As part of our Christmas Resource Guide, we’ve collected all the articles on our site that have something to say about German Christmas traditions. Peruse and enjoy!
German Christmas Resource Guide
Everything Christmas ARTICLES PRODUCTS RECIPES SHOP All the joys of Christmas that are captured in German traditions, from fabulous cookies, cakes, stollen and lebkuchen, to roast goose, Christmas Markets, and more… Ten Beloved German Christmas Traditions Although the Christmas season has become incredibly commercialized, it’s worth remembering the German Christmas traditions of our childhood which […]
Elisenlebkuchen – the finest German Gingerbread
If the abbots in Franconian monasteries had been stricter, the finest of German gingerbreads would not have been invented. Nuns and monks had started to use Eucharist wafers to produce gingerbread according to their own secret recipes. But the word and the formula spread quickly, and around the year 1345 a whole new industry of […]
Christmas Markets in North America
Beginning in November, German-themed Christmas Markets are a delightful addition our holiday experience, a bit of traditional holiday celebration to share with all the family. A visit to an authentic Christmas market is sure to engage all your senses and get your body, mind and soul ready for the holidays. In North America as in […]
Authentic German Recipes for Christmas Holiday Entertaining
Roast goose frequently appears on menus all over Germany and is especially popular during the Christmas holiday season. Its dark, delicious and tender meat cooks to a light crispiness on the outside while the rich skin bastes the meat naturally. Goose Breast with Potato Dumplings, Red Cabbage and Caramelized Chestnuts A traditional German Christmas feast […]
Guide to German Christmas Holiday Baking
The holiday season is peak season for home bakers to practice their skills. Christmas cookies are a fun way to get started, even for people with no baking experience. The recipes are usually fairly simple and straightforward, requiring only pantry staples and a few special seasonal ingredients. We’ve also included a few recipes that are […]
22 Traditional German Christmas Cookies
What would the Christmas season be without scrumptious homemade cookies? Fragrant bouquets of cinnamon, ginger, anise, and chocolate wafting through the house! Rich Christmas cookies are one of the archetypical German culinary traditions, and those fabulous smells are found in homes and outdoor Christmas markets in November and December. ‘Looking for the secrets behind those […]
Christmas Novelties
Authentic Christmas cookies, stollen and lebkuchen are some of the most beloved German foods, and you will find them in many specialty food stores here in North America. These items are not available year round; they are usually produced and shipped in the fall to guarantee freshness and great taste. Generations of German immigrants to […]
What Makes a Good Stollen ‘Great’?
The Christmas Stollen is one of the Germany’s favorite holiday treats. More than 2.5 million Stollen are purchased in German retail stores each year, and countless more are baked in home kitchens. This deliciously sweet and fruity cake (quite different from British fruit cake) has also gained great popularity in North America over the past […]
Rhineland Specialties: Foods from North Rhine Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate
The German region of Rhineland refers to the area of land on either side of the Rhine River and consists of the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and parts of the Saarland. While North Rhine-Westphalia is one of Germany’s major industrial areas, it’s also a very prominent agricultural state. Especially in the Northern region, around […]
Ten Beloved German Christmas Traditions
Saving the best for last, one of the most anticipated German Christmas traditions is the Christmas dinner! The traditional Christmas meal features duck, goose, rabbit or a roast. This main dish is accompanied by German delicacies such as apple and sausage stuffing, red cabbage and potato dumplings. Dessert typically includes Christmas Stollen, considered one of the […]
Marzipan – the essential ingredient in world class pastries
It’s quite amazing how three simple ingredients – almonds, sugar ,rose water – can transform ordinary confectioneries and cakes into world class pastries. Marzipan has been used to decorate or to perfect pastries, cakes and cookies for more than thousand years. Originating in the caliphs courts of Mesopotamia, it is today an integral part of […]
German Holiday Baking Traditions, Rooted in History
The History of German Holiday Baking Ahhh, the holiday baking season in Germany! The smells of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamon, caramel and chocolate waft through the house. Children run around in excitement as they savor the taste of cookie batter on spoons! November and December highlight some of our most treasured culinary traditions, many of which […]
Guide to German Chocolate and Confectionary
German chocolate and candy are known all over the world for their premium quality and exquisite flavors. Many of the sweets which are now available almost everywhere orginated in Germany. The most prominent example might be the world-famous “gummi bear” which is, of course, a German invention. Germany’s chocolate industry has a great reputation worldwide […]
Guide to German Cookies and Cakes
German cookies and cakes are known all over the world, not only for their quality but also because of their uniqueness. The selection of premium ingredients combined with recipes which have been perfected in family-owned businesses for generations guarantee the extraordinary flavor of the baked goods. Compared to American cookies and cakes you will find […]
