel of Magenbrot far outshines the unromantic sound of the word, which translates literally as 'Stomach Bread', most likely due to the variety of spices historically considered good for digestion. In southern Germany and Swizterland, where this delicious cookie originated, Magenbrot is a an essential addition to a Christmas cookie platter. It's a popular offering at fairs and Christmas markets.
Magenbrot is an Easy German Christmas Cookie
Christmas cookie baking is taken very seriously in Germany. The immense variety of these sweet bites, both traditional and modern, is staggering. German Christmas cookies are usually small, two-bite-sized, and often take some extra effort to make. Not too sweet, rich with nuts, spices, and dried fruits, every one is delicious and beautiful to look at.
Magenbrot is the country cousin to many of these elegant little cookies. Don't let its plain looks fool you. This cookie is like a warm spicy cookie hug - the German version of gingerbread. It's wonderfully soft and chewy, redolent of warm and fragrant spices, cocoa powder, toasted hazelnuts, and bright citrus - a truly memorable combination. Honey in the dough preserves that delightful texture, and the crackly chocolate-lemon glaze is a trademark addition.
The soft, biscuitlike texture goes so well with tea or coffee, a cup of hot chocolate, or even with a steaming mug of 'Glühwein'.
If you're wanting to add some German flair to your Christmas cookie platter, this is great place to start (and Magenbrot are a lot simpler to make than some of the fancy traditional German Christmas cookies).
Tips to Make Your Magenbrot Marvelous
It's the combination of spices, citrus, and chocolate that makes for the unique flavour of this cookie - really quite addictive.
- Don't omit the candied mixed peel (check for it in bulk stores if you can't find it in the supermarket). If you chop it very finely, it will blend into the Magenbrot and combine with the other flavours to create the complex flavour of these cookies and add little burst of chewiness.
- Use the Lebkuchen spice mix - this is another element that gives Magenbroth its memorable flavour. German gingerbread (Lebkuchen) has a different flavour profile from North American or British gingerbread. It comes from the spice mix used in Germany. Along with the traditional flavours in our pumpkin pie spice mix like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, German Lebkuchen mix contains ground coriander and the addition of licorice-flavoured spices like ground star anise, fennel, or anise seeds. That's where the magic comes in. Even if you don't care for licorice as a separate flavour, you won't find it overpowering in German gingerbread delicacies - it combines with the other spices to make a unique, complex spice flavour. If you can't find it in import stores or delicatessens, you can easily make your own Lebkuchen Spice Mix.
- Chill it! Magenbrot dough benefits from a time in the refrigerater to meld its flavours and get that chewy texture. You can make the dough when you have a pocket of time, then chill it overnight, or even up to 5 days. Bake it when you have time!
- Use a mixer. The dough is stiff, so if you have a heavy-duty stand mixer, your job will be easier. If not, be prepared to use a little extra elbow grease to mix it.
Make a Batch of Magenbrot
First, you will heat the sugar, water, and honey just until the sugar is melted. Set it aside to cool, and chop the candied peel. Toast the hazelnuts and grind them in a food processor, blender, or spice grinder (or buy pre-ground hazelnuts and toast them lightly). Put all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Now pour in the slightly cooled honey syrup.
Add the egg and milk and mix it up to a stiff dough. (It's easier if you use a mixer.)
Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic food wrap, and put it into the fridge to chill overnight - or leave it there for up to 5 days (whenever you can get to it.)
When you've got time to bake it, remove the dough from the fridge and cut it into 8 equal portions.
Now have some fun! Squeeze each ball into a longish shape, then roll it into a rope about 11 inches (28cm) long.
Put the rolls onto baking sheets. Flatten them slightly with your fingertips.
Bake the Magenbrot rolls, and while they're baking, mix up a glaze with powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and lemon juice.
Brush that gorgeous glaze onto the warm rolls.
Once the glaze is dry, cut the rolls diagonally into the familiar Magenbrot diamonds. The glaze will crimp and crackle - it's ready for you to take a test bite.
More Great German Christmas Cookie Inspiration
Are you looking to add some of the magic of a German Christmas to your cookie plate?
Just for starters, you might like to try the classic Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars), or the chewy almond-based Bethmännchen. If you like spices, Basler Leckerli are delicious little Swiss spice cookies. Or you may want to try your hand at traditional Elisenlebkuchen, the German flourless Christmas cookies made with ground nuts, fruits and warming spices.
