My Grandmother alway used Honey for some of the sugar and added really fine grated lemon peel; really very very fine, and some times even orange peel. They have to be fine so if you can hardly see them . I will have to look up a couple of different ones you might try. will try to do so in the next couple of days. My family all had their own recipes for them.

This what I did. I traced around my picture added just a little overlap, than made a template out of card stock. Then put the template on parchment paper and while watchin TV trace how many I need and will cut them out tomorrow and will place them under my picture so I don't have to cover up my glaze. Lot of work but I was sitting on my butt anyways watching the Tube.

I found some really thin photo paper (Cheap) and printed on that. The pictures were nice and shiney.

My grandmothers LEBKUCHEN (HONEY CAKE) RECIPE
Bake: 350 20-30 minutes or untill toothpick in center is clean.
grease a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch pan 2 1/2doz--3'x1 1/2'cookies.
Ingredients:
3/4cup(4ozs) unblanched almonds 1/2tsp allspice
2ozs(1/3cup)chopped candied orange peel 1/2tsp nutmeg
2ozs(1/3cup)chopped candied lemon peel 1/2tsp powder cloves
3cups flour sifted 2eggs
1/4tsp baking soda 1cup sugar
1tsp cinnamon 1/2cup
Frosting Ingredients:
1/3cup sifted powder sugar 1Tbsp water
1tsp lemon juice
1.Finely chopand set aside almonds,candied orange and candied lemon peel.
2.Sift together presifted flour,baking soda,cinnamon,allspice,nutmeg and cloves . set aside
3.Beat eggs until piled softly,add sugar slowly,beat until thickand piled softly.
4.Beat in honey.
5.By hand gently fold in the dry ingredients in fourths.
6.Mix in the almonds and candied peels.
7.Put batter in pan and spread to all cornors. Bake--when done cool on racks.
8.When slightly cooled, spread evenly over top. Cut in 3x1 1/2'inch bars or cut with St.Nick,Hansel and Gretel cutters or by hand in the basic shape and then frost or glaze. cake should be cooled before using cutters.
9.Blend blend together the frosting ingredients, using more water if need.
Tip: Chop nuts and candied peels very tiny so little children can sallow them easily. It also spreads the flavor around better.
This is my favorite one. The one I alway use.

LUBKUCHEN----Family member (orginal came from Better Home and Garden Magazine. She likes it alot, different flavor.

BAKE: 350--15 to 20 minutes 32 cookies
PAN: 15"x10"x1"
Ingredients:
2cups all-pupose flour 1/2cup brown sugar
1Tbsp pumpkin pie spice 1/3cup honey
1/2tsp baking soda 1/3cup molasses
1egg 1/2cup chopped almonds
2Tbsps cooking oil 1/2cup mixed candied fruits and peels

Lemon Icing Ingredients:
1egg white 1/2tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 1/2cups sifted powdered sugar 1Tbsp. lemon juice

1. In bowl combine flour.spice and soda, set aside.
2. In large mixer bowl beat egg and oil. Add brown sugar,beat until fluffy.
3.Add flour mixture; beat until well mixed.
4. Stir in by hand-- nuts and fruit and peels.
5. Spread in greased pan and bake . Cool , score into bars and brush on lemon icing.
ICING: Beat together egg white,powdered sugar, shredded lemon peel and lemon juice.

LEBKUCHEN #3
BAKE: 375---25 minutes or intil toothpick comes out clean--depends on your oven.
PAN: greased 15 1/2"x10"x1"---jelly roll type pan.

INGREDIENTS:
2cups all purpose flour
1cup chopped walnuts
1cup candied fruits (8oz jar candied citron
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp ground cloves
1/2tsp salt
3eggs
1egg yolk
1 1/2cups packed brown sugar
1/2cup strong coffee or sherry
1. Up to 2 weeks before serving------Preheat oven to 375 and grease pan
2.Measure first 7 ingredients and set aside.
3. In large bowl beat eggs and yolk with mixer at high speed until thick and lemon -colored, about 10 minutes.
4. gradually beat in sugar a few tablespoons at a time. By hand with spatula thoroughly blend in cooffee(sherry) and flour mixture.
5. Pour in pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. frost with frosting glaze, before it dries score into 2"by 2 1/2" bars or cut with The Special Hansel and Gretal or St. Nick cutters when cake is cool and than frost.
SNOWY GLAZE:
In medium bowl, mix 1 cup confectione's sugar(powder sugar) with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of milk and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Has everyone cliked on to cutthecake's link she posted? It has some Hansel and Gretal die cut I have never seen before. they are so different than what we have. They are unique.

PLEASE read the ingredients for the first to recipes I put up, some of the ingredients are right on top of each other sorry. Ya I know that is what the preview is for, what can I say.

These recipes should all be very flavorful. I find that when I put the first batch of dough in the oven I watch it very careful that way I can get the right time down for my oven, because all ovens don't heat the same and the older the stove gets the heating temp change. I check this new one about every 2years. My last stove I had to check very year and had to even lower my temp on my baked goods.

Just before Thanksgiving I have one of the boys level my stove just to be on the safe side.

Thanks to all the CC'ers I did get my cookies made this year! (about 50 at final count] I adjusted the pictures provided on CC of the old Santa and Hansel and Gretel to match my cookie cutters and printed out on regular computer paper. I think a very light weight photo paper would be good to try next year....didn't have any on hand to try this year. Would give a more glossy finish, but then the saran overwrap did give a bit of a shine! Especially when trying to use the flash!
Now that I have a very nice collection of the pictures, I will never worry about getting these special cookies made each year!
Got the photo of just a sampling of the ones I made uploaded...finally! http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1900003

I am still searching for the Santa papers but having no luck. I see your post was in 2009 and it's now 2013. I used to make the cookies (I have the cutter that matches the paper) for my boys every year when they were growing up. They were always a part of celebrating St. Nicholas Day on December 6.

Did you ever find the Father Christmas papers? I want some so very badly as I have the cutter but no pictures to put on the cookies!

Thanks!

Santa might be here taking a nap.......

http://www.fancyflours.com/category/christmas-themed-edible-wafer-paper

Yes, I perused their site yesterday but they do not have the ones that fit my cookie cutter. All of theirs are rectangles. My cookie cutter was made to fit the special papers I saw pictures of from someone else. Thanks anyway!