Gingerbread, speculoos, and more—what’s your favorite treat during the holiday season?

Hi everyone,

it’s that time of year again! The weather is getting cooler (and grayer), the days are getting shorter, and all the delicious Christmas treats are piling up in stores everywhere once more.

Gingerbread, speculoos, and domino cookies are, of course, the true classics (and always delicious!) ;-)

But I’d love to know: What regional treats do you know of? Is there something really typical in your region that you look forward to every year?
Maybe an old family recipe for especially delicious cookies? Or a special Christmas cake?

Tell us all about it! :-D

Personally, I love my mom’s nut stars and lemon hearts the most. She’s tried to give me her recipe before, but I turned her down—they have to be Mom’s!
My husband really likes black-and-white cookies and speculoos; he buys the speculoos as early as September because he can never wait.... Our kids love cornflake cookies—we got the recipe from preschool, and we make them every year. My mother-in-law is in charge of the spritz cookies, and other than that, I try something different every year. Last year it was nut triangles—I had to bake them several times. Let’s see what else we’ll add this year...

My grandma makes the world’s best Linzer torte! We always have it at Christmas, and I could dive right into it. 

I can't think of anything regional right now...
Generally speaking, I don't like many Christmas treats at all... (e.g. Dominosteine and gingerbread)
But you can tempt me with vanilla crescents. Preferably really soft ones that almost crumble when you touch them. Yum, yum!

(Oh, and mulled wine is a treat for me too! It's not sweet... But I'd say it counts too :)) 

Our typical Christmas cookies are Mailänder, Basler Brunsli, and Zimtsterne, as well as Anisbrötli and -chräbeli. My mom loved trying out new recipes, and the Sandele—cookies made with sandalwood powder—became a big hit; they’re a must-have on my Christmas plate, too. The recipe probably comes from Austria. Our son’s favorite is Spitzbuben, and for my husband, Totenbeinli (hazelnut sticks) are among his favorites. Among other things, I also really like Bernese hazelnut gingerbread.

In our family, all these treats don’t make it to the table until Christmas. St. Nicholas brings gingerbread and “Grittibänze” made from yeast dough; otherwise, we only get a little taste of the finished cookies.

We have Spitzbuben every year—preferably filled with quince jelly. But I’m always trying out new recipes, too.

I also make quark stollen every year, usually for the kids and grandkids. Apple bread is another big hit—it’s very tasty, and I can use my own apples for baking.

I’m already looking forward to getting started.

Christina E. I’d be happy if our cookies lasted even close to Christmas Eve! I basically spend the weekends baking during Advent :D

Oh, that “only after Christmas” rule used to apply to our Christmas cookies too (or as we call them: Weihnachtsbredle), and I hated it.

Before Christmas, everyone would stare longingly at the cookie jar… And when my mom wasn’t around, I’d always sneak a few… Just enough so no one would notice…
Since my siblings did the same thing, only half were left by Christmas, but oh well ;)

After Christmas, nobody really felt like eating them anymore, so a lot of them sat around forever...
--> That’s why I’ll never have that rule in my house ;) 

Where I’m from, we eat “Bredle” even before Christmas. Sometimes I have to bake another batch of a certain kind.

I also remember that my mom always used to hide them, but it didn’t really work.

I don’t want any more after Christmas, either.

Unfortunately, I don’t know of any regional Christmas treats.
I’ve always loved my grandma’s Pfeffernüsse at Christmas—and a few years ago, I found the cookbook with the recipe among her belongings. Ever since then, we’ve had these Pfeffernüsse every Christmas.
And there’s a little story about these Pfeffernüsse, too: I remember that my grandma once put a cookie jar away so well that it didn’t resurface until summer. — The Pfeffernüsse were still good and a real treat even in the summer ;-)

I absolutely love vegan treats.

I really like gingerbread, Magenbrot, and spice cake.
And of course, homemade cookies.

We’ve already made some spritz cookies this year.

Let’s see what else we’ll bake.

@MonsZa-Design: I like the story about the Pfeffernüsse! By the way, I bake some too, already for St. Nicholas Day.

@Christina: I usually start baking as early as the end of November so I can have everything ready before Christmas.
Sometimes I even have to bake another batch of a certain kind because my guys have been eating too much of it ;-)

My daughter and I start baking our first cookies in mid-November. We make really simple shortbread cookies cut out with cookie cutters, oatmeal cookies, and shortbread. Everyone has their own favorites. And then we’re busy handing them out and snacking on them :-) We bake every weekend until 14 days before Christmas, and the last “batch” is then stored in tins. We have lots of people who enjoy them, so this works out best. That way, there are still cookies left for the holidays. :-) :-)

For a few years now—ever since a vacation in Florida—I’ve loved hot drinks with pumpkin spice syrup. Whether in coffee, tea, or just hot milk—it just feels so cozy. The syrup also goes great in desserts… I always make a small batch of it in late fall. And pumpkin pie too—I really love that as well.

Among our local treats, spiced speculoos cookies are among my favorites. As a child, my mother would even put them on a slice of buttered bread for me (preferably Kassler....) … and I still treat myself to that every now and then...