Berner Honiglebkuchen Swiss Honey Gingerbread

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Medium

Berner Honiglebkuchen Swiss Honey Gingerbread

A firm, glossy honey and spice gingerbread cut into rectangles and decorated with simple white icing. The dough rests to let the flavors build. Makes 10 bars in about 24 hr 54 min.

Prep 40 min

Cook 14 min

Cooling 24 hr

Total 24 hr 54 min

Yield 10 bars

Ingredients

Adjust yield

bars

14 tbsp (300 g)honey
¼ cup (60 g)unsalted butter
¼ cup (60 ml)whole milk
4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (4 g)ground cinnamon
½ tsp (1 g)ground cloves
¾ tsp (2 g)ground ginger
½ tsp (1 g)ground nutmeg
½ tsp (1 g)ground aniseed
1 tsp (5 g)baking soda
1 ¼ tsp (5 g)baking powder
¼ tsp (2 g)salt
1 ¼ cups (150 g)powdered sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml)water
1 tsp (5 ml)lemon juice

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Instructions

Warm the honey, butter and milk gently until the butter melts; do not boil. Cool until lukewarm.
Mix the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the honey mixture and stir to a stiff, sticky dough.
Knead briefly on a floured surface, wrap, and refrigerate at least 24 hours; the traditional dough rests for several days.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Roll the dough 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick and cut 3 x 4-inch (7.5 x 10 cm) rectangles. Transfer to the sheets.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until risen, firm to the touch and lightly browned at the edges. Cool on a rack.
Whisk the icing ingredients to a thick but smooth consistency and pipe or brush simple designs on the cooled bars. Let set 1 hour.

Tips

Chill the dough overnight or longer; it makes rolling easier and deepens the spice.
Don't overbake or the bars will turn hard.
A thin dusting of flour keeps the sticky dough manageable.
Good with hot tea or mulled wine.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make berner honiglebkuchen swiss honey gingerbread?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 14 minutes of cooking, plus 24 hours to chill. The recipe makes 10 bars.

How should I store berner honiglebkuchen swiss honey gingerbread?

Store airtight up to 3 weeks; they soften gently over time.

Can I make berner honiglebkuchen swiss honey gingerbread ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Berner Honiglebkuchen is a plain, unfilled honey gingerbread from the Swiss canton of Bern, shaped as rectangles and decorated by hand with white icing. Serve it with hot tea or mulled wine.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

381 Calories / serving

5.7g Fat

78.5g Carbs

5.4g Protein

39.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~3810 cal · 57g fat · 785g carbs · 54g protein · 399g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.