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Alsace
A dense square of honey and spices, almonds and candied citrus peel, beneath a pearlescent glaze or coated in chocolate: since the 15th century, the Leckerli has been one of the jewels of Alsatian biscuit-making, a northern cousin of pain d'épices and first cousin to Bredele.
Pastry or bakery speciality from Alsace.
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A persistent legend traces the origin of the Leckerli to the Concile de Bâle (1431–1449), one of the most important ecclesiastical gatherings of the 15th century: the pastry makers of Bâle are said to have taken advantage of the influx of spices brought by merchants and the presence of thousands of clerics to create this lavish biscuit. This theory, although widespread, has been disproved by historical research conducted in the state archives of Bâle-Ville: the ingredients used to make Leckerli were simply not yet available on the market in the 15th century. The documented history of the biscuit dates back instead to the 17th century, when the earliest traces of Leckerli recipes appear in Switzerland; its name, attested in writing for the first time in 1711, is thought to derive from the Old High German leckon, 'to lick'.
While Bâle claims its paternity, the Leckerli has become a staple of winter festivities on both banks of the Rhine, especially in Alsace and German-speaking Switzerland. From Mulhouse to Strasbourg, Alsatian biscuit houses offer their own version of the Leckerli, glazed with kirsch sugar or coated in chocolate depending on the maker. In Alsatian Christmas markets, Leckerlies stand alongside Bredele and pain d'épices as symbols of the regional winter table.
Today, the biscuit has broken free from the Christmas season alone: Alsatian biscuit makers offer it all year round, in the form of individually wrapped cubes, gift boxes, or large slabs to break apart — as shown by the standard range of houses such as Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie or Fortwenger, which market their Leckerlies throughout the year alongside other pain d'épices specialities.
Leckerlies d'Alsace come in small rectangular or square slabs, golden-brown in colour, covered in a pearlescent white glaze or coated in milk or dark chocolate. Their texture is dense, markedly different from a dry biscuit — the presence of honey provides a characteristic chew reminiscent of a very compact pain d'épices.
The basic composition consists of honey (in large quantities, as the main sweetener), flour, spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg), almonds and/or hazelnuts, and candied citrus peel — lemon and orange — which brings that subtly tangy note that is so recognisable. Some recipes incorporate a little kirsch to help the dough rise. The absence of butter is a characteristic shared with pain d'épices.
Its keeping qualities are excellent — several weeks in an airtight tin — making it an ideal product for gift boxes and postal deliveries, a common practice since the Christmas markets.
Artisan
Large artisan house
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