What to Eat at European Christmas Markets

From late November to the New Year a whole new world of amazing options opens up to the hungry, and thirsty, traveler passing through Europe.

Indulging in European Christmas markets food is an essential part of soaking in the whole experience.

One of the things I most look forward to when we travel is the chance to try new food. You are probably not shocked to hear this if you have seen photos of me!

The chance to not only have another bite of some fantastic French pastries but to add a whole lot of new experiences had me very excited, especially reading about the options in the Christmas markets of Europe.

What are you going to find?

We expected to see a lot of sausage varieties served on buns, the mysterious currywurst, Gluhwein, and pretzels. And while we certainly found these in abundance we were delighted to find plenty of other treats, both savoury and sweet. So strap on your feed bag and get stuck into some Christmas Markets food.

This post will have a lot more photos than usual and not just because of my food obsession. You may also find it hard to believe that I actually lost weight during this month-long road trip, a testament to the crazy amount of walking we did every day.

A Swwet Start at the Christmas Markets

Let’s start off with something delicious, shall we? Maybe a look at some of the sweet treats we discovered… and devoured.

These amazingly realistic implements are actually made of fine chocolate and were common throughout the Christmas Markets, no matter which city we were in.

This store had by far the best display and you actually had to look twice to be sure they weren’t real tools.

You know the trip is going to turn out well when this is the counter of the third shop you see on the first morning in France. Although it does make your brunch decision extremely difficult.

No matter how delicious everything looks, and it does all look delicious, the unfortunate reality is that you are unlikely to be able to try everything you will want to. There’s just much to choose from.

These wonderful shortbready, pastry thingies filled the gap as a mid-afternoon snack. You should keep your eyes open as every Christmas Market tends to have a few stalls specialising in a local delicacy unique to the region.

In Cesky Krumlov we found what has become one of our favourite sweet snacks anywhere in the world, the Trdelnik. This crispy dough roll is roasted over coals and then rolled in cinnamon sugar to create the perfect treat.

The Czechs claim it as their own, as do the Hungarians, and probably a few other countries. No matter which country you find them in be sure to try one for yourself.

You will also find a seemingly endless range of new fillings which grows every year. But give me a traditional and I’m in my happy place.

These interesting looking balls will catch your attention as soon as you find them. They are called Rothenberg Schneeballen (snowballs), and they originated in the town of Rothenberg ob der Tauber.

In our opinion they look much better than they eat. What you find under the incredible looking exteriors are strips of pastry wrapped over each other to create the snowball effect. To much dough… not enough delicious!

The twisted Christmas treat – Pretzels

The obvious place to start when talking Christmas Market food, especially in Germany, is the humble pretzel. Although we soon discovered that there is more to the world of pretzels than just a simple, twisted lump of dough.

You could quite happily, but maybe not healthily, live off the assortment of these wonders for weeks. While the standard pretzel may be a favourite in the beer halls, it is the possibility of adding chocolate, nuts, fruit, cinnamon, cheese, or just about anything to them that makes them such a fighter of hunger.

The Wurst decision – Sausages

The next obvious food group is sausage, or wurst as they call it in these parts.

Shopfronts are filled with every variety you could imagine, and most of them are offered surrounded by bread in all shapes and sizes.

When you find a stall selling 24 inch sausages on a crispy roll, you know it’s time to accept the challenge. Not only do these make a fun photo prop but they are generally a happy solution to your hunger.

A common addition at many of the sausage vendors was the amazing potato pancakes pictured below. Delicious on their own but I was also talked into trying one with apfelmus (German applesauce), and what a revelation! It took the potato to a new level of awesome.

Better on a bun

Wrapping something in bread to make it easier to eat on the go was not limited to sausage by any means, from spit-roasted and barbecued meats to incredibly tasty chicken and vegetable skewers, it seemed the possibilities were almost endless.

It seems the only thing better than tender meat and vegetables on a stick that are grilled to perfection is to wrap it in a bun. Just remember to remove the skewer, it’s not as tasty as the rest.

Eating on the go

As a connoisseur of anything stuffed between bread, it may surprise you to know that sometimes even I need a change. If you don’t want any more bread there are other tasty options served in a container or on a plate.

Maybe some potato, bacon, and onion, or some of this sensational slow-cooked vegetable medley, which can spend hours simmering along in these giant iron bowls before being offered to hungry patrons.

Or maybe you prefer some slow-roasted mushrooms with pasta. The thing that quickly becomes apparent is that European Christmas Markets offer so much food, and you have so little time.

If you are longing for something a little more crunchy then why not go for a bag of these thin-cut, fresh-fried potato chips? Perfect for that quick snack on the go with the bonus of the bag warming your freezing cold hands.

Our mysterious highlight

Sometimes you need nothing more than a napkin to hold the most delicious treats. I hate that I can’t remember the name of this culinary wonder but its pure deliciousness will remain with us forever.

Dough is stretched out on a large board, then covered with capsicum (peppers), bacon, and a large sprinkling of grated cheese before being folded and folded like a strudel. After some time in the oven, you are left with a perfect pile of awesome.

Crispy top, gooey cheese, salty bacon, and topped with sour cream, and chives. This was quite possibly the savoury sensation of our trip.

Deep fried delights

As you make your way around the Christmas Markets you will also find plenty of that age old favourite, deep-fried delights. And with every new markets comes a new option.

Every country we visited along our ultimate Christmas Market road trip claimed Langos as a local invention. The only thing for certain is that you won’t care where they came from, as long as they end up in your hands.

These varied from town to town but all seemed to be a type of pancake, donut, sweet bun thingy, stretched into a large circle, fried, and then topped with a range of sweet or savoury toppings.

During our return to Munich last year, we came across a new addition to the wonderful range of fried options. And this one may just be the best of all!

Apfelkuckle are essentially apple fritters. A slice of apple coated in a batter and fried to golden perfection before being smothered in cinnamon sugar. As I write this my mouth has begun watering, which should tell you that this is something worth searching for.

Drinks and dessert

I suppose after all this eating you will be looking for something to wash it down to prepare for some dessert. The most common sight across the Christmas Markets would have to be Gluhwein stands. Always the most crowded areas and also the most festive.

Friends and families congregate to share stories and partake in this warm, spiced wine beverage. I was not a huge fan but did find some delicious warmed and spiced apple juice to take its place.

You will notice that the drinks are served in souvenir mugs which you can either keep, or return for a deposit refund. We particularly like the Munich boot mug and they make fun souvenirs.

You may be wondering what the cake is in the photo. Wonder no more, Stollen is a German Christmas cake that is usually available wherever Gluhwein is found. They pair beautifully.

I mentioned desserts above, and Salzburg wins the award for best market dessert in a bowl. This amazing concoction is a smashed apple pretzel with icing sugar and hot apfelmus.

I will say that you will be very reluctant to share, but in the end, the decision will probably be taken out of your hands… as will your dessert!

Christmas Markets food – Our opinion

Food is probably not the driving factor behind your desire to experience the wonder of European Christmas Markets, but it certainly does make a magical experience that little bit better.

After so many wonderful food and drink discoveries on our first Christmas Market adventure, it became one of our main reasons we decided to return last year.

You are sure to find something for every taste, and maybe even discover something you have never seen before but will become a food memory to cherish. Try something new, and make the most of your adventure.