Or maybe you want to stick with classic Canadian gingerbread cookies. These are an old recipe from my husband's family, and they're great when filled with jam or icing, or even with chocolate spread.
These cookies are all either already gluten-free, or easy to make gluten-free with my no-fail gluten-free flour blend.
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Guten Appetit!
Magenbrot, German Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- ¾ cup (150gms) sugar
- ½ cup (170gms) honey
- ⅔ cup (100gms) mixed candied citrus peel
- 1 cup (100gms) toasted, ground hazelnuts (see the Notes below for how to toast hazelnuts)
- 3¼ cups (450gms) flour use regular flour or this gluten-free flour blend
- 6 tablespoons (40gms) unsweetened cocoa powder
- zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons German Lebkuchen spice mix or substitute pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup (120ml) milk
- 1 large egg
for the glaze:
- 1 cup (120gms) icing sugar/powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- a small amount of water, if needed
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and honey just until the sugar is melted, but don't let it boil. Set it aside to cool slightly. Finely chop the candied citrus peel.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, chopped peel, ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, lemon zest, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour in the warm honey mixture and mix to combine. Add the egg and milk and knead the mixture to a stiff dough.
- Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic food wrap or pack it into a container and seal it with a lid. Chill the dough overnight or leave it in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
- Remove the ball of dough from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- Cut the dough ball into 8 wedges, and roll each wedge into a ¾-inch (2cm) rope, about 11 inches (28cm) long. Place the ropes onto the cookie sheets and flatten them slightly with your fingers.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the rolls are puffed but still soft.
- While the rolls are baking, stir together the chocolate lemon glaze. Add just enough water, ½ teaspoon at a time, to make a thick but still runny glaze with the consistency of pudding.
- Allow the cookie logs to cool for 5 to 8 minutes, then brush the warm logs with the glaze to coat the tops and sides completely. If there's any extra glaze, add a second coat to any thin spots.
- Let the logs cool, then cut each one diagonally into about 10 diamond-shaped cookies. When the icing has hardened, store the cookies in an airtight tin with wax paper between the layers. They will keep in a cool place for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Makes 80 Magenbrot cookies.
Judith Annand
Hello Margaret… I am currently in India… The land of spices! Once again, you have found a recipe that I can’t wait to try. Thank you so much for all your work in bringing us such amazing recipes.😊
Margaret
You are so welcome ❤️. I cannot wait to hear all the amazing stories you must have from your trip!
Janet
Could I use diced crystallized Ginger for the candied citrus peel?
Margaret
Yes, for sure. It would change the flavour profile, but still be pretty fantastic, I think!
Helene
Quick question-In your recipe you call for eggs and milk to be added to the dough but don't show this in the picture in your write up. I followed the recipe adding eggs and milk. I did not end up with a stiff dough. Which way is correct? Thanks!
Margaret
Hi Helene, Yes, you did it correctly. The dough is relatively stiff, but should still be soft enough to roll (like playdough). It stiffens up as it chills - hope yours worked for you. Thanks for letting me know, I'll add a note in the write-up. I have it in the recipe below, but see that I didn't mention it in the write-up above. Happy holiday baking!🌲😋❤️
Helene
I baked these up and they were fantastic! The dough was very easy to work with. I used your Lebkuchen spice recipe and was a little worried about the spice mix being too strong or overwhelming. But they tasted great. I will definitely be baking these again! Thank you!
Ursula
Hi. Are the 100 grams of hazelnuts the weight before or after the grinding?
Margaret
They are the same - if you're using pre-ground hazelnuts, you'll need 100 grams (which equals about 1 cup) and if you're grinding whole hazelnuts, you can weigh out the 100 grams before you grind them. Happy Baking!
Berta
Hello Margaret!
Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe!
I have doubts about how should I prepare the glaze.
I would appeciate if you could explain me with a little bit more detail.
Margaret
Hi Berta, Thank you for your comment! 😊 To make the glaze, stir together the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and lemon juice to make a thick paste, then add water a little bit at a time (like about ½ teaspoon at a time), stirring after each addition to make a thick, but still runny glaze with the consistency of pudding. It should be just thick enough that when you brush it onto the warm logs it melts a little bit and smoothes out, but doesn't all drip off. You'll have to play with the thickness until it works for you. If it's too thin, you can always add a bit more icing sugar to thicken it back up again. When you've made it once, you'll know the consistency that works best.