Christmas is not complete without gingerbread, be it houses, cookies, cake, or any dessert flavored with those warm spices of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The dense spicy cake traces its roots to 11th
century Europe. There are so many versions from eastern Europe all the
way to Scandinavia, but I'm focusing on the cookie. In Germany there is
Lebkuchen and Pfeffernüsse. In Hungary, gingerbread cookies are called
Puszedli. They look just like Lebkuchen, but are smaller. Polish
Pierniki are also quite special cookies. The town of Toruń is famous
for their heart-shaped cookies, filled with jam and covered in
chocolate. These cookies all share similar ingredients and flavors.
Puszedli and Lebkuchen are made with honey and have a lighter color
than the gingerbread cookies Americans are familiar with. The
traditional decoration is a whole almond pressed into each cookie. Then
the cookies are brushed with a sugary glaze that gives them a wintry
look. But since neither cookie has almonds in the dough, I forgo the
nut decoration and keep them simple. I make the classic round cookies
and heart cookies to mimic the Polish treats. But if you're so inclined
to decorate the cookies with nuts, walnut halves are traditional with
Puszedli. Pecan halves, for an American twist, would do the trick just
as well. These cookies, as with all gingerbread, are best made ahead of the
holiday. They get better and softer with age.