Christmas Baking in Salzburg
Salzburg is such a magical place to enjoy the Christmas season! Nestled among the mountains, a blanket of snow over the city, twinkling lights, festive decorations, and the smell of gluhwein and apple strudel float in the air. It is one of my favourite places to visit in December!
In addition to exploring the lovely Christmas markets, charming winding streets, fortress perched on the hilltop overlooking the city, and enjoying the Sound of Music tour, there is a unique and fun thing to do: Christmas baking!
Having been to Salzburg a few times, I wanted to do something a little bit different during our trip. I brought my mum along with me, who is a baker herself. I came across the Edelweiss Cooking School, and signed up for the Apple Strudel and Salzburger Nockerl (christmas cookies) cooking lesson.
This cooking school is located inside a cave engraved in the Monchsberg mountain range. Only a ten minute walk from the Mirabell Gardens, it is a historical spot known as the Kaverne which served as the Tollgate to the Old Town, part of the Klausentor (city border) in the 18th century. It is beautifully converted inside, making it feel charming and rustic. It isn’t a large space, so the maximum size of a class is 15 people. All classes are taught in English.
When we walked over for our lunchtime class, we found that we were the only ones signed up for the afternoon, so we got to have a private class! Johann is a wonderful and fun teacher, in addition to being an experienced chef. We had a great time with him during the afternoon.
Johann worked with us to teach us how to make the strudel dough, stretch it out perfectly, create the filling, and put it all together. While the strudel started to bake, he taught us how to make the traditional ‘nockerl’ cookies. Learning to bake both treats was a wonderful way to also learn about the traditions in Salzburg, both their historic origins and how modern day Salzburg families use them now.
While the strudel and cookies were baking away, Johann served us his homemade goulash soup, which was absolutely delicious! Ever attentive, Johann also took photos while my mum and I were baking, which are terrific memories of this fun afternoon!
I highly recommend this cooking school if you are in Salzburg for something different and fun to do! There are a few different classes to enjoy throughout the year as well.
If you’re interested in the Apple Strudel and Salzburger Nockerl class, it runs daily between 11:30am - 1:00pm or 2:00 - 3:30pm, and costs 44,90 Euros per person. Book in advance so you can secure at spot on their website!
