Monika’s Oma’s Lebkuchen Men

Ingredients

• 2 cups ground almonds
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg
• Icing:
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons boiling water, or as needed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two baking sheets.

Mix ground almonds, flour, white sugar, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to rub in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add honey and egg; mix together to form a dough.

Dust work surface with flour. Roll out dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with a floured cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until edges are brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Combine confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a bowl. Mix in enough boiling water to make a smooth and spreadable icing. Spread icing on cooled cookies using a table knife. Set aside until icing hardens, about 2 hours.