Galeria Kaufhof, Munich

Directly translated into English, Lebkuchenherzen are “gingerbread hearts,” but unlike gingerbread cookies or cakes, Lebkuchenherzen are not really meant to be eaten. Decorated with hard, crunchy sugar frosting, the Lebkuchenherzen are baked with a hole in the top, wrapped in plastic, and hung from a colorful ribbon. Used as decorative ornaments around the house, Lebkuchenherzen can be found at public festivals and seasonal fairs in Munich, including Oktoberfest and both the spring and winter Tollwood festivals.

They can also often be found year-round at the Viktualienmarkt downtown. Prices vary by size, with the smaller hearts costing around 4 Euros and the larger up to 15 or 20 Euros. Normal lebkuchen that people eat, as opposed to lebkuchenherzen for decoration, are very popular in Germany as well, especially during Christmas time. Also known as Pfefferkuchen, Gewürzkuchen, or Honigkuchen, German gingerbread is typically circular cookies available for purchase from the Galerie Kaufhof in downtown Munich in packages of 5 or 6. Some are coated in chocolate, while others in almonds and powdered sugar, or just plain.