Traditional Nuremberg Christmas Spice Bars

 

These traditional German Christmas bars are wonderfully aromatic, nutty, and slightly chewy, with a sweet white glaze on top. They are even better after resting for several days, allowing the spices and flavors to deepen—exactly the kind of Christmas treat that becomes a family tradition.

Ingredients

For the bars:

• 2 cups (200 g) ground almonds
• 1 cup (120 g) finely ground hazelnuts
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup (60 g) finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds

For the glaze:

• 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice or water
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

1. Prepare the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some paper hanging over the edges for easy removal.

2. Mix the eggs and sugar
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes lighter and slightly fluffy.

3. Add the honey and flavorings
Mix in the honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

4. Combine the dry ingredients
In another bowl, combine the ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.

5. Make the dough
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Stir until a thick, sticky batter forms. Fold in the chopped nuts.

6. Spread into the pan
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Use a lightly dampened spatula to spread it evenly into a thick layer.

7. Bake
Bake for approximately 20–25 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set. Avoid overbaking—the bars should remain slightly soft inside.

8. Prepare the glaze
While the bars are cooling, whisk the powdered sugar with lemon juice or water and vanilla until smooth. The glaze should be thick but spreadable.

9. Glaze the warm bars
Allow the baked mixture to cool for about 10 minutes, then spread the glaze evenly over the surface.

10. Cool completely
Let the glazed slab cool completely in the pan before lifting it out with the parchment paper.

11. Cut into bars
Use a sharp knife to cut the dessert into small squares or rectangles.

12. Let the flavor develop
For that classic old-fashioned Christmas flavor, place the completely cooled bars in an airtight container and let them rest for several days before serving. The spices and nuts become more pronounced as they sit.

A Little Christmas Secret

These bars are especially delicious when prepared ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, separating layers with parchment paper. After a few days, the texture becomes wonderfully tender and the cinnamon, cloves, citrus, almonds, and hazelnuts develop a deeper flavor.