Cookies made in Salzburg

When the snow begins to fall, there is definitely a hint of Christmas in the air. Almost without knowing why, we stroll through the streets with a big blissful smile on our faces, chink together our mugs of mulled wine with total strangers and “graze” through the delectable assortment of seasonal treats from local bakeries. The toughest part is knowing where to begin, of course. That’s why we went ahead and visited with a few bakers, keeping our eyes and ears open for any recipes they happened to reveal to us.

Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter: living tradition

Its location is truly one-of-a-kind, which is why we reflexively reach for our camera: The mill wheel turns and turns in front of Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter, pointing the way to the business now run by Franz Grabmer, a bakery that is the very definition of the word “rustic”. A master miller and baker with incredible know-how and a true passion for his profession, he has held the lease on this, the oldest bakery in Salzburg, since 2007. During Christmas season, handmade Kletzenbrot supplements his traditional array of breads out of the wood-fired oven, natural sourdough bread and brioches.

Kletzenbrot unlike any other

So, what are the baker’s favorite cookies? Franz Grabmer doesn't hesitate: “Gingerbread!” Though he does also swear by his very own Kletzenbrot, which is a kind of fruit bread that is very popular in these parts. "Your tastebuds are in for a real treat if you combine the original sourdough from the bakery here with the fruits and spices from your own favorite fruit bread recipe”, the baker explains. The result definitely has a "Wow!” factor, and we are thrilled that we can actually order the sourdough ready-to-go from the Stiftsbäckerei.  

Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter, Kapitelplatz 8, 5020 Salzburg, Tel.: +43 662 847 898

Hand- und Feinbäckerei Alois Essl: Love is in the air

What does the word “Christmas” evoke in the mind of a baker? “It’s all about anticipation, of course”, says Stefanie Essl of Bäckerei Essl. "Christmastime is always something truly special and beautiful, something we associate with harmony and love. Cookies are part of that, because they are one of those products that give us a warm and fuzzy feeling.” That said, rum balls, either dark or light, have pretty much the same effect on Stefanie Essl. 

Authentic raw ingredients combined with time

"In our bakery, all of the cookies or homemade by hand”, explains Stefanie Essl – no chemical additives, but rather butter and other high-quality ingredients instead. That also goes for the vanilla crescent cookies, Linzer Augen and gingerbread, all of which are really popular with her customers. One tip from the expert to all hobby bakers: “Use authentic raw ingredients and give your products time to lie there and rest; they need it”. With those simple tips in your culinary arsenal, nothing more stands in the way of creating your own personal corner of cookie and gingerbread heaven.

Hand- und Feinbäckerei Alois Essl, Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 41, 5020 Salzburg, Tel.: +43 662 431 123

Recipe for vanilla croissants

Ingredients for 30 servings

300 g of flour
120 g icing sugar
250 g butter
100 g almonds, peeled, grated

Ingredients for rolling

4 tbsp vanilla sugar
90 g icing sugar

Knead the flour, butter, icing sugar and almonds into a dough. Let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour in a foil. Then knead the dough and roll it out with the flat of your hand on a lightly floured work surface. Cut the rolling pin into small pieces and then shape into croissants and place on the baking sheet with baking paper. Bake the croissants for around 9 minutes at 170 degrees top and bottom heat. Carefully toss the still warm croissants in the icing sugar-vanilla sugar mixture and enjoy afterwards.