An ever-lasting history

Alsace and gingerbread:
3 not-to-be-missed visits
and 1 recipe

Alsatians are devoted to enriching and carrying on their traditions. That's why you'll find it on all Christmas tables, in the decorations, and at the markets. What is it? Our dear gingerbread! What would Christmas in Alsace be without it? Without tasting it, decorating it, or visiting a gingerbread maker? It's simply unimaginable!

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Welcome to the magical world of the Fortwenger Gingerbread Palace

Let's start at the Gingerbread Palace in Gertwiller. Follow the Mannele, the fabulous gingerbread man, on an interactive journey through the senses. Breathe in the spiced aromas, make fascinating discoveries, and visit the factory. Yumm, it sure smells good! We wander through the legends, traditions, and splendid scenes. There are 800 m2 of fun spaces for kids and adults to explore! We finish our visit with a gingerbread decorating workshop and a stop in the boutique.

The Gingerbread Palace

Fortwenger shops are located all throughout Alsace, including Roppenheim, Strasbourg, and Colmar. And there are other well-known producers in Alsace, too: it truly is the land of gingerbread! LIPS, Mireille Oster... Let's continue the not-to-be-missed visits.

The passionate collection of the LIPS Museum in Gertwiller

Also in Gertwiller is the Gingerbread and Alsatian Folk Art Museum, inviting us to dive into another era. We open our eyes wide and explore the impressive exhibition of 10,000 objects retracing the history of gingerbread. In addition to moulds and pastry cutters used for making gingerbread, there are other items and utensils from everyday 18th-century life on display: furniture, tools, toys, earthenware from Strasbourg, and more. We end the visit with a stop in the LIPS shop.

The Gingerbread Museum

Mireille Oster in Strasbourg

Both traditional and revisited gingerbread await us at Mireille Oster’s. One of the two shops is right near Strasbourg Cathedral and the other in the Petite France district. In little squares or in bars, different varieties of gingerbread are made with know-how, creativity, refinement, and of course love. Wait, Mireille Oster also has a recipe book?! We know what we're taking back home from our Christmas in Alsace to keep us busy on long winter evenings!

Mireille Oster

Liesel partage ses coups de coeur en Alsace

Liesel'sTips

A bit of trivia for you: honey and spice bread as we know it today was probably developed in China in the 10th century. We've been enjoying it here in Alsace since the Middle Ages. 😊

Alsace gingerbread: the essential recipe

Ready with all the ingredients? Let's get started! It's a no-fail recipe! Good to know:

Be sure to plan ahead when making gingerbread: the dough needs to rest overnight before baking.
The recipe for gingerbread calls for the four classic spices (cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg) and you can also add anise (or star anise), coriander, or cardamom if you like.
Our recipe includes candied fruit and schnapps for the icing. We love these little Alsatian touches!

Get the recipe